Fence gates in Jacksonville
Most fence trouble starts at the gate. It is the one part that moves, it hangs its whole weight off a single post, and in a storm it catches wind like a door. Tell us the opening and a local fence company calls you back to measure.
On this page
Walk gates, double gates and driveway gates
- Walk gate. Sized for people and for whatever you push through it. Measure the mower, or the widest thing you own with wheels, and leave room to spare.
- Double gate. Two leaves that meet in the middle, for a boat trailer or a truck in the back yard. One leaf is held by a drop rod into the ground and the other latches to it.
- Driveway gate. Swing or sliding, usually on a metal frame. A sliding gate needs a clear run beside the opening at least as long as the gate itself.
- Pool gate. Florida's pool law sets the rules here. Gates must open outward, away from the pool, close on their own and latch with a self-latching device, with the release on the pool side out of a young child's reach. Pool fences.
Why gates sag, and what stops it
A wood gate is a heavy frame hanging off one post. When it sags, either the hinge post has leaned or the frame has racked out of square. The fixes are well known: a heavier hinge post set deeper than the line posts, a diagonal brace running from the bottom of the hinge side up to the latch side, a metal frame inside the wood, or an anti-sag cable kit. Ask which of these the quote includes.
Gates and storm season
11 hurricanes and tropical storms since 2016 brought a FEMA declaration that included Duval County. A closed, solid gate takes the same wind as the panels beside it, but all of that load ends up on one hinge post and one latch. Ask about the size and depth of the hinge post, and for a latch that holds the gate shut in a gust instead of letting it slam. Fences and hurricane season.
Automatic driveway gates
An opener makes part of the job electrical work. Some fence companies install openers themselves and some bring in an electrician for the power run. Ask who does the electrical work, whether it needs its own permit where you live, and how the gate opens when the power is out.
What to ask before you sign
- How wide is the opening, post to post, and how wide is the gate itself?
- Which way does it swing, and does it clear the slope of the yard?
- What is the hinge post, how deep is it set, and is it heavier than the line posts?
- Which hinges and latch, and can the latch take a lock?
- For a pool gate: does it close and latch on its own from any open position?
Questions Jacksonville homeowners ask
Can a gate be added to an existing fence?
Usually. The fence company cuts the opening, sets a new post on each side, since old line posts are rarely strong enough to hang a gate, and builds the gate to match. Weathered wood is hard to match exactly, so expect a new wood gate to look newer than the fence for a while.
How do I fix a sagging gate?
If the hinge post is solid, an anti-sag kit or a new diagonal brace often fixes it. If the post has leaned or rotted at the ground line, the post gets replaced first, or the gate will sag again.
Should a gate swing in or out?
Most yard gates swing into the yard so they don't block a sidewalk or a driveway. A pool gate is the exception: Florida's pool barrier law requires it to open outward, away from the pool.
Can I hang my gate on my neighbor's fence?
Not without their say, and even then it is better not to. A gate puts weight and wear on the post it hangs from. Set your own gate post on your side of the line and put any shared-fence arrangement in writing.