Gate Hardware

[Buck Williams]

I’ve finished an arched, frame and panel door of western red cedar that I’m going to use as a garden gate, mounted on the 4 x 4 posts of an arched arbor. I’ve looked at various gate hardware for the latching system, and I am wondering if cast bronze interior passage door lever handle would create any problems. I assume the bronze would hold up to the weather, wondering if the internal mechanism would wear well? I could use an exterior door latch kit, which I assume would be more weather resistant but then I’m paying for a lock set and a deadbolt that I don’t need. I like the idea of a door lever instead of a knob or a thumb latch. How do any of you deal with gate latching, any suppliers to point me towards? Thanks.

[Jamie Buxton]

Interior door sets will not work well for exterior use. There's too much steel in them, that will eventually rust. On top of that, interior door hardware has some ability to deal with movement between the door and the jamb, but not much. Gates typically have two posts that are planted separately in the ground. Over the seasons, and over time, those two posts move more than the interior jamb does. That's why most gate hardware has more allowance for movement between the gate and the jamb. I'd comb the web for true gateware, looking for stuff you can at least live with. For instance http://www.coastalbronze.com/ http://www.hdforge.com/Gatehardware html http://shop.360yardware.com/Gate-Hardware_c2.htm

[Ryan Mooney]

I'd also be concerned about the fussier internal mechanism getting gunked up outside. Simpler is better, and gate hardware should allow some "slop" for settling and ideally be somewhat adjustable. I'd even be concerned with this with an exterior door latch, because that is normally at least somewhat weather protected (covered anyway) and still doesn't allow for movement.

[David Winer]

... How do any of you deal with gate latching, any suppliers to point me towards? Thanks.

I had a difficult time finding "nice" gate hardware. Offerings at local stores were inadequate for my purposes. Web searching led me to Van Dyke's Restorers.They have pages of gate hardware. I chose a simple latch set, with thumb operation for the back side. I also found strap hinges there. Used the same hardware on two gates--now about four years old and no problems. I'm attempting to add a picture from their catalog.Gate Latch with Thumb Open.jpg

[Buck Williams]

Thanks, hadn't considered the outdoor "movement" issue. The arbor is more of a small pergola, 4 posts with cross beams on top and the posts are mounted on concrete sono tube colums 3 foot deep, but yeah the structure's gonna move with the weather and the frost. Thanks fo rthe hardware links.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Also - I've used hardware from these folks a couple times. My clients and I are happy with it.

http://acornmfg.com/