GATES TERMS

In Aphabetical Order | About Doors and Gates |
Ba | Br | Fr | He | Jo | Pi | Ra | St

Frame
A basic wrought iron gate frame has three components: the two vertical stiles, the two or more horizontal rails, and the one or more diagonal braces. Without the braces, the frame would rack and collapse.

Footings
The rubble that is tamped in around the gatepost. Traditionally, the footings were a mix of broken brick and clay. Iron tampers are used to ram the footings in place. Field hands found that dry clay and rubble make the firmest mixture, because the clay swelled when it was damp.

Groove
A narrow slot or channel cut in the direction of the grain, usually around the inside face of the frame. Used with fancy gates to take the edges of panels or the ends or edges of boards.

Haunched and pegged tenon
The joint used on the harr end of the top of a five-bar field gate when extra strength and stability are needed. A mortise is cut through the harr, and then the top face of the mortise is enlarged to take the entire end of the top rail. When everything is in place, the joint is fixed with a wooden peg.