Anatomy of an Entry Gate: Parts, Design and Customization Options

Entry gates may seem like a simple addition to a home, but their design can be intricately customized to create something beautiful and never before seen. Designing a custom entry gate begins with understanding the individual parts of the gate and how they can be customized to create something unique. When a gate is built from the ground up—as every product made by CAMBEK is—everything can be completely customized. Our wooden entry gates, no matter how big or small, are handcrafted with high-quality wood and other materials. 

If you are in the process of designing an entry gate for a home, consider customizing these components to create something unique. 

Panel Details

The panels are the most prominent detail of the entry gate, and they can be adorned with a wide range of inlays and cutouts, decorative trim, and various pieces of hardware that include: 

• Finials 
• Collars 
• Hinges 
• Handles 
• Clavos 
• Knobs 

The primary decision to make in the design of an entry gate is whether the panel will be comprised of a single piece of wood or pickets (individual pieces of wood that are held together by rails and cross braces. 

Cross Braces

Cross braces are functional pieces of trim that act as a support for a wooden entry gate, but they are not simply functional. They also add to the gates overall design. 

Cross braces help support entry gates by creating a triangular shape within the gate, transferring the force that would normally be acting on the hinges into the entirety of the gate itself. Cross braces add much more than structure. They can also be used to add extra design details to a gate, and more can be added as the size of the gate increases. 

Posts and Caps

The posts of a gate are more than the endpoints of the gate, they can be one of the most prominent design features of the entire gate. Post designs vary by architectural style, and they have greatly evolved over time and by region. They can be used to accentuate the design of a gate or echo design features present on a home (including those in the entry door and garage door, shutters, and other exterior features. 

Gate post cap styles can also vary, including prominent styles like: 

• Gothic 
• Federation 
• Hampton 
• Ball/Dome 
• New England 
• Flat 
• Teardrop 
• Coachman 
• Newel 

Other Important Entry Gate Design Considerations

A few other things can be important to the design of an entry gate, including: 

• Local ordinances that impact height, placement, etc. 
• HOA rules and limitations 
• The opening style of the gate (swing vs. slide) 
• The terrain of the property 
• The surrounding fence 

Take everything into consideration when designing a gate. Need help getting started? Get in touch with our entry gate design experts for a free consultation today. 

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