Not really a project...

.. but the new gates are being installed on Monday. They're coming to concrete the posts in this afternoon. I haven't seen the gates yet but they're being made to my specification by a local retired joiner - everything glued and screwed instead of nailed, so hopefully they'll be nice and solid. Will post pics of the existing gates later.

Have also had a quote for the bottom patio and I'm mulling over whether to get that done or a new kitchen window/door.

 

Sounds like you ought to get the bottom patio done Merle to fit all these Hydrangeas on what you're buying

 

The bottom patio's already full Loli

 

Here's a pic of the gates before:



You can see that they haven't been done very well - the post on the left has just been attached to a half height fence post and the gate on the right has just been fastened to the wall, with one of the hinges screwed into the mortar (now hanging off). The new posts are being cemented in - a 6 inch post on the left and a 4 inch one on the right, which will be mortared and fastened to the wall.

The type of gates I've had made are what I wanted when I moved in as there were no gates there at all so anyone could just walk up the drive into the back garden. However, I was in a rush to get them done (having six dogs at the time) and the bloke I had out couldn't do the framed ones so I just had those put on (or I should say "chucked on").

 

I bet your new gates will look lovely and I can see what you mean about the posts etc. The new posts should absolutely do the trick and be much stronger... I like your idea of no nails

 

New gates have been fitted but I'm disappointed. They are well made (even mortise and tenoned) but one gate is slightly curved, which I can just about live with, but it turns out that the posts aren't dead straight and are both leaning slightly, (which can't be changed now as they've been mortared in) plus I can't close the gates from the front using the latch in the middle. They are coming back next week to sort that. It's also annoying that on one side the gate is below the bevelled top of the post and on the other it extends slightly above where the bevelling starts. They were £150 more expensive than the other quote I had and although they are undoubtedly better made, it's bugging me. I'll post photos later.

The bottom patio will be done at some stage but not by the builder who did my top patio due to his attitude re the damage done to my drive by the skip, which has lifted some of the flags and sunk others, so I'm either going to have to pay to have them lifted and relaid or else take him to small claims court which I can't be bothered with. I don't have any 'before' pics and he's saying that the drive was already like that (which it wasn't). There was some slight movement but nowhere near what it's like now. He's also damaged the corner section of the guttering when he did the roof, so that's going to have to be fixed (he's tried doing it himself but it dropped again as soon as he'd done it). I also had to have him come back and clear the guttering out after he lied that it had already been done. Luckily my next door neighbour went up and looked for me or it could have caused more problems because he'd left bits of mortar in there.

Every job I have done seems to cause some sort of problems.

 

Sorry to hear that @merleworld. So disappointing :(

 

The gate man has been back today while I was out and fixed the latch, so that bit is sorted. Pics below.





You can see from the pics below the difference in where they are positioned in relation to the bevelled top. Am I being too fussy on this? I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't even notice, but it's bugging me.





Next dilemma - what colour to paint them? Do I go for brown to match the fence or do I go for a colour? I quite like Cuprinol Garden Shades in Willow.

Need to get a couple of testers I think and try them on some spare wood.

 

I've been painting gates. Of course in my own inimitable style I managed to drop the tin of paint It went everywhere, all over the paving and I spent an hour with a scrubbing brush and hose scrubbing it clean. The tin I bought wasn't big enough to give two coats on both sides in any case, so I'm going to have to go back and buy more. I'm a flippin' clumsy idiot.

I did go for the Garden Shades in Willow in the end but now I'm not sure I like it.

 

Finished painting the front of the gates (not done the back yet).



Mulling over whether to paint the fence to the left of it in the same colour or whether to go for an alternative colour.

 

They look lovely Merle,great job

 

Merleworld, nice gates
i see you have a padlock there, just one thing, the two gates can be lifted off the hinges together if you need to get in