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| - | # Gates & stiles | + | # Gates |
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| Stiles are human (and dog) specific – they provide a way to get through or over a fence, hedge or wall without a gate, but without allowing the livestock in the field to also get through. They’re usually for public right of way. Cattle grids serve the same function, but are wider to allow vehicles to pass as well as pedestrians. | Stiles are human (and dog) specific – they provide a way to get through or over a fence, hedge or wall without a gate, but without allowing the livestock in the field to also get through. They’re usually for public right of way. Cattle grids serve the same function, but are wider to allow vehicles to pass as well as pedestrians. | ||
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| There are various kinds of stiles too, the most common being simple wooden steps over fences; but there are also ladder stiles; squeeze stiles - two vertical posts or stones that people can (usually) squeeze between, but livestock can’t; and step stiles for dry stone walls – the steps are often stones that go right through the wall, providing steps up and down, on either side of the wall. An unusual stile is the clapper stile, that can be pushed down for access, after which weights on the end of the bars bring them up to horizontal again when you let go (but be careful not to accidentally let go when you’re halfway over!). Stiles are often replaced by kissing gates nowadays. | There are various kinds of stiles too, the most common being simple wooden steps over fences; but there are also ladder stiles; squeeze stiles - two vertical posts or stones that people can (usually) squeeze between, but livestock can’t; and step stiles for dry stone walls – the steps are often stones that go right through the wall, providing steps up and down, on either side of the wall. An unusual stile is the clapper stile, that can be pushed down for access, after which weights on the end of the bars bring them up to horizontal again when you let go (but be careful not to accidentally let go when you’re halfway over!). Stiles are often replaced by kissing gates nowadays. | ||
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| As the quote at the top says, gates can be both sustainable and supportive of the local economy. You can buy sturdy wooden or metal gates from farm supply companies. But if you’re a smallholder interested in supporting your local economy and woodland, you might be able to get gates made from local hardwood (rather than from treated softwood from Scandinavia, | As the quote at the top says, gates can be both sustainable and supportive of the local economy. You can buy sturdy wooden or metal gates from farm supply companies. But if you’re a smallholder interested in supporting your local economy and woodland, you might be able to get gates made from local hardwood (rather than from treated softwood from Scandinavia, | ||
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| Stiles can help walkers get across your land without damaging fences or stone walls. It’s very important to get them right – not just for keeping animals in but also for allowing public [right of way](https:// | Stiles can help walkers get across your land without damaging fences or stone walls. It’s very important to get them right – not just for keeping animals in but also for allowing public [right of way](https:// | ||
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| Whether you buy in gates, or make your own, you can make fence posts and gates last twice as long with a couple of additions. The tops of the posts / gates are open to the sun and rain. They can crack and allow water in – so you can put a cap of scrap lead on the top, which will keep the sun and rain out, and poison any fungus or lichens. | Whether you buy in gates, or make your own, you can make fence posts and gates last twice as long with a couple of additions. The tops of the posts / gates are open to the sun and rain. They can crack and allow water in – so you can put a cap of scrap lead on the top, which will keep the sun and rain out, and poison any fungus or lichens. | ||
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| The simplest way to make gates is with cleft oak or chestnut – i.e. not using a saw, but splitting logs lengthways, into 1/8, 1/16, or even 1/32, depending on the diameter of the log. Oak and chestnut are the most durable, but you can make gates from any wood. Dafydd of Felin Uchaf has made ash gates that he’s replaced after 5 years, but also oak gates that are still going strong after 30 years. | The simplest way to make gates is with cleft oak or chestnut – i.e. not using a saw, but splitting logs lengthways, into 1/8, 1/16, or even 1/32, depending on the diameter of the log. Oak and chestnut are the most durable, but you can make gates from any wood. Dafydd of Felin Uchaf has made ash gates that he’s replaced after 5 years, but also oak gates that are still going strong after 30 years. | ||
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| You could also get a local blacksmith to make your hinges – although they’re not as easy to find as they used to be. So you might buy hinges, bolts, catches and other ironmongery from your local farm supplier. Talk to them about what you’ll need, and what goes where. | You could also get a local blacksmith to make your hinges – although they’re not as easy to find as they used to be. So you might buy hinges, bolts, catches and other ironmongery from your local farm supplier. Talk to them about what you’ll need, and what goes where. | ||
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| You don’t want to hang a gate from a straining post that’s holding strained fence wire. A gate post is separate from the fence. A telegraph pole is good, or a large, tanalised softwood post, round or square, with a pointed top so that the rainwater runs off (or with a lead cap – see above). A small, pedestrian gate can hang off a small, 13cm diameter post, but not a vehicle gate – a 12-15 foot (3.5-4.5m) wide gate will need a large gate post (15-18cm diameter or square) or telegraph pole. | You don’t want to hang a gate from a straining post that’s holding strained fence wire. A gate post is separate from the fence. A telegraph pole is good, or a large, tanalised softwood post, round or square, with a pointed top so that the rainwater runs off (or with a lead cap – see above). A small, pedestrian gate can hang off a small, 13cm diameter post, but not a vehicle gate – a 12-15 foot (3.5-4.5m) wide gate will need a large gate post (15-18cm diameter or square) or telegraph pole. | ||
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| A galvanised gate has a lot of adjustability – around 5-6cm of adjustment at the top and bottom. The gate has two eye bolts – one at the top and one at the bottom. They sit on the hinges, that have a vertical point that goes through the eye of the bolt. Gravity holds the gate in place. There are two nuts on each bolt, so that you can adjust the hinges so that the gate swings open properly. | A galvanised gate has a lot of adjustability – around 5-6cm of adjustment at the top and bottom. The gate has two eye bolts – one at the top and one at the bottom. They sit on the hinges, that have a vertical point that goes through the eye of the bolt. Gravity holds the gate in place. There are two nuts on each bolt, so that you can adjust the hinges so that the gate swings open properly. | ||
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| On the other gate post, you fit a standard gate catch (from agricultural suppliers) with screw bolts (hit them with a hammer to give them a grip, then turn them all the way in with a spanner). It’s easy to attach, and a pin on the gate fits into the catch to close it. | On the other gate post, you fit a standard gate catch (from agricultural suppliers) with screw bolts (hit them with a hammer to give them a grip, then turn them all the way in with a spanner). It’s easy to attach, and a pin on the gate fits into the catch to close it. | ||
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| Fences delineate the borders of your land. However, make sure that you don’t fence across open-access land or public rights of way – or if you do, you’ll have to install a stile so that people (but not animals) can climb over the fence. | Fences delineate the borders of your land. However, make sure that you don’t fence across open-access land or public rights of way – or if you do, you’ll have to install a stile so that people (but not animals) can climb over the fence. | ||
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| - | ## Further resources | ||
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| [[p:Sam Ansell]] of [the Coppice Co-op](https:// | [[p:Sam Ansell]] of [the Coppice Co-op](https:// | ||
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