Bespoke Hardwood and Iroko Gates
Premium made-to-measure iroko and hardwood gates, supplied and installed across London and Hertfordshire.
Why iroko is prized for gates
Most timber gates in the UK are softwood. Iroko sits in a different class. It is a dense, oily, tight-grained hardwood that shrugs off weather, holds ironmongery properly and carries a colour and grain that no stain on softwood can copy. If you want a front entrance that looks like it belongs to the house, this is the timber to ask for.
We source our hardwood and iroko gates through established suppliers and install them ourselves, so the gate is measured, hung and set up by the same team that quoted the job.
Our iroko & hardwood gate projects
Driveway gates, side gates and workshop details from gates made and fitted for our customers.
Hardwood gate styles we supply
Alongside our fully bespoke iroko gates, these ready-made hardwood gate styles can be supplied and fitted by Capital Fencing — each one sized to your opening and hung properly by our team.
What sets hardwood apart
A genuinely dense hardwood
Iroko is a tight-grained West African hardwood with a natural oil content, which is why it is used for boat decks, worktops and exterior joinery as well as gates.
Built for British weather
That density and natural oil make iroko far more settled outdoors than standard softwood, so a well-built gate stays straight through wet winters and hot summers.
Weathers beautifully
Left untreated, iroko silvers down to a soft grey. Oiled once or twice a year, it keeps the deep golden-brown colour that makes these gates look expensive.
Long lifespan
Hardwood gates are a long-term boundary rather than a short-term fix, which is why most of this work goes on front entrances and driveways.
Bespoke, made to your opening
Every gate is made to measure. Nothing here is an off-the-shelf size forced into a gap.
Double Driveway Gates
Made-to-measure hardwood driveway gates hung between piers or timber posts, with drop bolts and heavy-duty hinges.
Pedestrian Side Gates
Matching iroko side gates in a hardwood frame, sized exactly to the opening so nothing binds or drops.
Horizontal Slatted Gates
Contemporary slatted hardwood gates that suit modern extensions and rendered frontages.
Tongue & Groove and Flat-Board
Flat, close-boarded hardwood faces for full privacy, with a braced frame behind.
Arched and Curved Tops
Softly arched or curved-top hardwood gates for period and traditional front entrances.
Matching Fencing and Screens
Hardwood slatted screens and panels built to match the gates, so the whole boundary reads as one piece of work.
Make it yours
A made-to-measure gate is the one place on a house where small details really show. These are the options we can build in. Everything here is discussed at the visit to confirm and written into your quote, so you decide what is worth having before any work starts.
Engraving and plaques
Engraving is the detail people notice from the pavement, and on hardwood the cut edges stay crisp rather than furring up the way softwood does.
- House names and numbersCut into the timber or into a plaque fixed to the gate, so the address is readable from the road without a stick-on number that lifts after a winter.
- Engraved plaquesA separate hardwood, brass or stainless plaque, chosen when you want the lettering to stand out against the grain or to sit on a pier instead of the gate leaf.
- Dates and family namesPopular on new front entrances and renovations, where customers want the gate to mark the house rather than look like a stock item.
Locks and latches
How the gate is secured changes how it feels every day, so it is worth choosing rather than accepting whatever comes as standard.
- Long throw locksA deep-throw bolt suits timber gates because it still engages cleanly if the gate moves slightly with the seasons. Keyed both sides where you need to lock behind you.
- Ring latchesA traditional ring turns the latch from either side. Chosen for period frontages and for side gates that are used constantly and need no key.
- Suffolk latchesThe classic thumb-operated latch on a back plate. Simple, robust and easy to use with full hands, which is why it stays a favourite on garden and side gates.
Ironmongery upgrades
Hardwood gates are heavy, so the hardware is doing real work. Upgrading it is usually what keeps a gate hanging true for years.
- Heavy-duty hingesAdjustable or band and gudgeon hinges rated for the weight of a hardwood leaf, so the gate does not drop and start catching on the ground.
- Drop bolts and slide boltsOn double driveway gates a drop bolt into a ground socket holds the closing leaf steady, which takes the strain off the lock and stops rattle in the wind.
- Handles and letter platesPull handles sized to the gate, plus letter plates where post needs to come through the gate rather than a separate box.
- Finish optionsStainless steel for a clean modern look, powder-coated black for traditional frontages, or brass and antique finishes where you want warmth against the timber.
Finishes can be matched across the whole gate, so hinges, bolts and handles read as one set rather than a mix of leftovers. Costs depend on the gate size, the ironmongery chosen and the opening itself, so we price the extras with the gate rather than quoting them blind.
Supply and installation, start to finish
- Photos first, written estimate, measured on a confirming visit
- Timber and design options talked through on site
- Gates supplied through established hardwood suppliers
- Braced frames, heavy-duty hinges and drop bolts on doubles
- Posts or pier fixings set properly so the gate hangs true
- Written quote before any work starts
Prefer softwood or metal? See our wooden and metal gates and metal fencing and gates.
Matching boundary work is covered on our garden fencing and bespoke wooden fencing pages.
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