A composite gate is built from composite boards held in an aluminium frame. It looks like a solid timber gate from a distance, but it does not need painting or staining and it does not swell and shrink with the weather the way timber can. We supply and fit composite garden gates and side gates, most often alongside a new composite fence so the gate and fence match.
The photo on this page shows a style available. Colours and board profiles are chosen to suit the fence they sit in.
Composite or timber gate?
Timber gates are traditional, can be made to any size, and suit older houses and timber fencing. They need treating to stay looking good and can move or drop over time if the frame is not braced well.
Composite gates trade some of that flexibility for less upkeep. The aluminium frame keeps the gate square, the boards hold their colour, and there is no painting. They are heavier than they look, so they need sound posts and good hinges.
- Upkeep: composite needs a wash; timber needs treating
- Warping: the aluminium frame keeps a composite gate square
- Colour: composite holds its colour; timber weathers
- Weight: both need posts and hinges sized to the gate
Matching your composite fence
The main reason people choose a composite gate is so the side gate disappears into a composite fence. Using the same board colour and profile, and setting the gate height to the fence line, gives a continuous look along the side of the house. If you are planning a new composite fence, it is worth deciding on the gate at the same time.
Posts, hinges and locks
A composite gate is hung on posts set firmly enough to carry it without dropping. The hinges, latch and any lock are chosen for the weight and for which side you need to open it from. A side gate into the back garden can take a lock so it stays secure.
Where composite gates fit best
Side gates between the house and the boundary, garden gates within a composite fence run, and gates on newer houses where the rest of the outside is low-maintenance. For a front entrance or a period house, a hardwood or metal gate may suit better, and we will say so.
Looking after a composite gate
Upkeep is mostly a wash with soapy water to remove dirt and green growth. The hinges and latch benefit from a little oil now and then so the gate keeps closing cleanly.
How a composite gate job runs
Send us photos and rough measurements, we send a written estimate, then we visit to confirm before work starts. We cover London and Hertfordshire. The estimate sets out the gate size, colour, posts and ironmongery.