How long does a powder-coated metal gate last in Barnet?

Galvanised steel with a powder-coated finish holds up far longer than painted timber because the zinc coating protects the welds and cut edges. There is no annual staining to keep on top of, which is the usual reason a Barnet gate starts to look tired.

Can you match new railings to the ironwork already on my street?

Usually, yes. On Barnet frontages we measure the existing bar spacing, height and head detail, then build the new run to suit so it does not read as an obvious replacement. Victorian terraces, post-war semis and a band of larger Edwardian villas around Hadley Green often share a boundary pattern worth keeping.

Is metal fencing better than timber for a Barnet garden?

It depends which boundary. For a front garden, driveway or railing run, metal wins on life and upkeep. For rear screening you still want closeboard, panel or slatted timber, because railings are see-through by design. We fit both and will say which suits each run.

Do you fit metal gates into an existing timber fence?

Often that is exactly the job. A steel gate hung on posts set in concrete, with the timber run either side left as it is, gives you the strong bit where the wear happens. We do this regularly around Barnet.

Can you repair a metal gate rather than replace it?

Yes, and we will tell you when that is the cheaper answer. Dropped gates in Barnet are usually a post or hinge-pin problem rather than a failed gate, so a rehang and new galvanised ironmongery often sorts it.

Metal Fencing and Gates

Metal Fencing and Gates, Supplied and Fitted

Railings, estate fencing, bow top, vertical bar, driveway gates and side gates, galvanised and powder coated, fitted across London and Hertfordshire.

Steel work is its own trade, and we treat it that way

Most fencing firms will sell you a timber panel and hope you do not ask about metal. We fit both, and there are boundaries where steel is simply the right answer: a front garden railing, a driveway entrance, a communal boundary, a yard gate that gets used forty times a day.

Every gate and railing run is made to the opening rather than cut down from a stock length, which matters on older plots where nothing is square. Posts go into concrete, ironmongery is galvanised, and the steel is galvanised then powder coated so the welds and cut edges do not start rusting after the first wet winter.

We have been installing fencing, gates and decking across London and Hertfordshire for over 15 years, using our own team from the first site visit through to the final walk-round. The site visit and the written quote are free, and once the work and price are agreed we take debit and credit cards, bank transfer or cash.

Metal fencing and gates we supply and fit

Railings, estate fencing, bow top, vertical bar, driveway gates and side gates, all made to the opening and finished to last outside.

Estate Fencing

Traditional low estate fencing for open frontages, paddock edges, verges and long garden boundaries where a solid panel would block a view.

Continuous horizontal rails on driven or set uprights, keeping sight lines open while still marking ownership clearly.

Bow Top Railings

Bow top railings, the rounded-head pattern used around play areas, schools, front gardens and communal grounds because there are no sharp points at head height.

Curved head bars, no finials, and a colour chosen to suit the setting, commonly black or dark green.

Vertical Bar Railings

Vertical bar railings for a firmer boundary: closer bar spacing, heavier sections and a taller frame where security matters more than decoration.

Bar centres set to suit the job, welded through the rails, with posts bedded into concrete rather than bolted to slabs.

Metal Driveway Gates

Double metal driveway gates made to the exact opening, hung on heavy pins so they swing true and meet cleanly in the middle.

Drop bolt into a ground socket, adjustable hinge pins, and a choice of plain bar, decorative scroll or finial-topped patterns.

Metal Side and Pedestrian Gates

Single metal side gates for alleyways, passages, bin stores and rear access, sized to the gap rather than to a catalogue.

Framed and braced so they cannot rack, fitted with a lockable latch and galvanised hinges.

Estate and Entrance Gates

Decorative entrance gates with finials, scrolls or plain uprights, matched to railings either side so the whole frontage reads as one piece of work.

Hung from steel posts set in concrete, with hinge positions worked out on site so gradients do not catch the leading edge.

Commercial and Security Gates

Heavier gates for yards, units, schools and car parks, with commercial ironmongery and full steel frames rather than domestic fittings.

Sizes and bar spacing worked out around vehicle access, with mesh or infill where a site needs it.

Metal Gate Repairs and Rehanging

Dropped, sticking, rusting or storm-damaged metal gates put right: new hinge pins, new posts, welded repairs where the frame has failed.

Often a rehang and new ironmongery is enough, and we will say so rather than quote for a full replacement.

Matching Fence and Gate Sets

Metal gates fitted into timber fence runs, and railings run either side of a metal gate, so the boundary matches from end to end.

Closeboard, panel or slatted timber alongside steel, with the gate frame set square to the fence line.

Garden and Front Boundary Railings

Steel railings for front gardens, light wells, steps and raised patios, made to the run of your boundary rather than cut down from stock lengths.

Round or square top bars, welded frames, and a finish chosen to match nearby ironwork so a new run does not stand out against the street.

Galvanising and powder coating, and why both matter

Galvanising

Galvanising puts a zinc coating on the steel so the metal underneath is protected at the cut edges and welds, which is where rust normally starts. It is the reason a metal gate can sit through wet winters without blistering.

Powder Coating

Powder coating is baked on over the top, most often in black, and gives the colour and the surface finish. Over galvanised steel it is far more hard-wearing than brushed paint, and it does not need repainting every couple of seasons.

Galvanised Ironmongery

Hinges, latches, drop bolts and ground sockets are galvanised too. Fittings are the first thing to seize on a cheap gate, so they are worth spending on.

Powder-coated metal gate with galvanised hinges and drop bolt

Metal or timber, how they compare

We fit both, so this is the honest version rather than a sales pitch for one material.

Point	Metal	Timber
Expected life	Galvanised and powder-coated steel usually outlasts timber by a wide margin, with no annual treatment.	Pressure-treated softwood needs re-treating and will eventually go at ground level, which is where most timber fences fail.
Upkeep	Wash it down. No staining, no oiling, and touch-up only if the coating is chipped.	Staining or oiling every year or two to keep the colour and slow the weathering.
Privacy	Railings and bar gates are see-through by design, so they suit frontages rather than rear screening.	Closeboard, panel and slatted timber gives full privacy on a rear boundary.
Security	Harder to cut through or climb quietly, which is why yards and schools use steel.	Fine for domestic boundaries, easier to break through than a welded steel frame.
Cost	Higher up front, spread over a much longer life and no treatment bills.	Cheaper to fit, with ongoing treatment and eventual panel replacement.
Best used for	Front boundaries, driveway entrances, railings, communal grounds, commercial sites.	Rear garden boundaries, screening, privacy and softer garden settings.

Some of our metal fencing and gate work

A boundary gate set out to follow a sloping ground contour

A powder-coated metal driveway gate on a private drive

A metal-framed entrance gate hung on steel posts set in concrete

Double metal gates made to a driveway opening

Commercial metal fencing to a secure site boundary

A galvanised gate frame with drop bolt and ground socket

How a metal job runs

Free site visit, with every opening measured rather than estimated
Itemised written quote so you can see what is included
Fitted by our own team from first visit to final walk-round
Posts set in concrete, galvanised ironmongery throughout
Debit and credit cards accepted, plus bank transfer and cash, once work and price are agreed
Over 15 years installing fencing, gates and decking across London and Hertfordshire

Common questions about metal fencing and gates

Do you fit metal fencing and gates in Barnet?: Yes. Barnet and the surrounding EN5, N20 postcodes are part of our regular working patch, and we fit railings, estate fencing, bow top, vertical bar, driveway gates and side gates there. A free site visit comes first so the sizes are measured rather than guessed.
How long does a powder-coated metal gate last in Barnet?: Galvanised steel with a powder-coated finish holds up far longer than painted timber because the zinc coating protects the welds and cut edges. There is no annual staining to keep on top of, which is the usual reason a Barnet gate starts to look tired.
Can you match new railings to the ironwork already on my street?: Usually, yes. On Barnet frontages we measure the existing bar spacing, height and head detail, then build the new run to suit so it does not read as an obvious replacement. Victorian terraces, post-war semis and a band of larger Edwardian villas around Hadley Green often share a boundary pattern worth keeping.
Is metal fencing better than timber for a Barnet garden?: It depends which boundary. For a front garden, driveway or railing run, metal wins on life and upkeep. For rear screening you still want closeboard, panel or slatted timber, because railings are see-through by design. We fit both and will say which suits each run.
Do you fit metal gates into an existing timber fence?: Often that is exactly the job. A steel gate hung on posts set in concrete, with the timber run either side left as it is, gives you the strong bit where the wear happens. We do this regularly around Barnet.
Can you repair a metal gate rather than replace it?: Yes, and we will tell you when that is the cheaper answer. Dropped gates in Barnet are usually a post or hinge-pin problem rather than a failed gate, so a rehang and new galvanised ironmongery often sorts it.

Timber alternatives: wooden and metal gates, garden fencing and softwood, hardwood and composite decking.