Ipe (pronounced EE-pay) is a hardwood tree that grows in the rain forests of South America. Amazingly durable and strong, it has built-in resistance to insects, decay, and weather. Not only that, but it’s almost completely fire resistant.

Builders have been using ipe lumber in growing numbers, with high customer satisfaction in both residential and commercial projects. High-profile ipe wood projects include boardwalks in Duluth, Minnesota and Atlantic City, New Jersey. Other applications include porch railings, indoor and outdoor rustic furniture, playground equipment, marine applications, fences, and wooden gates.

Ipe’s natural color is dark brown, similar to mahogany or teak. Untreated, it fades in the sun to a silvery gray. Most dealers recommend not using sealant on ipe wood. The material is so dense that the sealant resists soaking in, instead staying on the surface and becoming sticky. In areas of strong sunlight, or if you want to preserve the original brown color, a UV resistant coating can be applied. If you go this route, brush on a very thin layer at a time. Untreated ipe fences and gates can easily last 25 years, or more.

Sustainability is big issue with any rain forest grown lumber. A reputable dealer will be up front about the origins of its product. Ipe is grown sustainably in Brazil by cultivating healthy forests and harvesting only a few trees per acre every year. Done right, a good ipe woodlot actually prevents rainforest deforestation by providing local residents a means of earning a living without resorting to slash-and-burn farming.

Unlike ipe decking, ipe fences and gates don’t have significant problems with shrinkage and warping. Since their surfaces are all vertical, they get plenty of ventilation and allow water to run off without pooling.

Choose this elegant, high-demand wood for your fencing and gate needs and enjoy its beauty and durability for years to come.

Another advantage of wood is that it’s less expensive than other materials. Although they’re not maintenance free, a well made wooden gate will hold up well under hard use as long as it’s properly preserved and maintained. They work well for perimeter fences, garden fences, and equestrian settings. Wooden gates and fences are a perfect combination. For garden entrances, an arched trellis or arbor can work in combination with the wooden gates design to show off vining plants and roses. Custom wooden gates cost more than ready made models but add a personal touch to any property. Old wooden gates can be obtained in antique shops and restored into a one-of-a-kind property enhancement. Top edges can be finished in ornate styles like the Mount Vernon dip or oval top cut. Decorative metal sculptures can be embedded in a cutout or top edge for your own personal touch.

Urban and suburban property owners usually want their decorative wooden gates to do double duty as privacy gates. Here, design makes all the difference. Ranch style gates have three or more horizontal slats with lots of air space in between. They are lightweight and practical but give little to no privacy. Picket gates have narrow vertical slats with less than one inch of space between each slat. The top of each slat is pointed or carved into an ornate shape. They are also called palisade gates. White is the most common color for a picket fence and gate, but designer colors and stains are becoming more popular. Plank gates also have vertical slats, but they’re wider than the picket gate, and the slats don’t have gaps. A plank gate provides the ultimate in privacy and security, but is heavier than other types.

Outdoor wooden gates have to withstand all kinds of weather conditions as well as repeated use. Quality materials and techniques used during the unit’s construction add the most value to a property. The first question to answer is what kind of wood it’s made of. Redwood and cedar, need very little maintenance and are lighter in weight than hardwood. Brazilian ipe wood fencing is also very low maintenance but is best in damp climates. IPE lumber is so dense that it’s best to buy it pre-stained, as it’s very difficult to stain in a home setting. These woods are best left unstained, since they will weather to a beautiful gray color that looks just right in a natural setting. At most they should only be treated with a UV inhibitor to minimize sun damage.

Pressure treated pine or other softwood holds up well but should be stained or painted for best durability. Pressure treated softwood has the advantage of being light weight. A lightweight wood gate is easier to open and close, and it doesn’t need as extensive a support system to hang it from. Large wooden gates should be manufactured from lighter weight wood, or constructed as double wooden gates, which will split the load on the support posts by 50 percent. Hardwood gates should be shorter than softwood gates because of weight. Softwood costs about the same as a metal gate of the same size, but hardwood is more expensive. Some designs consist of wood planks over a metal frame, which adds to the unit’s strength. If the metal frame is hollow, it will save weight.

When it comes to gate construction, the story is in the details. At the very least, look for a good smooth finish on the joints and board ends and make sure the pieces fit together tightly. This is especially true of pre-manufactured units. Jagged ends and sloppy construction are a sign that inferior materials might have been used, and they’re a tip-off that the unit won’t hold up over the years. Quality wooden gates use mortise and tenon construction. Look for chamfered joints instead of simply butting the two boards up against each other. The length of the guarantee is another indicator of quality, with warranties ranging from one to 25 years. A 25 year guarantee will mean paying more but is a sure sign of quality.

Your local building materials superstore will have wooden gates for sale in mass produced designs, but to really show off your property, consider ordering a custom model. These can be made to order by small specialty suppliers, who will provide input on how to approach your particular needs and help you come up with a product that looks and works perfectly.

Posts provide the support structure for wooden gates fences and other enclosures. These should be as sturdy as possible and anchored deep in the ground, preferably with a concrete base. More than just utilitarian, gate posts can be installed with decorative tops, either rounded or pointed. You can customize even a mass produced gate by choosing your own hardware, such as hinges and latches. These too should be as stout as possible, particularly with larger, heavier units. You will need to decide whether the unit mounts on the left or right before choosing your hardware, unless you have a double setup. Sliding wooden gates look and function beautifully but need different hardware than swinging models.

Automated wooden gates are readily available and are often used as wooden gates for driveways. These can be set up with electric or hydraulic carriers, to swing open and closed, or slide back and forth. Remote controls for both the car and the home control the unit from the comfort of your living room or vehicle. This type of setup can be part of an overall security system and delivers the ultimate in privacy and luxury.

Pool fences are usually ornamental in appearance to give an aesthetically pleasing effect to a legal necessity. Aluminum pool fence is a very popular choice. It looks good and is very durable despite being exposed to sun and moisture year around. Pool chemicals give off vapors, and children splashing will drench the fencing with chlorinated water. Aluminum pool fence takes all this stride and comes out looking great. You can buy it with the typical silver-gray finish, or opt for a black anodized coating that makes it look like wrought iron pool fencing if you have a more traditional décor approach on the exterior of your home.

Mesh pool fence is usually made from PVC vinyl. Like aluminum pool fences, mesh pool fencing is zero maintenance and holds up well against weather and pool chemicals. Vinyl pool fence has the added advantage of a wide choice of colors and designs so that you can choose one for an exact match to your home.

Chain link pool fencing is practical, inexpensive, weather-proof, and chemical-proof. It’s not as attractive as the other types, but you can get it in various finishes that can improve its appearance a bit. Because it has to be stretched, you’ll probably want to hire a professional to install this type of fence.

Glass pool fence is expensive, but it looks absolutely stunning. Typically it consists of frosted or pebble glass panels embedded in an aluminum frame. The glass is toughened to resist breakage. The downside in addition to its expense is that it needs to be cleaned frequently, so it’s probably better suited for households that don’t have children or pets.

Standard regulation height for swimming pool fence is four feet, or 48 inches above the surface grade of the pool. This applies to above ground pool fence as well as in-ground types. For above ground pool fencing, the fence height should extend four feet above the lip of the pool. Local regulations may vary, so be sure to check your local building code.

The construction of pool safety fences has unique requirements making them hard for a child to climb or slide under. If the pools fence has horizontal supports, they need to be on the pool side, not the outside, so children can’t use them as a stepladder. If the vertical slats have spaces between them, the U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission recommends that the slats be no wider than 1-3/4 inches so a toddler can’t get a foot between them. Clearance between the pool level grade and the bottom edge of the fence should be no more than 4 inches so a child can’t slide underneath it. For chain link pool fence, the smallest mesh opening should be used, no more than 1-1/4 inches, to prevent climbing.

Pool fence regulations from the CPSC also includes construction of gates. Pedestrian gates are any type of gate that a person walks through, including the one leading to the pool. These should close and latch automatically when you take your hands off them. A gate that opens to the outside means that a child pushing on it will simply finish the job of latching it if it’s left unlocked. Install the gate release on the pool side, at least 3 inches below the top edge. This will keep a child from reaching up over the top to unlock the gate. Be sure to install the gate so there are no cracks wide enough for a child to reach in and unlatch it.

What about doors in the house that lead directly to the pool area? This is one of the biggest dangers according to the CPSC. The best safety device for this type of situation is a sound alarm that goes off when the door is opened. There are alarms made especially for this type of application that have a unique sound so you can tell it apart from a smoke alarm, the telephone, and the doorbell. Since you’ll want to use the door yourself, the alarm should have a keypad or other deactivation device that is positioned up high and out of the reach of young children. This switch will disable the alarm, typically for about 15 seconds so you can walk through the door, and then reset itself automatically. Deactivation switches should be installed on both sides of the door.

Swimming pool safety fence regulations and recommendations apply to spas and hot tubs as well as pools, because small children can drown in less than a foot of water. The cardinal rule to remember is that children should only be allowed inside the pool fence when an alert and capable adult is present and watching closely. Good safety practices will ensure that water is always a source of fun, not danger, for your children and pets.

An automatic gate opener works similarly to an automatic garage door opener. You carry a device in your car with you that triggers it to open when you approach and close automatically behind you. You can also have an opener console installed in your house from a vantage point so you can see who wants to come in while you’re home. If you can’t see the end of the driveway from your house, then a security camera at the entry point is a must.

Technology has made automatic gates more economical and easy to operate with each passing year. If you’re worried about a child or a pet getting caught as it opens and closes, you can rest assured that today’s designs have built-in safety features. A clutch apparatus detects if the system encounters resistance while opening or closing and immediately disables it until someone resets it.

The standard opening device for an automatic gate is the radiofrequency (RF) transmitter. If you want to be able to open your gate and your garage door with the same opener, you’ll need to purchase a special unit that’s programmed for both. Many automatic gate designs also have keypads where the user can punch in a preprogrammed code.

You don’t need to worry about unauthorized people using their own transmitter to get in. Just like your garage door opener, the transmitter uses a programmable code that only you can recognize. Really advanced systems use hopping codes, which reset themselves each time you use the opener, so the code is always fresh.

An exciting new development in electric gate technology is the solar gate opener. Instead of being driven by electric current from a utility, a solar panel powers the electric motor. This option works especially well in rural areas where utility lines are a long way away. It’s also a nice alternative for homeowners who want an automatic system that’s also green.

People install chainlink fence for many reasons. The most common one is to keep their dogs from roaming the neighborhood. Chainlink is used to build anything from a simple dog run, which is a small enclosure, to creating a run in the entire back yard so the dog has room to exercise and play.

The next most important reason to install a chainlink fence is to keep the kids in the yard so you don’t have to watch them everyone minute. You can set up a play area with swings and other toys inside the erimeter and let them go outside and be kids while you take care of chores inside the house and glance out the window from time to time to see how they’re doing.

The other reason to install chainlink is to keep people and animals out. Anything or anyone who’s not welcome in your yard will find a sturdy barrier to be something of a deterrent. Although intruders can get past any fence with enough time and determination, it’s usually easier to head down the street to bother your neighbor who doesn’t have a one. And while you’re away, a fence with a locked gate surrounding parts of your house that aren’t visible from the street is a major deterrent to theft. A thief can climb over a fence and break into your house, but he’ll have trouble climbing back out carrying anything of value bigger than something he can fit into his pockets.

Chainlink fence isn’t known for being the most attractive fencing option available. To put it bluntly, it’s downright ugly, so ugly in fact that some upscale neighborhood associations have banned it entirely. But some consideration for layout and some landscaping for camouflage can mitigate a lot of its unsightly qualities.

One of your challenges will be keeping vegetation mowed along the fence line. You won’t be able to get right up against the fence with a mower, so most homeowners resort to a string trimmer to keep the grass under control. The string trimmer does a good job, but it’s hard, noisy, time-consumer work. You have to trim on both sides of the fence, and chainlink breaks the trimmer cord regularly even if you mow carefully.

Don’t even think of spraying the fence line with an herbicide like Round-Up. It will look great at first, but that bare ground is a magnet for weed seeds, and first thing you know, you’ll have weeds growing twice as fast as the rest of your lawn to contend with.

The ultimate yard gadget for trimming the perimeter of chainlink fence is a weed burner. This is a hand-held propane torch wand attached to a small canister of propane that you carry in a specially built backpack. The torch isn’t for starting fires to kill the roots of vegetation. It simply heats the stems and leaves so they stop growing. The effects are long-lasting and look good, and you won’t have to fight an onslaught of weeds next season the way you would with herbicide.

Whatever method you use to control weeds under your chainlink fence, be sure to wear the appropriate safety equipment like protective goggles and clothing. If you’re using a flamer, take some time to develop good technique, and don’t use it in dry weather or when your municipality has a burn ban in place.

There are two purposes served by fencing: function and decoration. On the functional side, fences provide privacy and divide your property from your neighbors’ and from the road. The decorative aspect of fencing is that it can complement the design of your home and landscaping. Each type of fencing for sale in the consumer marketplace brings unique strengths and weaknesses to a yard. Many of those depend on your personal preference.

When choosing a style, look at the overall appearance of your home and garden. A cottage or ranch style home lends itself well to a picket fence. Ranches look great with post-and-rail fencing. A modern design home works well with a plain wrought-iron or synthetic style, or a panel fence in wood or vinyl. If you live in the country or on a farm, you might be able to use chainlink fence if you keep it tucked away behind buildings.

Panel fences give you privacy and block noise. They are available in heights from four to six feet. Some styles are plain, while others have lattice or scalloped patterns at the top. Panels come in wood, which is inexpensive and can stained in any of hundreds of colors. They also are available in vinyl, which is zero maintenance. Vinyl fence is available in white, or in imitation wood colors. Vinyl fencing is three to times more expensive than wood, but it doesn’t rot or fade and will last for years. Some vinyl fences come with a long-term warranty.

Post and rail fences look best with ranch style houses or on country properties. Post and rail looks like the old-time farm fences you might remember from you childhood. Post and rail fences are mainly a visual barrier since they’re so open, but they’re great for dividing property lines and to enhance the curb appeal of your home. If you’re buying wood post and rail fencing, cedar is the best way to go. It’s durable, looks great, and has built-in chemical properties that make it resistant to rot. Post and rail is now available as zero maintenance fence in plastic that looks remarkably like wood. You can even get recycled plastic fence that offers you a green fencing approach.

Chain link fence is also zero maintenance fence. It’s a cheap fence option and is a very effective barrier for keeping things in or out. It comes in heights from four to six feet and needs no upkeep.

Keep in mind that some neighborhood associations don’t allow certain types of fencing, or fences above a certain height. Check your association’s policies for the specifics.

A basic driveway system can be a wooden gate attached to sturdy posts and a perimeter fence. They have a nice rustic look and go well with country homes, especially farmhouses. If you live in the city or a suburb, you’ll want something with more substance and a modern décor. Many styles are available. The best ones serve as a privacy gate as well as adding to the security of your home. They can keep cars from coming up your driveway without your permission, or they can work in tandem with a privacy fence or security fences that enclose your property.

Driveway systems can be made from many materials, and ideally they should match your fencing material. Besides wood, you can have an iron gate or a steel gate. Styles include vintage, ornate, or clean contemporary. No matter what your choice, a driveway gate enhances the looks and value of your home along with providing security. So choose a style that matches the style of your house.

Behind the good looks, a driveway system needs a controller so you don’t need to get out of your car to open. Normally this will be a remote control like the one for your garage door, or you can install a security gate system with a coded touchpad. You can get an intercom go to with the touchpad to screen visitors. Some systems have video cameras so you can see who’s trying to visit you. There are motion sensors that can send a warning signal when anyone gets close to the gate. Motion sensitive lighting is another way to enhance the security that a privacy gate provides.

A driveway gate is not only a great source of privacy and security, but it adds loads of curb appeal to your home. The exterior impression of your property becomes more authoritative and majestic with a gate. If you have one-of-a-kind landscaping, then a system with gate posts will show it off to the max. For your guests, a gate presents a warm welcome. For people you’d rather not welcome, it puts up an extra barrier and deterrent to entry.

Oddly enough, a driveway gate can actually add to the space around your home. By cutting down on the traffic going up and down your drive, you’ll find that you can utilize it as a living space and play area, instead of steering clear of it. You’ll find yourself using every corner of your yard, as well as feeling more secure and private in your own home.

Start out by deciding where you want your double gate sections to go and mark off the opening. Set the first section into position and make sure it sits level. If the section is not of the type that will stand up by itself, you’ll need help from a friend to hold it up while you work.

Take out the L-shaped metal brackets that came in the package and place them on the concrete surface in their final position. Mark where they go, then take away the gate and brackets and drill holes in the concrete for the retaining bolts.

Put the section back into its original position and put the brackets over the holes you just drilled. The holes will need nail anchors hammered into them before you screw in the bolts.

Now drill holes in the posts using the L-shaped metal brackets as a template. Take out the steel screws and mount the brackets to the gate posts.

Position the second section next to the one you just installed. Check the angle and level carefully so the two halves match up. You’ll need to shim the second section to position it next to the first. Repeat the drilling and mounting process with the metal brackets that you followed for the first section. Remove the shims.

Now install the gate latches by marking where you want it to go. Drill some small holes into the gate and attach the latch to the gate frame with screws.

Install fencing by positioning the section of fence that connects to the nearest wall between the wall and the gate. Mark off where you’ll mount the fence to the gate and to the wall, using the mounting tabs as templates.

Then take away the gate and brackets and drill holes in the wall for the retaining bolts. Return the fence section to its original position and fasten it into place with masonry screws.

Now move to the other side and install the next fence section. Have a friend hold it in place while you work, or use cinder blocks to support it.

Don’t attach posts to the cap blocks until you’ve put up all of the fence sections. You need to square off the enclosure before you fasten it down.

Keep fastening iron fence sections to each other until you’ve completed all the sides.