Almost every fence repair call we get about a gate is the same gate: 4 feet wide, hung on two small hinges, on a 4x4 post, with a brace running the wrong way or no brace at all. Within two seasons it drops a quarter inch, the latch stops catching, someone lifts it to close it, and the post racks a little further each time. None of that is bad luck. This guide covers the gate ideas we build across Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville, and the specifications that make the difference.
How wide should a gate be?
| Use | Clear width | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| People only | 36 in | The residential standard. Fine for a side yard you walk through. |
| Mower, wheelbarrow, garbage bins | 42 - 48 in | Measure your actual mower plus 6 inches. This is the size most people wish they had built. |
| Small machinery, hot tub, landscaping access | 60 in or a removable panel | Worth doing if you ever plan a patio, pool or deck in the back yard. |
| Driveway or double gate | 10 - 12 ft total, as two leaves | Keep any single leaf to 5 ft or less, or it sags no matter what you do. |
Clear width is the gap between posts minus the hardware, not the width of the gate you buy. Lose about 1 inch to hinge and latch gaps on a typical build.
The bracing rule, which half of all gates get backwards
A gate is a rectangle trying to become a parallelogram. The brace stops it. Which way it runs depends entirely on whether the brace pushes or pulls.
| Brace type | Runs from | Runs to | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood brace (2x4 or 2x6) | Bottom hinge corner | Top latch corner | In compression. It props the latch side up, and wood is strong in compression. |
| Steel cable with turnbuckle | Top hinge corner | Bottom latch corner | In tension. Tightening the turnbuckle pulls the latch corner back up. |
Put a wood brace in the cable direction and it does nothing at all: wood pulls apart at the fasteners long before it helps. That single mistake is behind a large share of sagging gates. An anti-sag cable kit costs about $40 to $80 and can rescue an existing gate, but only if the posts are still solid.
Posts, hinges and latches
- Posts. Ontario's frost line means posts should be a minimum of 42 inches (1.07 m) deep, and 48 inches is the standard on a quality install. Use a 6x6 pressure-treated hinge post on any gate wider than 4 feet, even when the rest of the fence is cedar 4x4.
- Hinges. Three heavy-duty hinges rather than two, or double-strap hinges that sandwich the gate frame and lock the corner square. Check the rating: hinges are sold by the weight they carry, and a 5 ft cedar gate is heavier than people expect.
- Latches. A gravity latch is the most reliable everyday choice because it still catches when the gate settles slightly. Add a lockable latch or a keyed unit on a driveway gate.
- Gaps. About half an inch on the hinge side and three quarters on the latch side, with 2 to 3 inches of ground clearance. Extra clearance matters here: a gate set an inch off the ground will not open over packed snow and ice in January.
- Swing. Hang gates to swing into your own property, never out over a sidewalk or municipal boulevard.
Pool gates are a different job
Once a gate forms part of a pool enclosure it is governed by by-law, not preference. In Hamilton, Pool Enclosure By-law 16-184 requires the enclosure to be at least 1.5 m high from the outside ground, with no opening that passes a 100 mm sphere and nothing that helps a child climb it, and the gate must be self-closing and self-latching with the latch on the inside at least 1.35 m up. Oakville's Pool Enclosure By-law 2006-071 sets a 1.2 m minimum. Self-closing hinges and a code-compliant latch are a meaningful part of why a pool gate costs more than an ordinary one. Our privacy fence ideas guide covers the enclosure rules in more detail, and our permits guide covers who inspects what.
Fence gate ideas
1. The invisible gate
Boards, spacing and cap rail carried straight through so the gate reads as part of the fence, with hinges and latch on the inside. It is the quietest and most expensive-looking option, and it demands a properly braced frame, because there is nothing to distract the eye from a droop.
2. Horizontal slat gate
Horizontal boards with a consistent gap, usually in cedar with a black steel frame. It suits modern homes and is the current favourite. Note that on a pool enclosure, horizontal rails on the outside can count as climbable, so check before you commit.
3. Arbor or arch gate
An arbor over the gate turns a side-yard entrance into an event, gives climbing hydrangea or clematis somewhere to go, and ties the front yard to the back. Build the arbor legs as the gate posts, set deep, so the whole thing is one structure.
4. Steel frame with wood infill
A welded steel frame with cedar boards screwed to it is the only gate design that essentially cannot sag, because the frame does not rack. It is the right answer for a wide gate or a gate that gets slammed by kids all summer.
5. The double drive gate
Two leaves of 5 to 6 feet each, with a drop rod into a sleeve in the driveway holding the closed leaf. Add a wheel to the leading edge of each leaf if the ground is uneven.
6. Garden gate in a picket or lattice fence
A lower gate, often with a curved or scalloped top, for the front garden or a vegetable plot. Because it is light, it stays square more easily, but still brace it.
7. Privacy gate with a matching top detail
Where the fence has a lattice top or a spaced upper section, carry that detail across the gate. Our privacy fence ideas page covers board-on-board, shadowbox and slat styles that a gate can match.
8. Aluminum or steel gate
Powder-coated aluminum will not rot, rack or need staining, and it is the standard for pool enclosures because self-closing hardware is designed around it. It gives no privacy on its own. See wood vs vinyl vs aluminum fence.
9. The wide access panel nobody regrets
Not a gate at all: a section of fence built so it can be unbolted and lifted out. It costs almost nothing extra at build time and saves a fence panel being cut out later when a mini excavator, hot tub or pool liner has to get into the yard.
What gates cost in Ontario
| Item | 2026 range |
|---|---|
| Gate added to a new fence, typical | $250 - $900 |
| 4 ft cedar walk gate with a basic latch | About $350 |
| Self-closing, self-latching pool gate hardware | Upper end of the range, hardware is code driven |
| 10 ft aluminum double-drive gate, self-closing hinges, keyed lock | $1,500+ |
| Anti-sag cable and turnbuckle kit (retrofit) | $40 - $80 |
| Gate wheel for a wide or sagging leaf | $30 - $60 |
| Reset or replace a hinge post in concrete | $250 - $500 |
Gate prices sit inside the wider fence picture. Our fence cost guide has the per-foot numbers by material, and the fence cost calculator gives you a figure for your own run.
Fixing a gate that already sags
- Test the hinge post. Push hard at the top. Any movement means the post is the problem and nothing you do to the gate will hold.
- Check the hinge screws. Stripped screws in soft cedar are common. Move up to longer structural screws or through-bolts.
- Square the frame, then add a cable kit from the top hinge corner to the bottom latch corner and tighten until the gate is square again. Do not over-tighten; you can pull the frame past square.
- Replace the latch if it is a hook or barrel bolt. A gravity latch tolerates a little movement.
- Rebuild if the frame is soft. Once the rails are rotten, bracing pulls through. Our guide on why cedar fences rot and lean covers the diagnosis, and fence repair costs covers the numbers.
Gate on a chain link fence? See chain link gates and costs in our chain link fence guide.
Pool gate? Compare the gate latch rules by town for Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a fence gate cost in Ontario?
A gate adds about $250 to $900 to a fence in 2026 depending on width and hardware. A 4 foot cedar walk gate with a basic latch runs around $350, and a 10 foot aluminum double-drive gate with self-closing hinges and a keyed lock can clear $1,500.
Which way should a gate brace go?
A wood brace runs from the bottom hinge corner up to the top latch corner and works in compression. A cable with a turnbuckle runs the opposite way, from the top hinge corner down to the bottom latch corner, and works in tension.
How wide should a garden gate be?
36 inches for people, 42 to 48 inches if a mower, wheelbarrow or bins have to pass through, and a double gate of 10 to 12 feet for driveway or machinery access.
Why does my gate sag?
Usually a hinge post that has moved, a frame with no brace or a brace running the wrong way, or too few hinges. Check the post first, because rebuilding the gate on a loose post only buys a season.
How deep should a gate post be in Ontario?
At least 42 inches (1.07 m) to get below the frost line, and 48 inches is the standard on a quality install. Use a 6x6 pressure-treated post for any gate wider than 4 feet.
Do pool gates need special hardware in Hamilton?
Yes. Under Pool Enclosure By-law 16-184 the gate must be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch on the inside at least 1.35 m up, within an enclosure at least 1.5 m high that passes no 100 mm sphere. Oakville sets a 1.2 m minimum.
How much clearance should a gate have at the bottom?
2 to 3 inches. Less than that and the gate jams on packed snow and ice through an Ontario winter.