Gate Installation
Walk, drive, and automated gates in wood, steel, and ornamental metal, built to swing true.
A gate is the hardest-working part of any fence. It swings, latches, and carries weight every single day, season after season, which is exactly why it is the first thing to sag, bind, or fail when it is built wrong. Terracotta Construction installs and repairs gates of every kind across Montgomery County and the Greater Houston area, with heavy posts, square frames, and hardware sized for the load. We build gates that open smooth and close tight for the long haul.
What Gate Installation Covers and Who Needs It
Gate installation is the work of building, hanging, and finishing the opening in a fence so it functions reliably for years. That sounds simple, but a gate is the one section of a fence that moves, and movement is what breaks things. Hinges take the full weight every time someone passes through, posts get torqued by the swing, and latches wear with constant use. Done right, none of that is a problem. Done cheap, you are propping a sagging gate shut within a year.
Homeowners need gates for backyard access, side-yard entry, pool enclosures, and pet containment. Anyone who mows, parks a trailer, or hauls equipment into a backyard needs a drive gate wide enough to do it without scraping a panel. Property managers and business owners need gates that take heavy daily traffic from tenants, customers, and delivery drivers without falling out of square.
We handle gates as part of a new fence build and as a standalone job on a fence you already own. If your existing fence is solid but the gate drags the ground, hangs crooked, or will not latch, we can rebuild just the gate and its posts without tearing out the rest. We size every gate to how you actually use the opening, not to a generic standard that leaves you fighting a too-narrow or too-heavy gate every day.
Gate Types, Materials, and Hardware
There is no single gate that fits every opening, so we build the type that matches the job. Walk gates are the standard single-leaf gate for foot traffic, usually three to four feet wide, sized to move a person, a wheelbarrow, or a trash bin through comfortably. Double drive gates split a wide opening into two leaves that swing open from the center, giving you a clear path for a truck, trailer, mower, or boat without the span or weight of one oversized leaf. Rolling gates, also called cantilever or slide gates, move sideways along a track instead of swinging, which is the right answer when there is no room for a leaf to open or when the opening is too wide for a swing gate to stay square.
Material follows the fence and the purpose. Wood gates, typically cedar, match privacy fences and give you a warm, solid look, and we frame them with diagonal bracing so the weight of the pickets does not pull the gate out of square. Steel gates are the tough, low-fuss choice for security and high-traffic openings, welded into a frame that will not rack. Ornamental metal gates, in steel or aluminum with a powder-coated finish, bring an upscale, see-through look to front entries, courtyards, and pool fences while still locking down access.
Hardware is where a gate lives or dies, and it is the easiest place for a cut-rate installer to save money at your expense. We hang gates on heavy-duty hinges rated for the actual weight of the leaf, not the lightest hinge that technically fits. Latches, drop rods on double gates, cane bolts, self-closing hinges, and lockable hardware all get matched to how the gate is used. The goal is simple: the gate should open with one hand and close with a clean, satisfying latch every time, not require a shoulder and a prayer.
The Process and What to Expect
Every gate job starts with a free on-site visit. We look at the opening, measure the width and the ground it sits over, check how the gate needs to swing or slide, and talk through how you use the space day to day. Do you back a trailer through it? Does a riding mower need clearance? Is there a slope that will catch a swinging leaf? Those answers shape the size, the type, and the hardware before we ever dig. You get an honest written estimate with the details spelled out and no surprises.
On install day, the gate posts come first, because they carry everything. Gate posts take far more stress than a regular line post, so we set them deeper and heavier in concrete footings and let them cure properly before we hang any weight on them. Skipping that cure time is one of the most common reasons a gate starts leaning, and it is not a corner we cut. While the footings set, we build the gate frame square and braced so it holds its shape under load.
Then we hang and adjust. We mount the hinges, hang the leaf, and fine-tune the swing so the gate clears the ground, lines up with the latch, and stays plumb. For double drive gates we set the drop rod or cane bolt so one leaf holds firm while the other latches against it. For rolling gates we level the track and rollers so the gate glides without binding. When the work is finished, we test the gate through a full open and close cycle in front of you, clean up the site completely, and haul away any old gate and debris.
Automation and Access Options for Drive Gates
For driveways and commercial entrances, a gate is also a piece of your security and convenience, and many of our customers want it to open without getting out of the truck. We build drive gates so they are ready for automation, with the post strength, gate weight, and clearances an opener needs to work reliably. There is a real difference between a gate that happens to have a motor bolted on and one that was planned around automation from the start.
Swing gate operators work with single and double drive gates, while slide gate operators pair with rolling gates where a swing is not practical. From there, the access side is a menu you choose from based on how you live or run the property: keypad entry, remote controls, a call box or intercom for visitors, and safety features like photo-eye sensors that stop the gate if something is in the way. We talk through what fits your routine and your budget rather than pushing the most expensive package.
If you are not ready to automate today, that is fine, and it is part of why planning matters. We can build the gate and posts now so that adding an opener later is a clean upgrade instead of a rebuild. Either way, you end up with a drive gate that handles real daily use and stands up to Texas heat, wind, and storm season.
Why Doing a Gate Right Actually Matters
A sagging, dragging, or crooked gate is more than an annoyance. It is a daily reminder that the work was rushed, and it gets worse on its own. A gate that drops a half inch keeps dropping, the latch stops catching, the leaf starts scraping the ground, and eventually the post itself works loose. At that point you are not adjusting a hinge, you are rebuilding the whole thing. The few dollars saved on light hardware and a shallow post hole turn into a full redo, often within the first year.
We build to avoid that from the start. Heavy posts set deep in concrete, frames braced so they cannot rack, hardware rated above the actual load, and fasteners that resist rust in our humid climate. Those choices cost a little more in materials and a little more care in the install, and they are the entire difference between a gate you forget about and a gate you fight with. As a licensed and insured, locally owned company based right here in Montgomery, we live with the same weather and soil your gate does, and we build for it.
We stand behind the work with a satisfaction guarantee and quality materials sourced from trusted suppliers. When we leave, the gate swings true, latches clean, and looks like it belongs with the rest of your fence. That is the standard, whether it is a single backyard walk gate or a wide automated entrance to a commercial lot.
Get a Free Gate Estimate Across Montgomery County and Greater Houston
Whether you need a single walk gate for the side yard, a double drive gate wide enough for a trailer, a rolling gate for a tight lot, or an automated entrance for a business, Terracotta Construction is ready to help. We will come out, measure the opening, talk through your options in plain English, and give you an honest written estimate at no charge and no pressure.
We install and repair gates throughout Montgomery, Conroe, The Woodlands, Magnolia, Willis, Huntsville, Tomball, Spring, Cypress, and Katy. As a locally owned, licensed and insured company, we treat your property with respect, leave the site clean, and back our work with a satisfaction guarantee.
Call us today at (936) 955-4083 to schedule your free on-site consultation. Tell us how you use the opening and what you want the gate to do, and we will build one that opens easy, closes tight, and holds up for years.
Gate Installation FAQs
Can you replace just my gate without redoing the whole fence?+
Yes. If your fence is in good shape but the gate sags, drags, or will not latch, we can rebuild just the gate and its posts and tie it cleanly into your existing fence. We match the material and finish as closely as possible so the new gate looks like it belongs.
How wide should my driveway gate be?+
It depends on what passes through. A standard single-vehicle drive gate is usually wide enough for a car or truck, but if you tow a trailer, boat, or RV, you will want extra width and often a double drive gate so each leaf is lighter and easier to swing. We measure your vehicles and your space during the free estimate and size the opening to fit how you actually use it.
Why does my old gate sag and drag the ground?+
Almost always it comes down to the posts, the frame, or the hardware. A gate post that was set too shallow leans under the constant pulling weight, an unbraced frame racks out of square, and undersized hinges give out over time. We fix the cause, not just the symptom, by setting heavy posts in concrete, building a braced frame, and using hinges rated for the gate's real weight.
Do you install automatic and electric gates?+
We build drive gates ready for automation, with the post strength, weight, and clearances an opener needs, and we can set up swing or slide operators along with keypads, remotes, call boxes, and safety sensors. If you are not ready to automate now, we can build the gate so adding an opener later is a simple upgrade rather than a rebuild.
What gate material holds up best in the Texas climate?+
All of them can last when built right, but each has strengths. Cedar wood gates look great and pair with privacy fences when framed and braced properly. Steel gates are the toughest for security and heavy traffic. Ornamental metal with a powder-coated finish resists rust and keeps a refined look. We help you match the material to your fence, your use, and your budget.
Is the estimate really free?+
Yes. We come to your property, measure the opening, walk through your options, and give you an honest written estimate at no cost and with no pressure. You only move forward if the plan and the price make sense to you. Call (936) 955-4083 to schedule.
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