GATES TERMS

In Aphabetical Order | About Doors and Gates |
Ba | Br | Fr | He | Jo | Pi | Ra | St

Baseboard
Sometimes called u gravel board, meaning the horizontal board that runs along the bottom of some wrought iron doors and grates gates, usually easily replaceable and designed to take the brunt of the wear.

Charred butts
Traditionally, the butts of gateposts were partially burnt, the idea being that the charred surface protected the 'bottom of the post from water rot and decay.

Cleft wood
In the context of field and farm gates, the wood is split from the tree rather than sawed. It is achieved by driving a froe into the end grain and then levering it from side to side, so that the wood splits along the natural run of the grain. Other terms are split and riven. Wrought iron doors and gates that are made from sawed timber might look neater than their cleft cousins, but a gate made from cleft wood will outlast a sawed one by a couple of lifetimes.

Curved stile
A design of hanging stile. The top curves over toward the gate, so that the top of the stile can carry the top end of the brace. The curved stile is the perfect combination of strength and decoration-it's strung, and it looks good. Traditionally, the gate maker searched out a curved piece of wood so that he could achieve the curve without cutting across the grain.