Brick Piers for Gates

[Philip]

I have purchased a pair reclaimed wrought iron gates, each gate circa 5ft high and 5ft wide. As I can just about carry one gate at a time I reckon they must weigh around 100-120lbs each. The gates are to hang on two metal brackets with a vertical rod (are they called pintles?) which are screwed to the gate pier.

I originally proposed to build piers 1.5 bricks square or possibly two bricks square vith a hollow centre, reinforced with re-bar and filled with concrete. In a spirit of traditional methods I am considering using lime mortar as this is all adjacent to an C18th (much altered, not listed) barn/oast.

I am concerned that the strength of the lime mortar joints, may not be sufficient to take the bending effect of these relatively heavy gates, and whether it would be appropriate to fill the void in the pier with a lime mortar mix (with an aggregate?)

Presumably these gates would have been hung on lime mortared brickwork originally, I doubt they are later than late C19. Would the only option be to build solid brick piers and if so does anyone have a view as to what dimension may be required? I was expecting to build the piers to about 6ft so there would be a certain weight of brickwork above the hinge points to aid the stability

 

[Penners]

I have no qualifications to answer your questions, other than gut feeling! But I must say that brick piers 1.5 to 2 bricks square don't sound nearly substantial enough for a load like that, regardless of what mortar you use.

 

[middi]

Same as Penners I have no scientific calculation for this.

If I was presented with brick only choise I would make sure that the 6 foot piers were at least 2 brick wide and 3 brick long with a heavy capping. The strength is not so much in the mortar you use but in the overall counterbalancing weight of the bricks.

I may just be tempted, in order to keep piers not so bulky, to install a galvanised square section in the ground, weld the brackets and hang the gate to this, with provision to buid a 1 1/2 square brick surround, enveloping the section.

 

[Paul Hopper]

Philip

from past experience of fixing fence panels (not the B&Q type, but real hand built feather edged boards with arris rails) We found that we needed a 13" brick pier for a 4 foot tall panel . When we put the original iron gates on we had a collapse withing 48 hours which cost me a wing on the Land Rover!
I found that a reinforced concrete core set as far down into the base as possible worked, and to include the wrought iron hanging brackets. We have built a 13" pier round it and included reinforcing rods at the top and bottom.and an overarch in wrought iron.
We did this 6 years ago and in spite of Midlands weather and one clot with a trailer, the system still works.
PS. the gates stand 8 feet tall and are double.

hope this may help a little

Paul