Starting point: a large, plain, sturdy gate

The default design is intended as a simple single-swing gate with enough structure to discuss automation attachment, rail placement, fabrication, and customer-facing proportions.

Use it as a neutral starting idea, then adjust the type, size, rails, pickets, fills, and drawings below.

This page is meant to move from a rough idea toward a saved gate design packet. The upper section is for choosing and adjusting the design. The lower section is for reviewing the result, saving it, and printing or exporting the drawings.

1. Start or load a design: choose a saved gate, import a downloaded design JSON file, or begin with the current default settings.
2. Design a gate: work through gate type, size, frame, rails, fills, decorative details, and surroundings.
3. View a gate design: inspect the rendered concept and the fabrication drawing packet.
4. Save / export: save the current design packet when the concept is ready to keep or share, or download a design JSON file to keep a local copy for later import.

Local design files: Use Download design JSON to keep a design file on your own computer. Use Upload design JSON in Start or load a design to bring that file back into the designer later. Imported files are loaded as unsaved designs and are checked before their settings are accepted.

The blue Selected: readout beneath many controls is there to make the current choice more visible, especially after a saved gate has been loaded.

Think of the layout in two passes. First, work top to bottom: the rails divide the gate into stacked sections. Then work left to right inside each section: the mullions divide that section into bays.

The simplest order to remember is:

• Gate frame
• →
• Rails
• →
• Sections
• →
• Mullions
• →
• Bays
• →
• Bay overrides

• Rendered concept preview shows the visual gate concept and spacing notes. It is a design sketch, not a final engineered drawing.
• Technical drawing sheets include the main gate fabrication drawing, fabrication references, materials / selected components, field installation notes, and general fabricator notes / resources.
• Fabrication drawing info controls drawing number, revision, date, designer, and purpose notes.
• Save / export gate design keeps the final design packet and offers concept image, materials sheet, and fabrication drawing outputs.

The drawing outputs are intended to support conversation, quoting, and fabrication planning. Final hardware, posts, site conditions, safety requirements, and code review still need confirmation.

Opening width

The clear distance the gate needs to span between posts, columns, or other supports.

Gate height

The main height of the gate body, usually measured to the top rail rather than to a finial tip.

Rail

A horizontal frame member. Top and bottom rails form the main frame; extra rails can divide the gate into sections.

Style / stile

A vertical side frame member. Many fabricators spell this as stile; this page uses style in some controls.

Mullion

An interior vertical divider that splits a gate leaf into two or more open bays.

Bay

An open rectangular area between styles, mullions, and rails. Bays hold pickets, boards, mesh, or other fills.

Picket

A vertical bar, often square tube, repeated across a bay or section.

Filler picket

A smaller picket placed between larger fundamental pickets to reduce the clear gap.

Section

A horizontal zone between rails. Each section may have its own fill and spacing settings.

Leaf

One moving panel of a gate. A double swing or dual slide gate has two leaves.

Cantilever gate

A sliding gate supported by roller assemblies and a tail section rather than by wheels riding on a ground track.

V-track gate

A sliding gate that rolls on wheels along a V-shaped track mounted at the driveway surface.