Overall process Start → design → review → save

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.

Start or load a design: choose a saved gate, import a downloaded design JSON file, or begin with the current default settings.
Design a gate: work through gate type, size, frame, rails, fills, decorative details, and surroundings.
View a gate design: inspect the rendered concept and the fabrication drawing packet.
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.

Start or load a design Saved designs / JSON / defaults

This is the first stop in the design workflow. Start with the current default gate, load one of your saved gate designs, or import a design JSON file that was downloaded earlier.

Saved gate designs A saved design packet keeps the design settings, drawing number, revision, project reference, and generated output assets together.

Upload design JSON Imported JSON files are checked before their settings are accepted. Imported designs load as working designs, so save them again when you want them kept in the account.

Create new gate Use the new gate option when you want to clear the current working idea and return to the default starting layout.

Preview before editing When a saved design is selected, use the preview and the Selected: readouts to confirm you are editing the intended gate.

Gate type, size, and finish Type / width / height / top

This section sets the basic gate identity. It should be handled before fine details, because changing gate type, size, top style, or slide tail settings can rebuild later controls.

Gate type Choose swing, V-track slide, exposed-roller cantilever, or enclosed C-track / trolley-style advisory layouts.

Size and finish Set the clear opening, gate height, and desired finish color. The concept is still drawn clearly, while the selected finish is recorded in the design packet.

Top style and top accessories Choose flat, single arch, double arch / camel arch, inverted arch, or other top options. Arched text or lettering between arched rails should be checked for fit, readability, and minimum practical size. Then choose finials, cresting rows, style caps, or top-mounted post / column lighting where allowed.

Slide-gate tail settings Slide gates need tail / counterbalance choices. V-track and cantilever gates handle tails differently, so apply changes after changing these options.

Apply note: Use the Apply size / top or Apply top / arch button after changing type, height, top style, arch rise, finials, or slide tail settings.

Arch preview limit: The designer may limit very sharp arches so the preview and SVG drawings do not produce misleading or awkward geometry. A sharp arch may still be buildable, but may require special planning, thinner flat bar, segmented bending, rolling, or shop-specific fabrication methods. Treat this as a drawing-preview limit, not a statement that a fabricator cannot build it.

Choosing a gate width Clear passage / equipment / swing width

Gate width should be discussed as a practical planning choice, not just a number typed into the designer. The best width depends on who will pass through the opening, what equipment needs clearance, where the posts or columns will sit, and how the gate hardware affects the usable opening.

Walk gates and pass-through openings A 32" clear opening is often treated as an accessibility benchmark for a pass-through opening, but 36" is more comfortable and fits many standard mowers. A 48" gate gives better hand clearance and equipment clearance.

ADA wording caution The 2010 ADA Standards use a 32" minimum clear-width requirement for door openings, with deeper openings needing more clearance. A private fence gate is not automatically the same thing as an ADA-regulated door, so use this as a familiar clearance benchmark rather than a promise of ADA compliance.

Driveway gates For driveway gates, 10' is a practical minimum, 12' is more comfortable, and 16' single-swing gates need extra attention for weight, sag, wind, hinges, posts, and operator choice.

When to consider dual gates At wider openings, especially around a 16' swing gate, a dual gate may be a better choice because each leaf is shorter, lighter, and usually easier to support and automate.

Clear opening reminder: The designer records gate dimensions, but the usable opening can be reduced by posts, columns, hinge reveal, gate thickness, operators, stops, and other hardware. Confirm the desired clear passage separately from the physical gate leaf width.

Frame, rails, and mullions Structure before fills

Set the structural layout before choosing section fills. Rails determine the horizontal zones of the gate, and mullions determine the left-to-right divisions inside those zones.

Top, bottom, and straight rails Choose rail sizes, rail count, rail type, and rail heights. Rail heights are treated as rail centerlines.

Side styles / stiles Choose the vertical side frame size. The side styles define the outside of the moving gate leaf.

Mullions Choose how many interior vertical dividers are used, and how wide they are. These create the bays that hold pickets, boards, mesh, or decorative fills.

Layout rebuilds Changing rail count, rail heights, style width, mullion count, or mullion width affects the sections and bays below. Apply these changes before editing fills.

Sections and bays Rails create sections; mullions create bays

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.

Sections are created by rails

Section 1 is the area below the top rail. Each additional rail creates another section below it.

Bays are created by mullions

Inside a section, mullions split the width into bays. By default, all bays match; custom bay controls let individual bays differ.

A simple example using both sections and bays

This example shows one upper section with one bay, a middle section with three bays, and a lower section with two bays.

Defaults: section-level settings normally apply across all bays in that section. If you want one bay to be different, use the bay-specific or custom-bay controls to override the default.

The simplest order to remember is:

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

Section fills and pickets Pickets / boards / mesh / bay overrides

Once the frame, rails, and mullions are set, use this section to decide what each section contains.

Section-level fills Sections can use pickets, horizontal tube fill, wood boards, mesh, horizontal rails, decorative band fills, radial pickets, or other available fill styles.

Picket spacing Picket spacing is calculated separately inside each open bay between styles and mullions. The spacing notes help identify clearance concerns.

Filler pickets Smaller filler pickets can be placed between larger fundamental pickets to reduce clear gaps.

Custom bays By default, bays in a section match. Use custom bay controls when one bay needs a different fill, picket count, angle, radial pattern, or decorative treatment.

Decorative details Objects / samples / order

Use this section for visual and ornamental details added to the gate itself.

Letters, logos, fonts, and frames Add customer-facing lettering, logo shapes, frames, and ornamental inserts. Check readability and minimum practical size before fabrication. For the lettering selectors and Unicode character notes, see Fonts, letters, and symbols.

Decorative object order Decorative objects are drawn in object order. Earlier objects are placed behind later objects. If using a filled frame as a backing/mask, place the frame below the image or lettering object.

Balusters Balusters are decorative vertical pieces used in place of or among plain pickets. Sample-backed balusters may have size or fit limits.

Knuckles / collars Knuckles or collars are decorative rings or collars placed on pickets. They should match the picket size and may not fit filler pickets unless the sample is intended for that size.

Managed samples The sample side panel may include ornamental inserts, band fills, balusters, collars / knuckles, masonry textures, post caps, lighting, letter / symbol images, and other active components.

Non-symmetrical dual gates For a non-symmetrical dual gate, design each leaf as a separate single gate, then note that the two saved designs are intended to be installed together.

Uploading image artwork and optional masks

For logos, decorative fills, panels, and other image-based objects, the clearest result usually comes from preparing the image before upload. The designer reads the image as artwork placed over the gate, so the file should already show which parts are metal, which parts are solid backing, and which parts should let the gate show through.

Artwork preparation example showing object, filled interior, and transparent background color — **Artwork preparation example.** Black is the visible object. White is the filled interior that should cover or interrupt pickets. The red area shown here represents the outside/background color that should be made transparent before upload.

Gate preview showing uploaded artwork placed on a gate — **Result on the gate.** The transparent outside/background lets the gate show through, while the white interior area covers the pickets behind the object.

Black / darkUse for the visible metal/object lines or silhouette.

WhiteUse for solid filled areas where pickets, mesh, or other gate details should be hidden behind the artwork.

TransparentUse outside the object where pickets, rails, or background should remain visible. If using a bright color as the transparent color in an image editor, make sure it is actually saved as transparency.

Recommended file type: Use PNG or transparent GIF for artwork that needs transparency. Avoid JPG for these objects because JPG has no true transparent background.

Optional mask image: A mask is only needed when the visible artwork cannot carry the needed white/transparent areas cleanly. Upload the main image normally, then upload a matching mask image if needed. The mask should have the same canvas/proportions as the main image: white wherever pickets or other gate details should be covered, and transparent everywhere the gate should show through. The program saves it beside the artwork as filename_mask.ext and hides it from the object list so it does not appear as a separate object.

Powder-coating note: Avoid trapping letters, logos, or inserts tight against frames where powder cannot reach. Leave clearance or use small tabs/standoffs where appropriate.

Fonts, letters, and symbols Filters / font items / UTF-8

Lettering controls use two selectors. The first selector chooses the source group. The second selector then shows only the fonts or letter / symbol images available in that group.

Letter source filter Use All to see every available item, a supplier name such as King Metals to see that supplier group, Common fonts for fonts without supplier metadata, or Letter / symbol images for image-based references.

Letter font / item After choosing the source, select the actual font or image item. Font choices are used for typed lettering. Letter / symbol image choices are best for pre-drawn symbols, scanned reference sheets, or artwork that is not a normal keyboard font.

Approximate font labels If a supplier-style font is marked Approximate, it is a visual match or look-alike, not the exact official font used by that supplier. Treat it as a presentation aid unless the supplier has confirmed it.

Common fonts Common fonts are usable fonts that do not currently have a supplier attached. They can still be useful for custom-cut lettering, but part numbers and supplier matching may not apply.

Insert character in the designer The Gate Designer includes an Insert character picker beside lettering text boxes. Click a character there to place it at the cursor without leaving the page.

Final shop check Before production, confirm spelling, character availability, font choice, letter height, attachment method, and powder-coating clearance around letters or symbols.

UTF-8 characters in Letter text Unicode hex / printable reference

The Letter text field accepts ordinary keyboard text and UTF-8 characters in the same field. The designer stores the real character, not an HTML entity.

About this table: The reference below uses Unicode code point notation such as U+00E9. That is usually what people mean when they ask for “UTF-8 hex.” True UTF-8 byte sequences are different, and are not usually helpful for entering gate lettering. Characters below U+0020 and other invisible/control characters are intentionally omitted.

Examples Peña Ranch
Café 123
No. 7 • East Gate
Smith & Co. ★

Font support matters Unicode lets the designer store the character, but the selected font must still contain that glyph. If a character appears as a blank box or does not render correctly, choose another font or use a letter / symbol image.

Fabrication caution Accents, punctuation, stars, arrows, and other symbols may be cuttable, but very small details can be fragile. Avoid emoji-style artwork for fabrication unless it is converted into proper shop-ready outlines.

Minimum cut height Thin strokes, tiny counters, dots, accent marks, and narrow decorative symbols may need a larger cut height than plain block letters.

Accented Latin lettersNames, ranches, places, Spanish, French, German

U+00C1Á

U+00C0À

U+00C2Â

U+00C4Ä

U+00C5Å

U+00C3Ã

U+00C6Æ

U+00C7Ç

U+00C9É

U+00C8È

U+00CAÊ

U+00CBË

U+00CDÍ

U+00CCÌ

U+00CEÎ

U+00CFÏ

U+00D1Ñ

U+00D3Ó

U+00D2Ò

U+00D4Ô

U+00D6Ö

U+00D5Õ

U+00D8Ø

U+00DAÚ

U+00D9Ù

U+00DBÛ

U+00DCÜ

U+00DDÝ

U+00E1á

U+00E0à

U+00E2â

U+00E4ä

U+00E5å

U+00E3ã

U+00E6æ

U+00E7ç

U+00E9é

U+00E8è

U+00EAê

U+00EBë

U+00EDí

U+00ECì

U+00EEî

U+00EFï

U+00F1ñ

U+00F3ó

U+00F2ò

U+00F4ô

U+00F6ö

U+00F5õ

U+00F8ø

U+00FAú

U+00F9ù

U+00FBû

U+00FCü

U+00FDý

U+00FFÿ

U+00DFß

U+0152Œ

U+0153œ

Punctuation and separatorsReadable separators and sign punctuation

U+2013–

U+2014—

U+2018‘

U+2019’

U+201C“

U+201D”

U+201A‚

U+201E„

U+2022•

U+00B7·

U+2026…

U+2032′

U+2033″

U+00A7§

U+00B6¶

U+00A9©

U+00AE®

U+2122™

U+2116№

U+2044⁄

Fractions and measurementsUseful for dimensions, addresses, and plaques

U+00BC¼

U+00BD½

U+00BE¾

U+215B⅛

U+215C⅜

U+215D⅝

U+215E⅞

U+00B0°

U+00B1±

U+00D7×

U+00F7÷

U+00B5µ

U+03A9Ω

U+2030‰

U+2031‱

Currency and business symbolsBusiness names and commercial signs

U+00A2¢

U+00A3£

U+00A5¥

U+20AC€

U+20BF₿

U+20A9₩

U+20B9₹

U+00A4¤

U+2120℠

U+2105℅

U+211E℞

Stars, bullets, and decorative marksSimple decorative characters

U+2605★

U+2606☆

U+2726✦

U+2727✧

U+2729✩

U+272A✪

U+2736✶

U+2737✷

U+2739✹

U+273A✺

U+273F✿

U+2756❖

U+25C6◆

U+25C7◇

U+25CF●

U+25CB○

U+25C9◉

U+25A0■

U+25A1□

U+25B2▲

U+25B3△

U+25BC▼

U+25BD▽

ArrowsDirectional symbols and simple markers

U+2190←

U+2191↑

U+2192→

U+2193↓

U+2194↔

U+2195↕

U+2196↖

U+2197↗

U+2198↘

U+2199↙

U+21D2⇒

U+21D0⇐

U+21D4⇔

U+2794➔

U+279C➜

U+27A4➤

U+27A7➧

Greek lettersGreek names, symbols, and technical marks

U+0391Α

U+0392Β

U+0393Γ

U+0394Δ

U+0398Θ

U+039BΛ

U+039EΞ

U+03A0Π

U+03A3Σ

U+03A6Φ

U+03B1α

U+03B2β

U+03B3γ

U+03B4δ

U+03B8θ

U+03BBλ

U+03C0π

U+03C3σ

U+03C6φ

U+03C9ω

Math and comparison symbolsSymbols that may appear in names or plaque notes

U+2248≈

U+2260≠

U+2264≤

U+2265≥

U+221E∞

U+2211∑

U+221A√

U+222B∫

U+2206∆

U+2202∂

U+2234∴

U+2235∵

U+221D∝

U+2205∅

Circled and Roman numeralsNumbers with a more ornamental look

U+2460①

U+2461②

U+2462③

U+2463④

U+2464⑤

U+2465⑥

U+2466⑦

U+2467⑧

U+2468⑨

U+2469⑩

U+2160Ⅰ

U+2161Ⅱ

U+2162Ⅲ

U+2163Ⅳ

U+2164Ⅴ

U+2165Ⅵ

U+2166Ⅶ

U+2167Ⅷ

U+2168Ⅸ

U+2169Ⅹ

Hearts, music, and simple symbolsUse carefully and verify the font can cut them

U+2665♥

U+2661♡

U+2663♣

U+2666♦

U+2660♠

U+266A♪

U+266B♫

U+2600☀

U+263E☾

U+263C☼

U+269C⚜

U+271D✝

U+2618☘

U+2615☕

Production reminder: For custom-cut letters, the shop should receive outlined artwork or a lettering detail sheet. The displayed text is a design aid until the selected font and glyphs are confirmed for cutting.

Preview surroundings Posts / masonry / caps / plaques

Preview surroundings are for the client-facing concept image. They help show the gate in context, but they are not treated as fabrication instructions for the gate frame itself.

Posts and masonry columns Choose no surrounding supports, square posts, or masonry columns. Masonry columns can be concrete, stone, or brick. Stone and brick previews can use managed masonry reference images and a texture scale setting.

Capstone colors Stone columns include capstone color choices such as concrete, quartz, clay, brick, ochre, bluestone, slate, brownstone, travertine, and purple agate. These are preview colors for the capstone only.

Lights on top of columns The Column top / Lights setting uses the selected lighting sample and places it on top of the cap. On stone caps, the cap is drawn with a small flattened pad so the fixture does not look balanced on a sharp point.

Column face lights Column face lights are separate from the top light sample. They are shown centered on both masonry columns and can be moved by choosing a distance below the cap, starting at 6" and increasing in 3" steps.

Column face plaques Plaques can be turned on separately for the left and right columns. Each side can have its own text and its own height below the cap, so an address, site name, or entrance label can differ from one column to the other.

Plaque / light warning If a plaque is placed too close to a face light, the designer shows a pink warning box. Move the plaque or the light farther apart before using the concept for presentation.

Wiring reminder: Face lights and illuminated plaques usually require a conduit or wiring path through or behind the masonry. Preserve that path before the column is finished.

View a gate design Preview / technical sheets / save

The lower half of the page is for checking, documenting, saving, and exporting the current design. It follows the same top-down idea as the design controls.

Rendered concept preview Shows the visual gate concept, preview surroundings, selected sample imagery, and spacing notes. It is a design sketch, not a final engineered drawing.

Technical drawings and specification sheets Includes the main gate fabrication drawing plus relevant support sheets such as materials / selected components, masonry or post references, hinge / guide roller details, slide-gate layout notes, field installation notes, and general fabricator notes / resources.

Fabrication drawing info Controls drawing number, revision, date, designer, and purpose notes. Fill this out before saving or exporting a serious packet.

Save / export gate design Saves the design packet and offers concept image, materials sheet, fabrication drawing outputs, and design JSON export/import for later editing.

Approval stage matters: Use Client approval for concept sign-off, Bid request when the drawings support pricing or estimating, and Production only when field dimensions, post placement, hardware, and final gate widths have been verified.

Slide gates and supplemental sheets V-track / cantilever / installer notes

Slide gates have extra planning details that do not apply to a basic swing gate. The designer includes separate reference sheets where needed so the main gate drawing can stay readable.

V-track slide gates V-track gates roll on wheels along a ground track and use guide posts / guide rollers to keep the gate upright. Tail section, track length, support-post placement, and guide-roller details should be checked before installation.

Cantilever gates Cantilever gates include a counterbalance tail and are supported by roller assemblies instead of a ground track. Post height, post embedment, roller placement, and cover requirements need field verification.

Enclosed C-track / trolley layouts Enclosed or slotted tube trolley options are advisory concept layouts. Hardware varies by manufacturer, and final dimensions should be verified against the selected kit or engineered hardware system.

Supplemental drawings Depending on the gate type, the packet may include installation details, column / post references, support roller or guide roller details, V-track layout, materials, and selected component sheets.

Engineering note: Soil, wind load, gate weight, hardware capacity, post foundations, and safety-device placement are site-specific. These drawings support planning and communication but do not replace engineering or code review.

Opening width, posts, and final gate width Client / designer / installer agreement

Opening width can mean different things to different people. A client usually thinks of the driveway clear passage they want when the gate is fully open. A designer may be thinking about the space between posts or columns. An installer may be deciding whether post holes go beside the driveway, partly notched into the driveway edge, or set back from the driveway edge.

Gate dimensions in the designer are actual gate dimensions. The gate width and gate height used for the design describe the physical moving gate leaf or leaves, not automatically the full driveway clear opening after posts, columns, hinges, reveals, operators, or hardware are accounted for.

On swing gates, hinges are commonly placed between the post and gate with a reveal such as 3". When the gate opens, the gate thickness and hinge hardware can still project into the usable passage. For example, a 120" driveway may need posts set back or outside the driveway edge so the open gate still leaves the desired 120" of clear passage.

Best practice: agree on the desired clear driveway passage, post or column placement, hinge/reveal assumptions, and ground conditions before digging. For production work, wait until the posts or columns are set and the actual post-to-post distance is measured before ordering or fabricating the final gate leaf width.

Sloped driveway note: This designer assumes a level bottom rail. On rare swing-gate projects where the driveway has a lateral slope and the owner wants a consistent reveal below the gate, a custom sloped-bottom design may be possible. Local regulations may dictate a minimum clearance above driveways.

Production warning: Treat early dimensions as planning dimensions unless the Production box is intentionally checked after field verification.

Gate vocabulary Common terms

Baluster: A decorative vertical component used in place of, or among, plain pickets. Sample-backed balusters may have a listed height, width, and picket-size fit.
Bay: An open rectangular area between styles, mullions, and rails. Bays hold pickets, boards, mesh, or other fills.
Cantilever gate: A sliding gate supported by roller assemblies and a tail section rather than by wheels riding on a ground track.
Column face light: A wall-style fixture shown on the face of both masonry columns. It is separate from a light placed on top of a post or capstone.
Filler picket: A smaller picket placed between larger fundamental pickets to reduce the clear gap.
Gate height: The main height of the gate body, usually measured to the top rail rather than to a finial tip.
Knuckle / collar: A decorative collar or ring placed around a picket. Knuckles should match the picket size and may not fit filler pickets unless the selected sample is intended for that size.
Leaf: One moving panel of a gate. A double swing or dual slide gate has two leaves.
Mullion: An interior vertical divider that splits a gate leaf into two or more open bays.
Opening width: A planning dimension that may describe the desired driveway clear passage or the space between posts/columns. For production, confirm how reveals, hinges, gate thickness, and post placement affect the final gate leaf width.

Picket: A vertical bar, often square tube, repeated across a bay or section.
Plaque: A flat sign or address plate shown on the face of a masonry column. Left and right plaques can have different text and different heights.
Preview surroundings: Client-facing context around the gate, such as posts, masonry columns, capstones, top lights, face lights, plaques, and background reference details.
Rail: A horizontal frame member. Top and bottom rails form the main frame; extra rails can divide the gate into sections.
Section: A horizontal zone between rails. Each section may have its own fill and spacing settings.
Style / stile: A vertical side frame member. Many fabricators spell this as stile; this page uses style in some controls.
Supplemental sheet: An additional drawing sheet used for details that would clutter the main gate drawing, such as masonry columns, guide rollers, track layout, selected components, or installation notes.
Tail / counterbalance section: The extra slide-gate length beyond the clear opening that helps the gate stay supported when open or closed.
V-track gate: A sliding gate that rolls on wheels along a V-shaped track mounted at the driveway surface.