Givens Metalcrafts: Specializing in Custom Firescreens ... Design & Fabrication of Fine Custom Ironwork


~We design gates and entire gate entrances~

Regardless of who builds your gate, the construction of the entrance is critical to trouble-free operation of the gate.  Just as the gate itself needs to be engineered not to sag, the entrance itself needs to be designed to be strong and not self-destruct as time and pressure from the gate itself wears on the entrance.  We have designed many entrances.  Do yourself a favor and let us design yours.  A poorly engineered entrance is a thorn in your side, regardless of how pretty a gate is.  Beware a company that wants to put a "wheel" on a gate.  That is poor engineering and is doomed to give you heartbreak.  Call us!

Patio Ranch

The Drawing

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The Finished Product
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Colorado Gate

The Drawing
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The Finished Product

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~~ Proper Construction Methods ~~

There is a right and a wrong way to do anything.  We build alot of gates and they are usually rather expensive gates.   Invariably the first thing a customer says to me is that he or she doesn't want a gate that "sags".  I agree completely and have been designing entrances for over 20 years that have gates that will not sag.  Usually it requires just that........that I design the entire entrance and not just the gate.  The application of just the most basic engineering principles can make it physically impossible for a gate to sag.  But when it comes to the entrance itself and the forces at play on the area the gate is hinged to, it gets much more complicated.

I know several outstanding fabricators who have had their reputations tarnished by hanging a well-engineered gate on an existing structure their customer insisted upon using.  The gates sagged either immediately or soon thereafter, and rather than fixing the cause at the source (in these cases the source was the poorly engineered entrance), the customer simply attached a wheel to the outer end of the gate and settled for a band-aid instead of a cure.  The entrances continue to deteriorate because the wheel only helps the gate not drag, and the gates continue to wear out or damage automatic openers due to the increased drag and friction.  Although the gates themselves do not sag, the sudden appearance of a wheel on a gate and constant problems with the entrance signal to other potential customers that they don't want that fabricator building a gate for them

I advise that if you want a great gate, have a great entrance.  We will help you design a great entrance in conjunction with your local engineer/architect/builder who knows the soil conditions in your area.  Those guys know how to build an entrance that will not sag.  We help by showing what needs to be built into the entrance and foundation of same so that the gate that will hang there causes minimal stress on the entrance and eliminates the wear and tear caused by the action of opening and closing of the gate and the natural forces at play as this happens.

Regardless of who builds the gate, let us help you design it in such a way as to make it a permanent and maintenance-friendly experience.  It will be well worth the minimal cost for this service.

Here are some basic drawings and photos from previous jobs......simple drawings, easy instructions, lasting value when heeded.  Simply looking at the drawings and photos can help you with the principle.

~~ Entrance Construction Detail ~~
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Proper Column Structure


Proper Aim
Column to Column


Proper Structure Bonding


Proper Gate Hinging
Notice Hingepost (exterior)

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