How to Care for Timber Gates

Your Mortice & Tenon gate is hand made in our Sydney workshop and ships to you primed, ready for you to paint and install. Treated properly, a timber gate will perform outdoors for decades. Treated poorly in the first few weeks, the same gate can warp, crack and become susceptible to rot.

This guide covers what we know after years of building gates. Most issues come down to a gate not being painted promptly after delivery, or being installed on a leaning post and then blamed on the gate. Both are avoidable.

If you prefer a printable version? Click to Download the PDF Care Guide

On this page

Quick care checklist

The eight things that matter most.

  • Store under cover, off the ground, out of the weather, before installation.
  • Paint within four weeks of delivery, before the gate is exposed to the elements.
  • Two coats minimum, both faces and all edges, including behind the hinges.
  • Use a high-quality exterior paint or stain suitable for timber.
  • Choose lighter colours where possible. Dark colours absorb heat and can cause warping in full sun.
  • Use hinges rated for the weight. Stainless steel if you're close to the coast.
  • Keep mulch, soil and leaves away from the bottom of the gate.
  • Consider a drop bolt to secure the gate in the open position.

Before installation

1. Where should I store my gate before installation?

Under cover, off the ground, standing upright, in a dry space.

A garage, shed, carport, or covered side passage all work. The key is keeping the gate:

  • Out of direct rain and away from sprinklers.
  • Off concrete or dirt where moisture can wick into the bottom.
  • Upright rather than flat — a flat gate can bow under its own weight in warm conditions.
If storage will be more than a few weeks: paint the gate first, then store it.

2. Can I trim the gate to fit my opening?

Yes, but with limits — never trim into a joint, and prime any cut edge immediately.

Small trimming on the latch side or bottom of the gate is normal during installation.

  • Never trim into a joint. The mortice and tenon joints hold the gate together.
  • Prime any cut edge immediately. Bare timber will absorb moisture within hours.
  • Don't trim more than 10 mm off any side without checking with us first.

See our How to Measure guide for the right way to measure your opening.

3. How much gap should I leave around the gate?

Leave 10 mm down each side, and 25 to 50 mm clearance under the gate.

  • Side gaps give the gate room to expand and contract with the seasons.
  • Ground clearance keeps the bottom away from puddles, mulch, leaves and lawn clippings.
  • Uneven ground: set the clearance to the lowest point. If the ground rises behind the gate, set the height for that highest point.
Pool gates are different: compliance limits gaps to no more than 100 mm anywhere in the barrier, including under the gate.

Painting and finishing

4. How soon should I paint my timber gate?

Within four weeks of delivery, and always before the gate gets wet for the first time.

Your gate is supplied primed. The primer protects the timber temporarily, but it is not a weatherproof finish. Left unpainted and exposed to the elements:

  • The gate will absorb moisture.
  • Once timber moves with moisture, it is hard to bring back.
  • Joints can open up and panels can cup or twist.

If you can't install the gate inside four weeks, paint it while it is still in storage.

Warranty: Failure to apply two coats of paint to both faces and all edges within four weeks of delivery will void your 12-month warranty.

5. What paint should I use on a timber gate?

A high-quality exterior acrylic or oil-based topcoat designed for exterior timber. Two coats minimum, over the existing primer.

In Australia, most customers use one of:

  • Dulux Weathershield — acrylic exterior, widely available.
  • Taubmans All Weather — acrylic exterior, good coverage.
  • Wattyl Solagard — acrylic exterior, popular with painters.
  • Cabot's Exterior Oil-Based Enamel — oil, slower drying, harder finish.
  • Feast Watson Prooftint or Intergrain UltraDeck — for a stain or oil look.

Avoid: automotive paint, two-pack paints, and pure interior paints.

Coastal homes: within 5 km of the coast, expect to recoat 1–2 years sooner than inland.

6. Can I use dark paint colours?

Yes, but lighter colours are kinder — dark colours absorb heat and can cause warping.

Dark colours absorb much more heat from the sun. In full afternoon sun a dark gate can become very hot, particularly on the painted face. Timber expands when it heats and contracts when it cools.

Heavy heat cycling over a few summers can cause:

  • Cupping or bowing across the face of the gate.
  • Splits along the grain of solid panels.
  • Earlier paint failure.

If you've set your heart on a dark colour, ask your paint supplier about the Light Reflective Value (LRV). Higher LRV reflects more heat.

Practical rule: if the gate sits in full afternoon sun, stick to a colour with an LRV above 40.

7. Can I use gloss paint?

We recommend satin, low-sheen or semi-gloss over gloss for timber gates.

Gloss paint shows every imperfection:

  • Minor brush marks.
  • Small surface checks.
  • Knots that move slightly with the seasons.

Satin, semi-gloss and low-sheen finishes flex better with the timber and hide minor surface movement.

Worth knowing: high-gloss paint failure is not covered as a defect under our warranty.

8. Do I need to paint all edges and behind hardware?

Yes — every face, every edge, behind every hinge, into every screw hole.

Timber absorbs moisture wherever it isn't sealed. An unpainted edge or hinge zone is where rot starts.

The right order is:

  1. Paint the gate fully (both faces, all four edges) while it's still off the post.
  2. Fit the hinges to the painted gate. Prime any screw holes before driving the screws.
  3. Hang the gate.

If you've already hung the gate before painting: unscrew the hinges, paint the area underneath, prime the screw holes, and re-fit.

9. How many coats of paint do I need?

Two coats minimum, over the existing primer. Three is better.

The primer is enough to protect the gate during transport and short storage. Your top coats are what handle the weather year-round.

Drying times:

  • Most exterior acrylics want 2–4 hours between coats.
  • Allow 24 hours before exposure to rain.
If the gate will face heavy weather (west-facing, coastal, exposed to driving rain), three coats will visibly extend the life of the finish.

10. What happens if I don't paint within 4 weeks?

Two things, in order: warranty cover ends, and the gate starts to move.

The 12-month warranty requires the gate to be painted with two coats of high-quality exterior paint, both faces and all edges, within four weeks of delivery. Past that point, movement, warping, cracking or rot is no longer a warranty matter.

Beyond warranty:

  • Primer alone won't keep weather out for more than a few weeks.
  • Once the gate has absorbed moisture, you can't undo movement by painting later.
  • Damage may not appear immediately — sometimes it shows as paint failure a year on.
If you're past four weeks: paint it now anyway. Sand any lifted grain, spot-prime greying timber, then top coat as normal.

11. Why is my paint bubbling or peeling?

Almost always moisture trapped underneath the paint film.

Common causes:

  • The gate was painted before the timber was fully dry.
  • The back face was painted with a different paint type or skipped entirely.
  • Water is getting in around hinges or the latch and travelling under the paint.
  • A low-quality or unsuitable paint was used.

To fix it properly:

  1. Scrape back to bare timber wherever the paint has failed.
  2. Let the timber dry fully (at least a week of dry weather).
  3. Spot-prime.
  4. Re-coat with a quality exterior paint.

Painting over bubbled paint without scraping back just traps the moisture again.

If the failure is widespread and the gate is less than 12 months old, contact us with photos.

Installation

12. How many hinges do I need, and what weight rating?

Two hinges minimum, three is better for most gates, heavy duty for the heaviest driveway gates.

Rough guide by gate size:

  • Pedestrian gates up to 1000 mm wide: two heavy-duty hinges, rated to at least 25 kg each.
  • Pedestrian gates 1000–1200 mm wide, or 1800 mm tall: three hinges, 30 kg each.
  • Driveway gates (single leaf) up to 1800 mm wide: two to three hinges per leaf, 40 kg each.
  • Heavy driveway gates (1800+ mm wide, 66mm thickness, or solid panels): two to three hinges per leaf, 50 kg each.

Get the screws or bolts into the structural post, not just the cladding.

13. Should I use galvanised or stainless hardware?

Galvanised inland; grade 316 stainless close to the coast.

Salt in the air corrodes regular steel quickly, and the corrosion runs into the surrounding timber, causing dark staining and rust streaks.

  • More than 5 km from the coast: galvanised steel is fine.
  • Within 5 km of the coast: 316 stainless for hinges, latch and visible bolts.
  • Within 1 km, or facing open ocean: 316 stainless throughout, and rinse with fresh water every few months.

14. Can I install an automatic opener on a timber gate?

Yes, but the motor must suit the weight and wind loading. Timber gates act like sails in strong wind.

Tell your automation installer:

  • The gate's width, height and weight.
  • Whether the panel is solid or open picket. Solid gates need more motor capacity.
  • Your driveway slope.

Underground rams handle wind loading better than above-ground articulated arms on heavier timber gates. We don't supply or fit automation — most of our driveway gate customers use a local specialist.

Long-term care

15. How do I know when to repaint or re-oil?

Watch for paint dulling, fine surface cracking, or water no longer beading on the surface.

For painted gates: Inspect at the start of each summer and the end of each winter. Look for:

  • Paint dulling or chalking (colour goes flat and powdery).
  • Fine cracks in the paint film around joints and edges.
  • Spots where the paint is starting to lift.

Most gates need a full repaint every 4–6 years inland, every 2–4 years coastal.

For oil or stain-finished gates — the water bead test: Splash a small amount of water on the gate face. If the water beads up and runs off, the finish is still working. If the water soaks in and darkens the timber, it's time to re-coat. Oil-finished gates typically want a top-up every 12 months.

16. How often should I inspect the gate?

Twice a year — once at the start of summer, once at the start of winter.

Take five minutes to look at:

  • Paint condition — any cracks, dulling, lifting, or bare patches.
  • Joints — any visible gaps opening at the corners.
  • Bottom rail — any rot, soft spots, or paint damage at the bottom edge.
  • Hinges and latch — tight, no rust streaking, screws still firm.
  • Post — still plumb, not loose at the base.
  • Swing — the gate opens and closes cleanly without dragging.

A small chip touched up in spring is a 15-minute job; a rot pocket discovered next spring is much bigger.

17. How do I clean my timber gate?

A damp soft cloth or sponge with mild soapy water. Avoid harsh chemicals.

Once or twice a year, wipe down the gate to remove dust, cobwebs, pollen and general grime.

Don't use:

  • High-pressure water blasters — they drive water into joints.
  • Bleach or strong cleaners — they degrade the paint film.
  • Wire brushes or abrasive pads — they scratch the surface.

18. How do I protect a gate in coastal areas?

Three things matter most: better hardware, more frequent recoating, regular rinsing.

  • Hardware: 316 stainless steel for hinges, latches and visible bolts within 5 km of the coast.
  • Finish: plan to recoat 1–2 years sooner than the manufacturer's stated life.
  • Rinsing: hose the gate with fresh water every few months, especially after windy salt-air weather.

Lighter paint colours matter even more on the coast — salt corrosion and heat cycling together are hard on dark finishes.

19. How do I stop the bottom of the gate from rotting?

Keep the bottom edge dry, off the ground, and away from anything that holds moisture.

Common causes of bottom-rail rot:

  • Mulch, soil, lawn clippings or fallen leaves piled against the bottom.
  • Garden bed reticulation spraying directly onto the bottom rail.
  • Insufficient ground clearance — the bottom sits in puddles after rain.
  • The bottom edge not painted properly during finishing.

Prevention:

  1. Keep 25–50 mm of clear air between the bottom of the gate and the ground.
  2. Don't let mulch or leaves build up. Rake it back twice a year.
  3. Make sure the bottom edge was painted with the same coats as the rest of the gate.
  4. Aim garden sprinklers away from the gate.

If you find a small soft spot: dig it out, dry the area, fill with exterior wood filler, prime and repaint. Caught early, it's a 30-minute repair.

Troubleshooting

20. My gate has started to sag. Is the gate faulty?

Usually not — most sagging gates are caused by the post moving, not the gate itself.

Check the post first. Open the gate fully and lift the latch side gently. If the hinge-side post moves, tilts, or feels loose in the ground, the post is the issue. Posts shift over time in clay soils, after heavy rain, or if not concreted deep enough at installation.

If the post is solid, check the hinges. Wide or heavy gates need at least three hinges. The screws should reach into the post, not just the cladding.

If both look fine, check the brace direction. Our gates come with the diagonal brace running from the bottom hinge corner up to the top latch corner. If installed the wrong way around, the gate will sag.

Still not sure? Visit our Contact page and send us photos from the front and rear, plus a close-up of the hinge fixings.

21. My gate has warped or twisted — can it be straightened?

Sometimes, depending on how badly and how recently.

  • Minor warping (slightly out of true but still closes and latches) is normal in solid timber. Not always worth chasing.
  • Moderate warping (touches the post on one corner, latch barely catches) can usually be improved with an anti-sag kit or turnbuckle. These kits cost $30–60 from any hardware store.
  • Severe warping (latch won't engage, visible gap of 20+ mm) usually means moisture has done damage that can't be fully reversed. Sometimes a turnbuckle pulls it back enough to function; sometimes the gate needs rebuilding.
Before you reach for tools: check whether the warping is the gate or the post (see Q20). A leaning post can mimic a warped gate.

22. How do I replace a single damaged picket?

Unscrew the damaged picket, get a matching replacement, refit. The key step most people skip is priming all six sides before fitting.

  1. Unscrew the damaged picket from the rails. If it's nailed, carefully prise it out with a flat bar.
  2. Match the profile exactly. Our pickets are 18 mm thick and 66 mm or 90 mm wide.
  3. Prime every face and edge of the new picket — front, back, both sides, top, bottom — before fitting. Unpainted timber between rails is a rot waiting to happen.
  4. Fit with the same spacing as the others. Use stainless screws or galvanised nails as appropriate for your area.
  5. Touch up the front and back face with the same paint as the rest of the gate.

We sell standalone pickets in 66 mm and 90 mm widths and several top profiles.

Pool gates and compliance

23. Will a Mortice & Tenon timber gate meet Australian pool fence standards (AS 1926.1)?

A timber gate can comply with AS 1926.1, but compliance depends on the installation.

What the standard requires for pool gates:

  • Self-close from any position, including resting partially open.
  • Self-latch, with the latch at least 1500 mm above ground level on the pool side.
  • No gap larger than 100 mm anywhere in the barrier, including under the gate.
  • Open outward, away from the pool.
  • No climbable footholds in the 900 mm non-climbable zone.

Our gates can be specified with self-closing hinges and a magnetic self-latching latch. We do not supply or fit pool hardware as standard.

Important: Pool compliance is signed off by a registered pool safety inspector in your state. The information here is for educational purposes only — your inspector or council has the final say. Engaging a Pool Compliance Certifier is highly recommended.

Warranty and lifespan

24. How long should my gate last?

Decades, with reasonable care. Many of the gates we made 20 years ago are still in service.

The honest answer depends almost entirely on how the gate is finished and maintained:

  • Painted within four weeks, repainted every 4–6 years, hardware kept clean: 20+ years is realistic.
  • Painted late, repainted only when failing visibly, hardware ignored: 10–15 years before major repair.
  • Never properly painted, or coastal with no salt rinsing: 5–10 years before significant problems.

A timber gate isn't a fit-and-forget product. It rewards small, regular attention and punishes neglect.

25. What voids my warranty?

The warranty covers manufacturing faults for 12 months. It does not cover damage from how the gate is finished, installed or maintained.

The warranty is void if:

  • The gate was not painted with two coats of high-quality exterior paint, both faces and all edges, within four weeks of delivery.
  • High-gloss, automotive, two-pack or interior paint was used.
  • The gate was installed with hinges or hardware not rated for its weight.
  • The gate was modified after delivery (substantial trimming, structural alterations, cuts through joints).
  • Damage was caused by impact, vandalism, fire, flood, storm, or other events outside normal use.
  • Damage was caused by the gate being left unsecured.

Seasonal movement, fine surface checks, and minor variation in the gap between the gate and the post are normal in solid timber and not considered manufacturing faults.

If you think you have a warranty issue: visit our Contact page with photos of the front, rear, and any specific area of concern, plus your order number.

26. My question isn't covered here — who can I ask?

Contact us via the Contact page or call (02) 7257 8684.

We'd rather you ask before you order or during installation than discover an issue six months in. Send us photos, measurements, or just a description — we'll come back to you with practical guidance.

For pool compliance and council requirements, your local pool safety inspector and your council's planning department are the right first call.

Get in touch

Have a question we haven't answered, or want to talk through a custom gate? Visit our Contact page. We're here Monday to Friday.

Phone: (02) 7257 8684

Workshop: 30/12 Cecil Road, Hornsby NSW 2077

Prefer the printable version of this guide? Download the PDF Care Guide

Written by the Mortice & Tenon workshop — Sydney timber gate makers, building hand-crafted gates with traditional mortice and tenon joinery. Last updated: May 2026.