Two different Los Angeles properties, same problem: a gap in the fence line that needed a real gate — not a pre-made panel from the home store, not a cheap framed insert. Each owner wanted a custom double gate built to the opening, matched to the house, and made to last. We built both in the shop and installed on site.
The signature shape
Both gates share the design detail we come back to for driveway and side-yard openings: a bowed arched top rail with a visible X-brace on the lower half. The arch softens the geometry — makes the gate look like it was designed for the house instead of ordered from a catalog. The X-brace isn’t decorative; it keeps the leaf from sagging at the latch side over years of opening and closing. Welded steel frame absorbs the full load; the wood slats are purely visual.
Gate 1 — warm stained wood on satin black frame
First gate uses vertical wood slats finished with a warm transparent stain that lets the grain read. Frame is powder-coat satin black. Hardware (hinges, latch) in matching black. The wood softens over the first season into a slightly deeper tone; the frame stays exactly as it came out of the shop.
Gate 2 — painted finish, grey-stained wood
Second gate uses the same frame geometry but the wood slats are stained a cooler grey to match an existing deck and pergola on the property. The frame finish is a deeper matte grey instead of black, so the whole gate reads as one cohesive piece rather than two contrasting materials.
In-shop fabrication
Steel is cut, mitered, and welded in the shop. Every miter is TIG-welded clean at the visible joints; structural members are MIG-welded for deep penetration. Welds are ground flush where they’re visible. The whole frame is pre-finished before the wood slats go on, so no paint ever touches the wood.
On-site install
Hinge posts are set into concrete piers, not surface-mounted. The hinges themselves are heavy-duty with greaseable pins. On install, we shim and tune the gate until the gap at the latch stile is dead even top-to-bottom — if that gap is uneven out of the shop, the gate will sag inside a year.
Project summary
- Scope: two custom double gates — bowed arched top, X-brace detail, welded steel frame + wood slats
- Frame: welded square steel tube, TIG on visible joints, MIG on structural members
- Finish: powder-coat on frame (satin black on gate 1, matte dark grey on gate 2)
- Slats: vertical wood, warm stain on gate 1 / grey stain on gate 2
- Hardware: heavy-duty hinges with greaseable pins, matching latch hardware
Fence opening that needs a custom gate built for the opening instead of trimmed from stock? Get in touch — we design, fabricate, and install.