Custom Side Gates & Pedestrian Gates in Ventura County

The Small Gate That Does a Lot

Side Gates Get Used More Than Any Other Gate You Own

A driveway gate opens a few times a day. A side gate gets opened by everyone taking out the trash, walking the dog, bringing the bins round, letting the gardener in. It takes more wear than anything else on the property, and it is usually the cheapest thing on it.

That mismatch is why so many side gates sag, drag on the concrete, or stop latching within a few years. We build them with the frame, hinges and latch sized for the actual use they get — and it is a small enough job that doing it properly costs very little more than doing it badly.

Front Entry

Ornamental Iron & Courtyard Gates

On a Spanish or Mediterranean house, the courtyard gate is part of the entry sequence — people see it before they reach the front door. An arched opening deserves a gate built to the actual radius rather than a square gate wedged into a curve.

Arched and square-top designs built to your opening
Hand-formed scrollwork centre panels
Twisted pickets, knuckles and clavos detailing
Open pickets keep the courtyard visible and welcoming
Can match an existing driveway gate or window guards

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Ornamental wrought iron courtyard side gate with hand-formed scrollwork, set into an arched stucco opening on a Ventura County home

Privacy Plus Warmth

Wood & Metal Side Gates

A steel frame carries the weight and keeps the gate square; wood infill gives privacy and warmth. It is the most popular side gate we build, because it solves the problem timber gates have — they sag once the joinery loosens, and a steel frame simply does not.

Welded steel frame, wood infill panels
Full privacy — no sightline into the side yard
Decorative strap hinges and hardware options
Keypad, deadbolt or simple latch entry
Wood can be stained or left to weather

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Wood and metal side gate with a black steel frame, vertical wood infill panels, decorative strap hinges and a keypad lock

Worth Checking First

Is Your Side Gate Part of a Pool Barrier?

This is the single thing that catches people out most on side gates, and it is worth knowing before you order one.

If your side gate forms part of the barrier enclosing a pool or spa — which it very often does on a Ventura County lot, because the side yard is how you reach the back — then California has specific requirements for it. Those cover self-closing and self-latching hardware, the height and position of the latch, which way the gate swings, and the gaps within the gate itself.

A beautiful side gate that fails a pool barrier inspection is an expensive mistake, and a decorative pattern with wide gaps can fail on its own. We check whether your gate is part of a pool barrier before designing it, confirm the requirements that apply to your property, and build to them.

Our guide to California pool fence requirements covers this in more detail.

The Details That Decide

Hardware Is What Makes or Breaks a Side Gate

Hinges

Side gates get slammed, leaned on and swung by children. Heavy-duty hinges sized for the gate's real weight are the difference between one that still closes in ten years and one that drags in two.

Self-Closing & Self-Latching

Required for pool barrier gates and genuinely useful everywhere else — the gate that latches itself is the one that is actually closed when you assumed it was.

Keypads & Locks

Keypad entry means gardeners, cleaners and family get in without copies of your key circulating. Deadbolts and magnetic latches are also options.

Finish

Powder coating over properly prepared steel is what keeps a gate looking right through coastal salt and full sun. We spec the finish to your actual exposure.

Recent Work

Side Gates Across Ventura County

Modern black horizontal slat side gate with a matching fence panel beside a hillside home

Wood and iron pedestrian side gate with keypad entry, matching the adjacent arched driveway gate

Custom wood and iron side gate built by Legendary Metal Works

Wood and metal side gate with a steel frame

Ornamental wrought iron garden gate with scrollwork detailing

Arched ornamental iron courtyard gate in a stucco opening

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Common Questions

Side Gate FAQs

How much does a custom side gate cost?

Side gates are one of the more affordable pieces of custom metalwork because they are small. Cost depends on the width and height of the opening, whether the infill is iron, wood or solid panel, how much ornamental detail is involved, and the hardware — a keypad or self-closing pool-code hardware adds more than most people expect. We measure the opening and give you a free written estimate.

Does my side gate need to meet pool code?

If the gate forms part of the barrier around a pool or spa, then yes. Pool barrier gates in California have specific requirements around self-closing and self-latching hardware, latch height, and the gaps in the gate itself. This catches people out when they replace an old side gate on a property with a pool. We check whether your gate is part of a pool barrier before we design it.

Can you match my side gate to my driveway gate?

Yes, and it is worth doing. We can build a matching pair at the same time, or replicate the picket profile, scroll pattern and finish of an existing driveway gate so a new side gate does not look like an afterthought. Send us photos of the existing gate and we will tell you what is achievable.

How long does a side gate take?

Side gates are usually quicker than driveway gates because there is no motor and less material. Expect a couple of weeks from approved design to installation depending on the finish and our current schedule. Installation is typically a few hours.

What is the best material for a side gate near the coast?

A steel frame with a properly prepared and powder-coated finish holds up well. Wood infill looks warm and gives privacy but needs resealing periodically, more often in full sun and salt air. If the gate is on an exposed coastal elevation in Oxnard or Malibu, we will spec the finish accordingly rather than applying the same coating we would use inland.

Where We Work

Side Gate Installation Across Ventura County

Ventura Oxnard Thousand Oaks Camarillo Simi Valley Moorpark Westlake Village Ojai Calabasas Malibu