We need to replace a set of 2 wooden garden gates that are just between two lawns (so no need to be fancy, seen by the neighbours type gates). The current ones are nothing special and have lasted 14 years but the wood has now split beyond repair.
I’m googling “portillons de jardin bois” and seeing lots of pictures where the prices vary wildly from as little as 25€ to over 300€. A pair of wooden gates for over 600€? I think not!
I can order online and either collect or have them delivered, but what I really would like to do is see a good selection before I buy.
Any suggestions please for a DIY/building store that would carry a good stock of gates? Thanks.
Have you asked your local charpentière/menuiserie to see if that’s something they could help with?
Picture of old gates might help target ideas? In one bit of garden we have a 30€ soft wood gate now held together with wire, and in another 400€ beautiful chestnut farm gate,…
So hard wood or soft wood. Tall or short? With locks and latches or without?
Yup! That’s it! 
We’ve got away with it for several years because our UK gite guests think it’s wonderfully quirky. And one year one of our guests, electrician/handyman, rehung them for me. But this year, with French guests coming I feel English quirky just won’t wash - so I need to replace them.
I’ve been thinking since I started this email and realise there is no point in being precious. I’d thought to get something posher, but best replace like for like. I’ll take a photo into our local bricos (we’ve a couple in town) and see what they come up with. This is basically all I need.
Leroy Merlin 38€…
If your garden is anything like ours our guests find it wonderfully quirky and à l’anglaise and très charmant. Even a German couple thought it rather fascinating that we had a large expanse of flowering ground elder (which is lovely in flower, but was not deliberate as sciatica gave us no other option…)
I really wouldn’t worry!
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If you don’t fancy the 38€ LeroyMerlin gate they do have an alternative. You have to build it yourself so there is a bit of a price difference 
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Thanks Brian, Our local bricos are 10 minutes drive away. Leroy Merlin are 40 minutes. So I’ll try locally first, then may head for LM if all else fails.
I had a feeling garden chains like Gamm Vert might also carry them. A quick Google threw up some nice designs but they mostly look online not in stock.
https://www.google.com/search?q=selection+de+portillons+bois
Can what you have not be painted or stained and repaired? It does sound charming.
Hello Sue
You have previously told us of your handywoman exploits with your drill and terrace repairs so why not buy some timber and make them yourself If you are looking at the simple design in your post above.
A saw, screw driver, hammer, a flat surface and of course your trusty drill and in a few hours you will have 2 made to measure gates.
Please dont think I am taking the mick, I think you will enjoy the challenge.
That’s my problem John. I don’t have those few hours! At the moment I’m full on gardening - why did I think it was a good idea to have ten large borders throughout the garden? Not to mention the banks / small lawns that OH cannot get at with the sit-on. Then there’s the big pots that I’m planting up . The terrace round the cottage needs karchering. Ditto the terrace round the swimming pool. The roses are already coming into bloom and need deadheading. I haven’t even started on the veg patch - I’m seriously thinking about not doing it this year. And I haven’t started on doing a deep clean in the cottage yet.
So thanks for the thought, but it’ll be all I can do to find the time to install fresh gate posts and hang the gates. I need staff!
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Thanks as always for the practical advice which set me on a sensible path. Went into town this morning and headed for the brico. Half an hour later - two gates at 25€ each, including hinges and bolts, two square gate posts, two metal spikes for the posts and some blue wood treatment (the gates lead to the swimming pool, so I thought blue would entice our guests).
Gates and posts now painted.
I’ll take before and after photos.
I now just need a good video on how to hang double gates. 
I have been recently looking on line also for gates a bit bigger than yours though and price varies greatly a neighbour recently had some fitted not wood though and price was unbelievable about 3000 plus with fitting Mano Mano on line however does have some reasonably priced wood gates and thats where I `m thinking of ordering from they have best prices seen so far good luck with sorting yours
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50 euros for all that!
Seems your local Brico have made a pricing error.
A hanging post for each gate, what about the👏 post for the gate catch?
Look forward to your before and after photos.
No John. 50€ for two gates with their hinges and bolts. That’s not that unusual if you’re looking for an absolutely basic softwood gate, which I was.
The gate posts, spikes and wood treatment were extra, so the total was over 100€
Were these in kit form with all of the hardware or have you had to make them? If so which Brico?
Thanks
100 euros plus now that sounds more like it!
I must have misread your post, or even gate post😉
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What brand was the wood treatment, Sue? I haven’t been able to find anything other than shades of brown locally and I need to treat some previously blue chairs…
I’d second Mat’s question about “which Brico” too, if that’s ok…
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I’ve probably mislead you - technically, it’s exterior wood paint - but it goes straight onto bare wood and I’m only doing one coat so the texture of the wood still clearly comes through. Very shabby (more than chic) which is what I want - means I can paint really badly and still look as if I meant it!
I’ve chosen Satin Bleu Provence.
@Mat_Davies It’s Briconautes but I suspect if you go into any of the big DIY places they’ll have something very similar. I just went in with the photo I posted above and they said “Oh you want this” and there they were - complete with their cheap-looking hinges and bolt included in the price, which I’ve checked 25,90€. The fronts of the panels have quite a nice grooved effect.
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