It amazes me as I work with people on Homesteads on how they miss a simple point. You use a gate 1000 time more that you use a fence but more work goes in the fence than the gate. The bad thing...for 30 years, I had been in the same boat.
What I have found is that it would be better to spend a weekend on just the post that are going to support the gate. This is better because as you spend this time, you are making a rock solid foundation for the gate. This is the first thing for the gate and the second misstep is not to have gate foundation solid.
If you think a 4x4 is a good size for the gate use a 6x6. If you have a hole dug for the post 18 inches deep get a glass of ice tea cool down and then dig it deeper. A post hole for a gate is different from the other post because it is more to hold something up than out.
Now for some basics:
Your hole for the king post for the gate should be of a slot than a hole. This will allow you to place something solid on the bottom fence side of the hole and something solid on the top side of the gate side.
Here is a sketch that might help.
If you think a 4x4 is a good size for the gate use a 6x6. If you have a hole dug for the post 18 inches deep get a glass of ice tea cool down and then dig it deeper. A post hole for a gate is different from the other post because it is more to hold something up than out.
Now for some basics:
Your hole for the king post for the gate should be of a slot than a hole. This will allow you to place something solid on the bottom fence side of the hole and something solid on the top side of the gate side.
Here is a sketch that might help.
If you do something like this it should last. Then it will be on to other endeavors like pestering the grand-kids
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