The Benefit of a Mobile Home Porch Gate

Practical Reasons to install a Mobile Home Porch Gate

• Safety & Security Gates prevent children or pets from wandering off the porch or into unsafe areas.


• Privacy They help create a more enclosed and private space.


• Pest Control Keeps out wandering dogs, dogs on long leashes walking by, fat cats that can't jump and deer?? (Maybe)


• Weather Protection During times of strong winds, a gate and overall porch railing may stop some branches that would otherwise hit the place.


• Aesthetic Appeal Adds a finished look to the porch while complementing the home's exterior. It also makes a great place to hang plants, Christmas lights, Halloween decorations and welcome signs.


• Resale Value Enhances the home's functionality, which could be a selling point. When you walk around and see other homes, you'll notice right away how nice a well kept porch is that has a gate. Plus, dog owners and families with little kids might buy the house just becuase it has that.

Factors to Consider When Adding a Mobile Home Porch

Size & Fit

Measure the width and height of the opening to ensure to fit the gate properly. What you need are solid, strong fence posts on either side of the stairs to have a place for the gate to hang and clasp.

You can see from the above picture that the gate doesn't quite match the size of the surrounding porch railing. In that example the spindles of the gate aren't the same width as the porch spindles. The top design doesn't match and the bottom width isn't the same. While it's likely functional, it still sticks out a bit as being unusual.

Ideally it will match exactly, but even a complimentary design is good.

Consider a custom or adjustable gate if the porch has an irregular shape. Also, it's easy to find pet gates that can attach quite easily.



Material

There is no end to the types of materials you can use to build a gate on your mobile home porch. But if you're interested in resale and getting your money back when you sell it, then you should definitely stick with wood, metal or vinyl. Or a combination.

There are metal gates, like the above, that look good on wood decks.



Mounting & Stability

Whether you buy a kit or make it from scratch you do have to assume some things will happen. Assume that someone will try to climb over the gate thereby putting all their weight on it.

Someone else will try to hang on the gate while it's swinging open. A large piece of plastic might get stuck to the gate making it easy for the wind to blow it up, slamming it against the side.

Someone else might run into at full speed thinking it is not latched and will just push open.

Install your gate assuming those will one day be true.

To start, think about adding a castor to the bottom of the gate (pictured above) so the hinge isn't holding the entire weight of the gate. Make sure the posts on either side of the stairs are plenty strong, reinforce them if you have to. And if you live in the north, assume that ice will wreak havoc.



Security & Locking Mechanism

Don't over think security on a mobile home porch gate. Any adult can get over them without issue. The only real security you need to provide is a way to make sure a toddler doesn't get out, a dog doesn't get out and a stray dog doesn't get in.

A gate kit will come with a latching mechanism. Otherwise you're going to need to go to Lowes or Home Depot and find one of the many they have.



Accessibility & Ease of Use

Ensure it's easy to open and close, especially for older adults or those with mobility concerns.

If the gate is going to be at the top or bottom of a ramp, figure out what a wheelchair bound person will need to do to access the porch without calling for help. If it requires two hands and they could roll backwards, might want to find a new open/close mechanism.

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