Friday, September 14, 2018

Out with the old...

Our old garden gate is finally history, replaced by a nice new model. It only took us fifteen years to do it. The old gate was literally being held together by spit and bailing wire. But now it's gone. So, in memoriam, here are a couple of photos of what it looked like at the end. I'll post photos of the new gate tomorrow.

The view from outside the yard. The old gate was quickly rotting away.

We asked a local company for an estimate to replace the gate last March. We accepted the estimate in early April, then waited for the guys to come and do the precise measurements for the replacement. Then the delays set in. Then August (vacation) came.

The view from inside the yard. The hardware was falling off. So were most of the pickets.

On the first work day of September, the guy called and said they were ready and he came for the measurements. Now, two weeks later, the new gate is built and installed. It's made of metal instead of wood. It should last longer than we do. And, just for fun, here's what the old gate looked like when we moved here back in 2003:

The gate in 2003. It didn't look so bad back then, but it was already coming apart.

8 comments:

  1. It sure had character. And a fresh coat of paint made it look sturdy in that last photo. After a while though there wasn't much left to paint.

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  2. I once went to open a lovely, glossy-white gate at a relative's..... I gripped it to pull and my thumb vanished into the "woodwork".
    I was informed that they had "never used that gate".... it got painted every two to three years.... on the inside, from the inside.... on the outside, from the outside. They had lived there for over 60 years.
    That gate was just a dusty ghost inside a painted shell!
    My "aunt".... actually a second-cousin of my Mum's, was shocked when she saw what I'd done with my thumb.... then broke down into giggles.... she wondered just how long they'd been painting paint!!?

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  3. Slightly past rustic charm.

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  4. I, too, love the character of the wood gate. But, it could only last so long! I'm looking forward to tomorrow's photo!

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  5. I love that old gate. Looking forward to seeing the new one tomorrow.

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  6. I love that first picture in particular. It's as if there are just some vertical slats left behind, totally useless but very decorative! Great pic!

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  7. mitch, you're right. The wood has mostly rotted away. We didn't even try to paint it because we planned to replace it. Took 15 years...

    tim, funny!

    andrew, slightly. ;)

    judy, the new one is simple and utilitarian, but I like it a lot.

    evelyn, it doesn't have the same charm, but I think it works.

    elgee, thanks! :)

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  8. I think that's what's called "shabby chic"!

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