Hinge postThe post the gate hangs from on its hinges. Old farm books also call it the heel post. It is set first, and set firmly.
Latch postThe post where the gate closes and the latch catches. It stands on the other side and is set after the gate is hung.
HingesThe metal straps the gate swings on. One is near the top and one near the bottom, fixed to the hinge post.
LatchHolds the gate shut. This one is a bar that pivots on the gate and drops into a keeper on the latch post.
PicketsThe upright boards that fill the gate. Nailed to the rails with small gaps between them.
Other 4
Top railThe horizontal piece across the top of the gate’s frame. The pickets and top hinge fix to it.
Bottom railThe horizontal piece across the bottom of the frame. It holds the lower ends of the pickets and the bottom hinge.
Hinge stileThe upright of the frame on the hinge side. It joins the two rails. Old books call it the heel stile.
Diagonal braceThe slanting piece that stops the gate sagging. It runs from the top of the latch side down to the bottom of the hinge side.
How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-28. (1) Sunset, How to Build Fences and Gates (1951), gates chapter, https://archive.org/details/how-to-build-fences-and-gates-1951 : build the gate frame first with lap joints at the corners; a diagonal brace keeps it from sagging and should run from the latch corner down to the bottom corner on the hinge side; the hinge post is set first, the gate hung on it, then the latch post fitted; hinges (T-hinges, strap hinges, pin hinges; three for gates over 5 feet); latches; top rail, bottom rail, pickets; a gate stop. (2) The Young Farmer’s Manual (1860), https://archive.org/details/youngfarmersmanu00toddrich : set the heel or hinge post first, the latch post afterwards; heel stile; top rail and bottom rail; braces; pickets; hinges and latch. (3) Fences, Gates and Bridges (1892), https://archive.org/details/fencesgatesbridg00martiala : gate post, braced gates and sag, the hinge-stile, hook-and-eye hinges, gate latches. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-28. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
What are the parts of a gate called? Here is a wooden picket gate seen from the yard side, so its frame shows. Start with the 5 main parts: the two posts, hinges, latch and pickets.
Read the full guide
Posts, hinges and latch
The gate hangs on hinges from the hinge post and closes against the latch post, where the latch holds it shut. Builders set the hinge post first, hang the gate, then set the latch post to fit it.
The gate’s frame
The top rail, bottom rail and the two stiles make a frame, and the pickets are nailed to it. The diagonal brace runs from the top of the latch side down to the bottom of the hinge side, so the gate does not sag.
A brace running the other way, from the bottom of the latch side up to the hinge side, does not stop sagging.
Questions and answers
What is the post a gate hangs on called?
The hinge post, also called the heel post or hanging post. The post the gate closes against, where the latch catches, is the latch post.
Which way should a gate brace go?
From the top corner on the latch side down to the bottom corner on the hinge side. Set that way, the brace holds the latch end up and stops the gate sagging.
What are the upright boards on a gate called?
Pickets, on a picket gate like this one. They are nailed to the rails. The upright frame pieces at each end are stiles: the hinge stile and the latch stile.