
Steel-and-Sapele vineyard entry
Designed to frame the vineyard view rather than block it — the upper third is open steel so the sightline down the rows survives from the road.

In Napa the gate is frequently the property's signature — the thing photographed, printed on the label, and remembered. It is also exposed to some of the harshest UV in Northern California, cycling against Carneros fog most mornings. Napa commissions get our marine-grade penetrating oil system as standard, because the finishes that hold in Walnut Creek do not hold here.



Our Napa custom gate process starts with an on-site consultation. We measure the opening, study the architecture, photograph the surrounding hardscape, and walk you through material and joinery options that will read with your home. From there we deliver a rendered design, a fixed-price quote, and a build schedule.
Materials we work with most often in Napa include Sapele mahogany (Janka 1,510), white oak, ipe, and western red cedar — paired with hot-rolled or blackened steel framing and marine-grade bronze or stainless hardware. Every joint is mortise-and-tenon with drawbore pins, and every panel is finished with a UV-stable penetrating oil chosen for the local climate.
We build single and double swing gates, sliding gates, bi-fold gates, pedestrian entry gates, and matching courtyard or garden gates. Most Napa clients commission a primary driveway gate plus a coordinated walk gate or garden gate so the entrance reads as one composition.
Lead time on a custom build is typically six to twelve weeks from approved design. Installation usually takes two to four days on site, including post-set, gate hanging, automation wiring (if applicable), and final finish touch-up.
Napa estates lean Mediterranean, modern farmhouse, and contemporary winery vernacular — gates often anchor long vineyard driveways. Wine-country UV is brutal and fog-cycling between Carneros and the valley floor stresses any unprotected finish — we spec marine-grade penetrating oils.

Designed to frame the vineyard view rather than block it — the upper third is open steel so the sightline down the rows survives from the road.

Wind off the Carneros gap made a swing leaf a liability. The slide runs on a concealed cantilever with a slatted face that lets gusts through instead of catching them.

The owners wanted the valley visible from the path without an open gate. A single circular cutout at eye height frames the view and does the whole job.
Wide horizontal timber, blackened steel edge banding, and a deliberately agricultural proportion. It borrows from barn doors without imitating them.
Arched Sapele leaves with iron grille inserts still dominate the Silverado corridor. We keep the ironwork slim; heavy grille work fights the valley light.
Vertical board-and-batten with a matte black frame, scaled down for the tighter Old Town and Browns Valley lots where estate proportions would overwhelm the street.
"Our property is the gate. Heartwood's design team flew over and walked the site, then delivered a steel-and-Sapele estate entry that frames the vineyard view perfectly."
Heartwood Gates is headquartered in Concord, CA, roughly 26 miles from Napa. We serve the whole of Napa County within a 150-mile service radius of the shop, with a dedicated install crew on the road most weeks.
Pedestrian and garden gates start around $4,500. Custom driveway gates typically range $12,000–$45,000 depending on size, material, automation, and hardware. Estate-grade builds in Napa can exceed $75,000. Every quote is fixed-price after the design is approved.
Six to twelve weeks from approved design to installation, depending on workshop schedule and material lead time. Rush builds are possible for established clients.
Yes. Every gate is built in our Concord workshop and installed by our own crew — post-set, hanging, automation wiring, and final finish touch-up all handled in-house.
Browse all custom gate services, see the full Bay Area service map, or view recent custom gates projects in the gallery.
Browse the full Heartwood Gates journal for materials, joinery, and design deep-dives from projects across Northern California.
Tell us about the entrance you want to build. We respond same-day to consultations booked before 2pm, next business day after.