We make decisions about wood, metal, joinery, and finish before we touch a board. Here is what we use, and why.
Sapele is a sustainably harvested West African mahogany. It outperforms cedar and redwood for outdoor stability, takes a deep stain beautifully, and ages to a warm reddish brown rather than the silver-gray of softwoods. We source from FSC-certified suppliers and select for tight, interlocking grain.
Every Heartwood gate frame is joined with mortise-and-tenon — the same joinery used in pre-industrial furniture. Tenons are pinned with hardwood dowels. There are no exposed screws holding the structural frame together. The joinery itself is the strength.
Where we use steel — sub-frames for automated gates, sliding-gate frames, ornamental bands — it's hot-rolled, welded, then either powder-coated for color stability or finished with a hand-applied blackened patina. All weld seams are ground smooth before finishing.
We specify hinges rated at minimum 2× the gate's loaded weight. Pulls and latches are solid brass, bronze, or blackened steel — depending on the design language. Every fastener that touches the gate is stainless or hot-dipped galvanized.
There is no single best finish for outdoor gates — the right system depends on wood species, microclimate, sun exposure, and salt load. Our defaults: Penofin Verde Marine Oil for Sapele, white oak, and teak; Armstrong Clark non-drying conditioning oil for western red cedar and redwood; Cabot Australian Timber Oil when a richer mahogany tone is wanted; Sikkens Cetol for protected coastal pedestrian doors; Messmer's UV Plus for ipe, garapa, and dense tropicals; TWP 100 for Sierra foothill mildew zones. Every spec is documented in the maintenance binder so any qualified refinisher can match it.
Our standard operators are FAAC (Italian-built hydraulic), LiftMaster CSL/CSW (commercial-grade), and Viking (heavy-duty). Access control: DoorKing keypads, Linear smart receivers, and integrated video intercoms. All installs are UL325-compliant.
There is no single best finish for a custom gate — the right system depends on the wood species, microclimate, sun exposure, salt load, and the look you want. Our default is Penofin Verde Marine Oil for Sapele, white oak, and teak (penetrating, low-VOC, UV-stable). For western red cedar and redwood we prefer Armstrong Clark's non-drying conditioning oils. Cabot Australian Timber Oil gives a warmer amber tone on mahogany. Sikkens Cetol is reserved for protected coastal doors. Messmer's UV Plus is our pick for ipe and garapa. TWP 100 handles foothill mildew zones. Every spec is documented in your maintenance binder so any qualified refinisher can match it.
Best for: Sapele, white oak, teak — most inland & wine-country installs
Penetrating, low-VOC, UV-stable transoxide pigment package. Never peels because there is no film.
Best for: Western red cedar, redwood, sun-exposed inland gates
Non-drying conditioning oils sit deep; drying oils harden at the surface — superior for cedars under intense UV.
Best for: Mahogany and dense tropicals when a richer amber tone is preferred
Tung-oil-and-linseed blend that warms hardwood without obscuring grain. Color-matches well for restoration work.
Best for: Coastal salt-spray sites and high-traffic pedestrian doors
Alkyd-modified resin with mildewcide; the only film system we will spec, and only on protected vertical surfaces.
Best for: Ipe, garapa, and ultra-dense hardwoods that reject most finishes
Specifically engineered for oily tropicals; the trans-oxide pigments hold color on woods where Penofin can be slow to soak.
Best for: Sierra foothill installs with heavy winter mildew pressure
EPA-registered mildewcide and fungicide package — used when the site has shade and rain together.
Tell us about the entrance you want to build. We respond within one business day with next steps and a design consultation.
