# How big is your deck?



## curapa (Oct 8, 2007)

I am trying to find what the common deck sizes for a professional grade mower is in order figure out the minimum size for a fence gate. 


Thanks,
Curt


----------



## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

As long as the title was Not a typo.........

If I recall, gate 36 or 42??? Is the "standard" opening.


----------



## Bodger (Oct 23, 2008)

36" is standard in my area, but I don't know if there is a standard for mower width that you could rely on.
I made my gate wide to accommodate a BobCat. ...I don't have one, but if I build it, it will come!


----------



## curapa (Oct 8, 2007)

MALCO.New.York said:


> As long as the title was Not a typo.........
> 
> If I recall, gate 36 or 42??? Is the "standard" opening.


Yeah, I know what the standard opening is but I have a customer wanting a gate that is just big enough for their landscapers mower. They haven't hired the landscaper yet so I cant just call and ask. 

I am thinking 50"-54" is the standard mower width but I have seen them at 60" before. Just looking for the norm.


----------



## SLSTech (Sep 13, 2008)

curapa said:


> Yeah, I know what the standard opening is but I have a customer wanting a gate that is just big enough for their landscapers mower. They haven't hired the landscaper yet so I cant just call and ask.
> 
> I am thinking 50"-54" is the standard mower width but I have seen them at 60" before. Just looking for the norm.


Choice of 52-, 61- or 72-inch deck for most pro zero turn mowers

It depends on your area - do they do a lot of shopping centers, with small strips of grass, etc... or large acreages? Most I saw in Phoenix & out here use a 52" but be advised they have the 72" available also. 2 - 42" gates sounds about right, plus that allows for a truck to drive back there


----------



## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

SLS has the "correct solution". 2 x opening. Leaves room for a future " whatever" entry way. 

The other point to he made here is, take the customer by the hand and show him WHAT he NEEDS and cease to allow him/her to call the shots.


----------



## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)




----------



## curapa (Oct 8, 2007)

MALCO.New.York said:


> SLS has the "correct solution". 2 x opening. Leaves room for a future " whatever" entry way.
> 
> The other point to he made here is, take the customer by the hand and show him WHAT he NEEDS and cease to allow him/her to call the shots.


 
It is not a bossy customer issue, it is a cost and reliability issue. I can build a reliable single gate for a low cost to the customer. A reliable double gate made from PT is near impossible. Unless upgrading to cedar to calm the warping issue I do not like to build double gates.

This is for a single mom on a budget.


----------



## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

curapa said:


> It is not a bossy customer issue, it is a cost and reliability issue. I can build a reliable single gate for a low cost to the customer. A reliable double gate made from PT is near impossible. Unless upgrading to cedar to calm the warping issue I do not like to build double gates.
> 
> This is for a single mom on a budget.


I understand completely. Build a simple gate with a removable post in a grounded sleve with minimal tension on the closest span of fence. The latch post need have "sliding" cleats on it. 

It is a bit of a weird configuration, but it DOES work.


----------



## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

Wuttever you do, don't make a 72" opening for a 72" deck. Go and measure the width necessary because you've got the deck enclosure and the parts of the discharge that can't raise up. You may need to add 6" or so.


----------



## KES (Apr 20, 2008)

My business is diversified and I also treat lawns. I do some work for landscapers and have done it for 9 years. Most landscapers or grass cutters have an array of mowers to accomadate this. The only problem is if the back yard is huge. In the 20000 sqft range. The lawn guy will still cut it but they may increase the price just a little because they can not put the big mower on it. At my house, I have about 30000 sqft of turf that my mower guy cuts with a 20" push mower. If you put 42-48" gate on the fence you should be fine. I always try to put 44-48" gates on fences that I build. Hope this helped.

Peter


----------



## ChainsawCharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

I have 42 and a 60 inch decks. Malco has the right idea in post #9. I did that on my fence with two 36's.


----------



## rotarex (Mar 31, 2008)

good video :laughing::laughing: oh i usually do 4ft gates for people who want a machine to go to backyards, unless its a 1 acre property then it ill be double 3ft gate...........i haven't came across a 1 acre property to do that either sooo 48" ill do and Z frame gate Z's gotta be backwards tho


----------



## Treeandland (Dec 25, 2007)

I wish everybody had a minimum 48" gate , add a couple inches so the posts don't get beat up. We use walk behind mowers 36" + 48" for our area it's fine for almost all the houses in the suburbs. Most companies will have at least a 48" for their smallest mower even if they only use riders.


----------



## DecksEtc (Oct 27, 2004)

rotarex said:


> good video :laughing::laughing: oh i usually do 4ft gates for people who want a machine to go to backyards, unless its a 1 acre property then it ill be double 3ft gate...........i haven't came across a 1 acre property to do that either sooo 48" ill do and Z frame gate *Z's gotta be backwards* tho


Not quite following?

The direction of the cross piece depends on where the hinges go.


----------



## BNlandscaping (Feb 12, 2009)

wish people built there fences to acomidate there landscaper i have done lawns that my 36 wont fit through got pick it up slide it through sideways but average landscaper has 36 to 48 for walk behind and then 50 to 58 for zero turn in my area


----------



## jpmildge (Feb 8, 2009)

I have a customer with a 36" gate. Right next to it is a 6' section of fence. He has made that section so that it hangs on some metal brackets that are attached to the posts. When we arrive to cut the grass we simply lift the section up and out and drive our 62" mower right through.


----------



## Mr. Mike (Dec 27, 2008)

So big some say it looks like a foot when you put a sock on it.:w00t:


----------



## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

The size of your deck should corralate directly with the area you are mowing with it, which then will dictate the width of the gap for which it needs to pass through.:thumbsup:


----------



## joelv1967 (Apr 10, 2009)

I knew it!!!!........Size really does matter!!!!


----------

