Yes, the trim is partly cosmetic but functionally it covers the fasteners used through the fence boards and into the diagonal brace. So, IF you remove the diagonal trim, you will see the fasteners but this is common and you can remove it from the design.

No, every gate we produce we do so with the requirement it must be designed and manufactured to hold up on its’ own. IF you desire a tension cable, that should be an accessory you install but should not be needed if the gate is properly maintained and under normal operating conditions.

Gate Diagonal Braces are in proper compression UNTIL they exceed 45 Degrees. (It diminishes more and more as it approaches 45 degrees) Once a diagonal brace goes beyond 45 Degrees, it exponentially begins trying to tear the gate apart due to the gates desire to sag under gravity. To prevent this, when the software detects the compression diagonal brace will be greater than 45 degrees, it automatically reverts to the center of the top rail and creates a mirror image diagonal rail. It is important to note that this secondary brace is mostly cosmetic but it does serve as a Tension brace, as it works to hold the bottom outside end of the gate up. There are a variety of ways Gate Fabricators address this 45 degree Diagonal Brace issue, but this seems to be the best cosmetic outcome, and it does work well to prevent sag, so long as the top rail is adequate to carry the weight. Thus, our software automatically inserts a 2×6 for the top rail in this condition because there becomes a point load in the middle of the top rail.

Depending on the normal post size in your fence system, the gate post may need to be relatively more robust and of higher quality. If using a wood fence post, try to avoid large knots and when looking at the end grain do not use a “Bullseye” center cut post, as these are the most likely to twist. Large knots are more likely to develop a sharp bow at the knot location. IF you are using common 3-1/2” posts, consider using a 3-1/2X5-1/2” or 5-1/2”X5-1/2” for your gate. 3-1/2 just doesn’t give much in the way of structural integrity. Unlike a typical fence panel that primarily has to resist wind loads laterally, Gates are Dynamic Loads that are not supported on both ends. Gates and the posts they are installed on are the most common failure point in a fence system. At MyFence.com, when we install we always use high quality “Jumbo” 4-1/8” or larger Pressure Treated posts depending on the size of the gate to be installed. Of course Metal Posts are also an option, and may be more common in your area of the country. We at MyFence.com always wet set our concrete to properly coat the gravel and sand in the concrete with the cement slurry. The way you use concrete and the amount of it you use is almost as important or even more important than the post size, because the concrete is an extension of the post, providing more lateral resistance as the hole size becomes wider and deeper. And where dry set concrete performs almost as well as wet set in compression, in any loading situation Tensile load can become more of the failure issue, and dry set concrete is very poor in Tensile strength.

Depth and Size of hole are really dictated by the greater of two issues. Frost Line Depth and Gate Size. In the NW we don’t have much of a Frost Level issue so we typically go about 30 to 36” deep with a 10” hole in our rocky, highly compact ground, with a focus on removing ALL disturbed soil. (This is an important aspect many overlook) In other parts of the country, ask your local building official what your Frost Line depth is and what depth they recommend for your regional soil conditions. But beyond Frost Line, the larger the gate, the more important Depth becomes. Depth provides Lateral Resistance. So Depth and Width are both aspects that work together, so long as the concrete is truly Bonded to your fence post. At MyFence.com always wet set our concrete to properly coat the gravel and sand in the concrete with the cement slurry. The way you use concrete and the amount of it you use is almost as important or even more important than the post size or material chosen, because the concrete becomes an extension of the post, providing more lateral resistance as the hole size becomes wider and deeper. So there is no specific answer to this question as it relates to your Frost Line and your Soil Conditions as well as the Size and Weight of the Gate you choose.