Iron Driveway Gates

Gear Acres has wrought iron driveway gates. I do not know if they are original to when the house was built but I do know they are old. The pillars on either side are a combination of split granite rocks and brick. This is the same design that is on the outside of the chimney for the living room and the granite is similar to the fireplace in the family room. So based on those details, my gut feeling is that the pillars and gates are original to the house.Currently they are painted bright red. They were red when we bought the house. Some of the wrought iron is slightly bent. I'm speculating a late night run in with a large chrome bumper. The gates also have a lot of rust and peeling paint.Originally we had planned to take them down and sand blast them. Well, we took one off the hinges and just about fell over. We had all we could do to lay it across the garden tractor trailer. R has been grinding off rust and paint chips. He also used a come along chain to straighten the bent parts. Normally R would have used the port a power to bend them back in place but he couldn't find a good location to attach it with out doing further damage. Yesterday he spray painted primer on the gate. He is currently working on the remaining wrought iron that attaches to the pillar. We have absolutely no idea how we are going to lift it back into place. We definitely need two men and a boy for this job. Currently we have one man and a very short very tired woman.

We will refurbish the other gate while it is on the hinges. If the wind ever lets up, I am going to attempt to spray paint them. The gates one way or another will be satin black.