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Hello!
I am looking at giving my gate some much needed work. I’m thinking of stripping down the existing board (2440 h x 1180 w) and potentially cladding with some hardiegroove board.
I’m new to doing this type of thing - looking for advice on what type of board I should be looking for and how to best connect it to the existing metal framework.
I’ll also be fitting a handle of some sort too 
Thank you in advance!
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @homeren. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about cladding a gate.
Were you looking to replace the timber board and then cladding over that with the cement sheeting? If so, I'd recommend you go with a marine-grade ply and paint it thoroughly with at least two coats on both sides, especially the edges. You want to enclose it entirely so no moisture can penetrate it. Once you have the board in place and painted, you'll be able to use a combination of construction adhesive and screws to fix the cement sheet to the timber. I recommend using self-taping countersunk metal screws to affix either the timber or cement sheeting to the frame. Just ensure they are short enough so they don't penetrate the rear face of the gate frame.
If you were to fix the cement cladding directly to the metal frame, I'd still advise using construction adhesive in conjunction with screws, as it will provide additional support.
Hardie Groove is designed for internal use, so you might like to look at James Hardies' external range of cladding, such as Axon. Regardless of which sheeting you choose, I suggest painting it on both sides and edges before installing it.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
