Choosing a stile

Durability

It is preferable to design for maximum durability, both for safety, and to make best use of the time and effort which goes into liaison with landowners, transporting and erecting stiles. For this reason, treated timber and a jointed construction are recommended.

Type of use

A basic stile design is adequate for the majority of locations. However, special provision should be made on paths suitable for use by the elderly or disabled. Stiles can be made easier to negotiate with extra steps and handholds, or a ‘step-through’ design can be used. Popular, accessible and flat paths, otherwise suitable for wheelchair and pushchair use, should have bridle gates or kissing gates designed for wheelchair use fitted.

Overweight or elderly dogs also find problems with stiles, particularly if their owners are likewise. Dog latches can be provided on popular dog-walks, to discourage dog owners from damaging fencing in order to get the dog through. Although these points may seem trivial to the agile walker, they make all the difference to the availability of a pleasant daily walk for a less able person.

Frequency of use

On very popular paths and those used by large groups of people, it may be worth putting in two stiles or kissing gates side by side to lessen ‘traffic jams’ and prevent the otherwise inevitable damage to walls or fences by those too impatient to wait.

Use also affects the durability of a stile. Frequent use requires a top-quality job to withstand wear, but on less popular paths a cheaper job may be sufficient. A new, if rough, stile seen from a roadside or path is the best inducement to get a newly cleared or marked path into use.

Transport and access for materials

As many stiles are put in by voluntary groups they must be of a size and design which can be easily transported on a roof-rack or in an estate car, and can be carried some distance by hand if necessary. Consider this before deciding on prefabrication.

Stock in field

A four bar stile may be necessary for a sheep-proof fence, or sheep netting can be attached to the stile. Some horses and ponies may learn to jump the standard 900mm height stile, and a higher one may have to be installed.

Existing fence or hedge

Although this is totally the responsibility of the landowner, the stile must be positioned and constructed in such a way that the fence on either side is secure and stock-proof. Stile posts should not be used as fence-straining posts. An advantage of the ladder stile is that it is independent of the fence or wall it crosses, and the stile erector can safely ignore the condition of the boundary.

Stile ergonomics

The basic dimensions, as recommended by British Standard 5709: 2006, are as follows.

These dimensions apply only to ‘step-over ’ stiles, with either one or two separate steps. ‘Step-through’ and ladder stiles are different in principle.

Step over stile dimensions

The maximum rise between the step and the top rail is therefore 600mm for a one step stile, and 450mm for a two step stile. The 300mm maximum step height from the ground is easy for most people, aided if necessary by grasping the handhold. The width is important to allow the walker space to swing the leg sideways over the stile, without having to lift the knee higher than a maximum of 600mm. A gap narrower than this means the knee has to be lifted higher, which is a difficult action for the less agile.

The handhold formed by the extended stile post helps walkers to pull themselves over the top rail, and to steady themselves while climbing over. It should be about 1000 mm above the level of the top step. A handhold on both sides is not normally necessary.

A separate step is strongly recommended, as it allows the walker to face forward throughout the action of climbing over. The step should normally be at right angles to the rails, and either placed centrally, or slightly nearer the handhold side where a handhold is included.

Astep formed by the bottom rail is not easy to negotiate, as one has to turn while crossing the stile, and there is often not enough room on the rail for a secure foothold. The rail can be dangerous as a foothold if wet or muddy.

Two steps will be needed if either the stile is on sloping ground, or if the top rail needs to be higher than 900mm for stock control.

The top rail on a two step stile should be no more than 450mm above the upper step. Parallel steps are preferable to cross-over steps, as the handhold is then within easy reach of the top step from either direction. It can be awkward to fit two steps comfortably between the gaps in the rails. Only pre-drill the rail positions if careful measurement has been done of the site, as the rails may prove to be in the way of one or other of the steps.

Structural dimensions

The basic structural dimensions for step-over stiles are as follows. Timber sizes are given for each design.

Structural dimensions for step-over stiles