What's Best Swing or Sliding Gates
Situations where a Sliding Gate could be chosen over a Swing Gate are:
- The driveway slopes up from the road and the gate is on the front boundary.
- The driveway length is limited and you wish to park a car close to the gate and still be able to open it.
- You want a fully clad gate for privacy but your property is prone to strong winds.
- The gate way is wider than 5 metres.
... READ MORE about how Sliding Gates Work
Situations where a Swing Gate could be chosen over a Sliding Gate are:
- The driveway slopes down from the road and is long so a swing gate would be more economic to install.
- The driveway has no side room for a sliding gate to open.
- The driveway is very uneven or has a large drain.
- If you could have both a swing or a sliding gate, generally a swing gate is simpler to install and you don't have to worry about keeping the track clear.
Sliding or Rolling Gate
The advantage of sliding gates is they take up very little of your driveway space, are effected very little by a driveway sloping up from the road and can be on a driveway that slopes across (camber).
... READ MORE about Sliding Gates on Sloping Driveways
Sliding gates do need side room for the gate to open, normally this would be the space between posts + a little more.
... READ MORE about Space required for Sliding Gates
Sliding Gates may open to the left or right
If a driveway is Sloping or Uneven or Space is Limited, what are the Sliding Gate alternatives?
Sliding Gates can go on a sloping or Uneven Driveway.
READ MORE About Sliding Gates on a Sloping or Uneven Driveway.
Telescopic Gates
If there isn't quite enough space for a sliding gate to open it can be made as two or more panels that either stack when they open commonly known as Telescopic Gates.
READ MORE About Telescopic Gates
Round the Corner Sliding Gates
If there is very little space for a sliding gate to open and the driveway is flat a sliding gate can be made to go around a corner although it must be made from many panels that hinge together. The corner could be a slight bend in the path of the gate or be turning 90o to go down the side boundary of a property.
Sliding Behind a Pedestrian Gate
If a sliding gate must open behind a pedestrian gate this has been done many a time without issues although it is a good idea to put self closing hinges on the pedestrian gate so it isn't left open. You do end up with a track running across the walk way, which isn't always desirable.
Sliding Outside a Fence
If there is no room at all for a gate inside a fence then a sliding gate could go on the outside of a fence. An issue here is if the gate ends up on council property they may not like it so it's always a good thing to check first. If the fence is set back from the boundary then not a problem.
Cantilevered Gates
If a driveway is gravel or has large drains either side a sliding gate with a track is suitable but you can have a sliding gate that requires no track across the driveway because it is cantilevered.
Hanging Gates
If overhead space isn't an issue a sliding gate can hang from a track. Hanging gates are mostly used in basement garages or car parks where there is an ideal place to hang the gate and there may be drains across the driveway where the gate can go.
Curved Sliding Gates
If a property is at the end of a dead end street or cal-de-sac where property frontages are curved fitting a nice wide driveway gate that makes the most of the space can be a challenge. One solution is to make a sliding gate that is curved, although this isn't easy it is possible.
Bi-Parting Gates
If there isn't enough space for any of the sliding gate types mentioned above to open in one direction but there is some space either side two smaller gates could open in different directions commonly known as Bi-Parting sliding gates or double sliding gates. These could be any of the types above so a Bi-parting three panel telescopic gate would be two three panels telescopic gates opening in different directions requiring only a small amount of space either side of the driveway.
READ MORE About Bi-Parting Gates
Swinging or Hinged Gates
A double swing gate takes up less driveway space than a single gate, is effected less by the wind and causes less stress on a gate motor(s), posts and hinges so will last longer but does require a cable across the driveway if automated
... READ MORE about installing low voltage cabling
If a driveway is Sloping or Uneven or Space is Limited, what are the Swing Gate alternatives?
Swing Gates on a Slope
If a driveway has slope across it (camber) then a swing gate can be made to fit the contour of the driveway. If there is slope up form the road then a swing gate may open outwards or rise uphill as it opens.
... READ MORE about Swing Gates on Sloping Driveways
Trackless Bi-Folding Gates
To take up even less of the driveway a Trackless Bi-folding gate that has four or more panels that folding up in one direction maybe the answer.
READ MORE About Trackless Bi-folding gates
Hinges behind Post to take up less driveway Width
Swing Gates can have the hinge inside the Gateway so the gate is in the middle of the post or it can be around the back of the post so the gate takes up none of the Gateway width or gate has a very wide opening angle.
