Common Driveway Gates
05/17/2014 Back To BlogAre there ideal driveway steel gates? Which one will be best for your own residence? The truth is that there are no fixed answers to these questions. Surely, you can find the perfect match for your home but then again perfection comes with convenience, safety and security. It requires good decisions, frequent maintenance and proper installation. Whether you want to make a statement to your neighbors with the most expensive gate or give priority to practical matters and security, you will still need to choose the right one. Otherwise, you will just make your life more difficult and you will also pay for it.
Will you go for swing or sliding gates?
Swing hung or automatic rolling gates? These are the most usual driveway systems. It doesn't mean that you are prohibited to install any other type of gate! It will all come down to the design of your fence and your personal preferences. You can still have a roll up or overhead gate although this is highly unusual for residences. Since fences are often constructed to confine the whole perimeter and leave space for the gate, sliding and swing ones are the most popular ones. Will they also be the most convenient? Well, that will depend on your own lifestyle and, most importantly, on the requirements of your property!
Swing hung systems need lots of space. Whether inwards or outwards you will need to have space in order for the usually two leaf gates to open. It will also depend on their size. It's different to have rather average size gate-panels and it's a whole different story to measure the property to fit unusually big ones. Not that rolling gates won't need their own space! Though, usually there is sufficient space in either or both sides of the entrance where the sliding panel can extend.
Since a rolling gate won't occupy too much space, most homeowners would go for it even if they have the space for swing hung ones. It's good to save space and the truth is that sliding gates will create fewer problems since they run on rails and, thus, they are more stable than swing ones that are basically rely on the stability and strength of theswing gate hinges. In any case, both options are excellent, provide security and they will be convenient as long as they fit properly to your property.