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What to Remember When Choosing Gates for Your Property's Drive

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To truly enhance the security of your home, apartment complex, or office building, it's good to add a gate to the drive, as even the tallest and most secure fence won't keep people out if there is an open driveway area! Choosing a gate should be done carefully, as there are many factors to consider when it comes to the gate's overall style and size. Note a few of those factors here so you're sure to wind up with a gate that works to add security and which enhances the look of your property as well.

1. Clearance

The way that your gate opens will be greatly affected by the clearance it would need. Remember that even a slight incline or hill on or around the driveway area can get in the way of a gate's opening and closing. If you want a swing gate, not only do you need to consider the slope of the drive, but you also need to consider the location of cars while waiting for the gate to open. For a shorter driveway, a swing gate might need to open into the property so that the car doesn't sit in the street while waiting for the gate.

Remember, too, that you can always opt for a dual-door gate, meaning that it has two separate panels that swing out or slide to both sides. This would make the panels shorter so they would require less clearance overall and is a better choice for smaller or sloped areas.

2. Appearance

A sliding gate may look very industrial, as the chains and pulleys are often exposed and visible as the gate works. A swing gate is often more appropriate for a residential home, and you might even opt for wood rather than wrought iron. This can add to the privacy of your home as it closes off the view and may look more like a carriage house entrance than an industrial security gate. You can also more readily change the colour of wood panels than you can wrought iron bars.

3. Maintenance

Slider gates may need more maintenance than swing gates. This is because the pulley of a slider gate may be more likely to wear out, along with the chain pulling on the slider gate, since these both pull the entire weight of the gate with every movement. Swing gates work with hinges that help to disperse the weight of the gate as it moves, so they're less likely to suffer as much wear and tear as slider gates.


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