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Automatic Gates & Garage Door Pros offers an endless variety of driveway gates to suit your home or business. The only limit for your gate design is your imagination. That’s because all our gates are custom made – you can choose a gate design from our gallery (below are a few samples), or tell us about your own designs and ideas. We stand behind our work – all our driveway gates are the highest quality and made to last. Consultations are free!

What is the best type of gate to use for my driveway?

In general, if you have enough space we recommend using a slide gate for your driveway. Overall, considering reliability and safety, we believe it is the best option:

Wear and tear – a slide gate has a better weight distribution than other types of gates, therefore it is more reliable.

Safety – as far as safety goes, it is easier to protect your vehicles and loved ones using safety devices if you have a slide gate, because it is moving in one straight line. A swing gate, for example, has “dead zones” which are harder to cover using safety devices.

What other kinds of gates are available?

If you do not have enough space for a standard slide gate, you can use a swing gate, overhead gate, or in some cases a retractable slide gate. A retractable slide gate is a slide gate divided into two pieces, and requires about half the opening size to open into.

What materials are available?

Regardless of the gate design you choose, we always recommend using a steel frame for your gate to add stability and strength to it. The gates that we fabricate are mostly wrought iron gates or wood gates with a steel frame. The wood of choice for your driveway gate is Redwood, as it is light and withstands environmental elements very well.

An alternative type of steel you can use for your driveway gate is stainless steel. It is more expensive than regular steel, but it resists corrosion and rust far better than regular steel does. Stainless steel has a unique visual look you may prefer also.

What should I pay attention to when I have my driveway gate installed?

It is very important that your gate and gate operator are installed professionally and comply with manufacturer requirements to guarantee many years of reliable operation without complications. It is very important to choose the right contractor for the job,
somebody with the skills to perform the work properly.

Do I need to have any safety devices installed?

Most gate operators are supplied with a built-in reverse sensor. This sensor stops/reverses the gate when it hits an obstacle. If your gate is mounted in a commercial property (residential buildings with more than four units are also considered a commercial property), you are required to have at least two safety devices mounted (UL-325 industry standard).

Even though you don’t have to, we recommend having an additional safety device installed, to completely prevent contact. Your driveway gate operator might already have the reverse sensor, but before it reverses it could damage your vehicle. For a relatively small investment you can prevent this from happening.

What kinds of safety devices are available?

These are a few of the most common safety devices available today:

Photo-eye. The photo eye sends and receives a signal across your driveway, when this signal breaks your gate reverses. This is a good inexpensive protection for kids, vehicles and pets.
Loop sensor. The loop sensor is installed under your driveway, and using a magnetic field detects your vehicle. This is a very reliable protection for vehicles, and very commonly used in commercial properties.
Miller-edge. This touch-activated sensor is a long piece of rubber installed on the edge of your gate. When it hits an obstacle the sensor sends an immediate signal to your operator to reverse. It is a good protection for vehicles.