Choosing the right gate for the opening
The right gate depends on the opening width, the ground, the traffic and whether the gate will be automated.
Single swing gates
One leaf hung from one post, for narrower drives, yard entrances and service gates with clear, fairly level ground in the swing path. The longer the leaf, the heavier the frame and post it needs.
Double swing gates
Two shorter leaves that meet in the middle, so each post carries less load and the gate needs less room to swing. They need a center stop or drop rod to hold the leaves in line when closed.
Slide gates on a ground track
A track gate rolls on wheels along a rail set on or in the drive. It opens parallel to the fence, so it works where the drive rises behind the gate or cars park close to the opening.
Gravel, mud, leaves and ice in the track are the usual reasons it binds or rides off its rail.
Cantilever slide gates
A cantilever gate hangs from rollers on posts beside the opening, so nothing crosses the drive and there is no track to clog.
The tradeoff is space. The gate is built longer than the opening, with a tail section that balances it, so it needs a clear run of fence line beside the drive.
Pedestrian gates
A walk gate lets people come and go without opening the drive gate, which saves wear on the operator. Size it for strollers, carts, wheelchairs and deliveries, not just one person on foot.
How to choose
- Slope: A swing gate needs ground that stays level or falls away across its arc.
- Room beside the opening: Slide gates need clear fence line to roll into. Swing gates need clear space in front of or behind the opening.
- Automation: If you might add an operator later, tell us up front so the posts and frame are sized for it.
Materials and finishes
- Steel: Strong and rigid, a common choice for drive gates, security fencing and busy entrances. It needs a good protective finish to hold off rust.
- Aluminum: Lighter, and it won't rust. It flexes more than steel, so it suits decorative fencing and walk gates better than wide drive gates.
- Ornamental iron styles: Pickets with spear, flat or ball tops, decorative rails, rings and scrolls. The style is a choice of look, separate from the metal underneath.
- Pipe: Round steel pipe for ranch fencing, pasture gates and rural drive gates. It stands up to livestock and equipment.
The finish protects the metal and sets the color.
Touch up chips on steel early, before rust creeps under the coating.
Posts, footings and the hinge post
A gate is only as straight as the post it hangs on. Posts take a side load every time the gate swings, stops short or catches the wind.
Why the hinge post matters
A swing gate works like a lever. The farther the latch end sits from the hinges, the harder the gate pulls on the top hinge and pushes on the bottom one.
Over time that pull can tip a light or shallow post toward the opening. That's why we size the hinge post for the gate, not just the fence line, and give wide or heavy gates a larger post and a deeper, wider footing.
Footings
Posts are set in concrete footings sized for the post, gate weight, soil and any future operator. Clay soils across much of North Texas swell when wet and shrink as they dry, which can work an undersized footing loose.
On slide gates, the posts that carry the rollers have to stay plumb, and the receiving post has to line up with the gate when it closes.
Gate hardware
- Hinges: Heavy-duty hinges matched to the gate's weight. Adjustable hinges let us fine-tune the gate as things settle.
- Latches: Gravity, lockable and padlock-ready latches. A latch should catch on its own without anyone lifting or shoving the gate.
- Drop rods: A rod on one leaf of a double gate that drops into a sleeve in the drive, holding that leaf still so the other can latch to it.
- Gate stops: A closed stop keeps the gate from swinging past the latch and straining the hinges. An open stop keeps it off walls, vehicles and the fence.
- Self-closing hinges: Spring or tension hinges pull a walk gate shut behind each person. Set the tension so it latches every time without slamming.
A gate you have to lift, push or slam to latch is telling you something has shifted.
Gate operators and access controls
A gate operator is the motor and control board that moves the gate. Swing operators move each leaf with an arm or a hinge-mounted unit. Slide operators drive the gate along the fence line.
The right operator depends on the gate type, weight and length, how many times a day it opens and what power is at the gate. A busy apartment entrance needs a heavier-duty operator than a ranch gate.
Ask about battery backup so the gate runs during an outage. An automated gate should also have a manual release so it can be opened by hand.
Ways to open the gate
- Remotes: Handheld transmitters for residents, staff and regular drivers.
- Keypads: A code entered at a post beside the drive, easy to change when staff or tenants change.
- Telephone entry: A call box that lets a visitor call a resident or office, who opens the gate from their phone. See our telephone entry systems page.
- Card readers: Cards or fobs that let you add or remove access one person at a time.
Some cities and fire departments have requirements for emergency access at automated gates, so check with your city first.
Safety for automatic gates
An automatic gate has to be set up so it can't trap or strike a person, a pet or a vehicle. UL 325 is the safety standard for gate operators.
Entrapment protection
- Photo eyes: Beams across the gate's path. If something breaks the beam while the gate moves, it stops or reverses.
- Sensing edges: Pressure-sensitive edges on the gate or posts that signal the operator to stop or reverse on contact.
- Placement: Devices need to cover the arc of a swing gate, the space a slide gate rolls into and the gaps between gate and posts.
Keep children off the gate
Children should never ride, climb or play on any gate. An automatic gate can start moving without warning when someone else uses a remote or keypad.
- Keep remotes out of children's reach.
- Place controls where the user can see the gate move and no one can reach them through the gate.
- Post warning signs on both sides of the gate.
- Give people a separate walk gate so they don't use the drive opening on foot.
Test photo eyes and sensing edges regularly by placing an object in the gate's path. If the gate doesn't stop or reverse, stop using automatic mode and call us.
Fence lines for different properties
- Storefronts and offices: Ornamental fencing marks the property line and screens parking or utility areas without hiding the building.
- Community entrances: Matching drive and walk gates with fencing that runs back from the entrance, often paired with an operator and telephone entry.
- Apartment properties: Perimeter fencing, vehicle and walk gates, and access control that changes as residents move in and out.
- Equipment yards: Taller, heavier fencing and wide slide gates so trucks and trailers pull in without working around a swing arc.
- Rural road frontage: Pipe fencing and drive gates set back far enough that a truck and trailer can pull fully off the road before the gate opens.
Building on acreage? Our barndominium garage doors page covers the doors that often go with a new gate. For a home drive gate, see residential garage doors and gates.
What a new gate or fence project looks like
- First conversation: Tell us the property type, length of fence line, number of gates and whether you want an operator or access control. Photos help.
- Site visit: We walk the line and measure each opening, noting slope, drainage, vehicle turns, power and underground utilities, which need to be marked before digging.
- The plan: We go over gate types, materials, style, hardware and access control, then put the plan and price in writing for you to review before anything is ordered.
- Install: Posts go in and footings set, then panels or rails go up, gates are hung and hardware is adjusted. If there's an operator, we mount it, wire the controls and set up the safety devices.
- Walkthrough: We show you how the operator, remotes and manual release work, and how to test the safety devices.
What a repair visit looks like
- We ask what the gate is doing and when it started. A photo or short video helps.
- On site, we work the gate by hand first to see whether it moves freely, sits level and latches.
- We check posts for lean, hinges and rollers for wear, the frame for bends, and the operator and safety devices.
- We explain what needs fixing now, what can wait and the cost before we start.
Storm and vehicle damage
Wind can slam a gate against its stops and loosen posts, limbs can crush panels, and power surges can damage operator boards and keypads.
After a storm or a vehicle strike:
- Check whether the gate still closes and latches. An open gate on a busy road or around livestock is an immediate problem.
- Look for leaning posts, bent rails and panels pulled loose.
- If the operator isn't working, use the manual release and secure the gate by hand.
- Take photos before anything is moved, in case you file an insurance claim or police report.
If a section is down and the property can't be left open, call us. Emergency service is available by appointment after 5 PM Monday through Saturday and on Sundays.
Permits, setbacks and HOA rules
Rules for fences and gates vary by city, county and neighborhood. Check with your city or county, and your HOA if you have one, about:
- Whether the fence, gate or operator needs a permit
- Setbacks from the road, property lines and easements
- Height limits and rules on style or color
- Pool barrier requirements, if the fence is part of a pool enclosure
- Emergency access for automatic gates
A survey settles property line questions before posts go in. Let us know what your city or HOA requires, and we'll plan around it.
What affects the cost
- Length of fence line and number of gates
- Gate type and size, since wide, double and cantilever gates use more material and heavier hardware
- Material and style, from plain pipe to ornamental pickets
- Height, post size and footing size
- Slope, rock, drainage and clearing along the line
- Operator type and access controls
- Getting power to the gate
- Removing an old fence or gate
- For repairs, the extent of damage and whether an existing style needs matching
How to get started
Call (903) 294-1846, email prodoorsandgates@gmail.com or send a request online. We're open Monday to Saturday, 7 AM to 5 PM.
Have the property address, photos of the opening or damage, a rough width for each gate and any city or HOA requirements you know about.
We're family owned and based in Bells at 1940 Everheart Rd, serving Dallas-Fort Worth and North Texas, including Bells, Sherman, Denison, Anna, McKinney, Allen, Princeton, Farmersville, Frisco, Forney and Dallas.