Basic principles of gate planning and installation include
the POCKET, i.e. the gate's distance from the turn into your
driveway, SQUARENESS, i.e. the gate's angle to the drive
path, IN-SWING/OUT-SWING, and HANDING, i.e. which side of
the gate has the hinges.
1. THE POCKET
It is most desirable to have a small "pocket" in
front of your gate. If the gate must be right up against
your road, a wider opening should be considered, if possible.
Allows you to pull off road while you wait for gate to open.
Prevents you from pulling off road as you wait for the gate. Prevents
larger vehicles from making the turn in.
Doesn't allow a pocket, but allows larger vehicles (a moving van,
etc.) to make the turn into the drive.
Since automatic gates open only slightly
more than 90 degrees, it is important to make the gate perpendicular
to your drive path.
Curved driveways demand extra care
in layout. No one wants their gate hit by a vehicle.
3. IN-SWING /
The most desirable configuration for a
swinging gate is to swing inward. However, certain driveway
conditions can make it necessary to swing a gate outward.
In the first case below, an in-swinging gate opens into
the drive space.
when open, in-swinging gate protrudes into drive space.
SOLUTION (Right): change gate to out-swinging
Another condition that may force you swing
your gate outward is an upward sloping driveway.
when in-swinging gate opens, it hits the ground. You can hang
gate higher on the post, but more than 6" - 8" above
grade looks bad.
SOLUTION (Right): install gate as out-swing.
Has plenty of clearnance.
Depending on whether the gate swings in
or out, the gate operator you choose will need to
be configured accordingly.
A linear gate operator can be set up as "Pull
to Open" (drawing A) or "Push to Open" (drawing
B). The gate swings in or out, while the operator
remains inside the gate.
Works with Polaris gate openers.
An articulated arm gate operator can be set
up to open inward (drawing C) or or to open outward
(drawing D) but to open outward, the operator must
go outside the gate.
Works with Elite and Liftmaster gate openers.
4. HANDING YOUR
Imagine standing outside your gate, then
ask yourself, are the hinges on the right or left? See the
four examples here.
5. SWINGING vs.
A swinging gate is the first choice if
possible. A swinging gate is generally less expensive, better
looking and safer than a sliding gate. However, if you have
one of the following conditions, you may want to consider
Heavy snows that prevent the
gate from swinging freely (note: a swinger can be hung
up to 12 inches off the ground to overcome this).
An uphill driveway that prevents
the gate from swinging inward. Typically, swinging gates
swing inward to the property, however selected gate openers
can be configured to push the gate open to the downhill
In-swing / Out-swing
For more information about sliding gates, see our
6. SINGLE SWING
vs. BI-PARTING PAIR
driveway is 12 feet wide
or less . . . A single swing gate is
driveway is over 14 feet wide . . . A bi-parting
pair (like French doors) is the answer. (Bi-parting
gates need two gate openers configured as a Master/Slave.)