6 Important Factors to Consider When Choosing a Driveway Gate

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6 Important Factors to Consider When Choosing a Driveway Gate

Aug 17, 2020

Country Estate Gates and Driveway — Rohnert Park, CA — Northgates In Motion

For security and privacy, a driveway gate is your first line of defense. But a driveway gate is much more than just a barrier to your property. Like your home, your gates should represent you and your character. The right driveway gate creates a seamless connection to the rest of your property. The wrong driveway gate looks odd and unappealing.
If you have thought of replacing your current gate or driveway gate, then consider the following factors before you decide what is right for your property.
1. Materials and Maintenance
Three common gate materials are timber, steel, and wrought iron. All three materials require maintenance, and the level of that maintenance depends on your home's location. As ferrous metals, both steel and wrought iron will have problems with rust, especially if you live near the coast, where the air is salt-laden. This means you'll likely need to regularly repaint to protect against rust.
You could also ask your gate supplier to use stainless steel to create your gate if metal is your preferred choice since it is highly resistant to rust.
Timber is probably the hardest material to maintain since it can rot, suffer pest damage, and is less durable than the aforementioned metals. But if you live in an area with few pests and mild weather, an attractive timber gate will have less need for regular maintenance.
2. Electronic or Manual
Electronic gates offer a wide variety of advantages that manual gates cannot. For instance, if your driveway is long and you have regular visitors, you might not want to walk to your driveway gate every time to open it up. Instead, with an electronic gate, you can open your driveway gate with a remote control. This is useful for parties, bad weather, and emergencies.
But electronic is more expensive. If your budget is limited, go for manual gates. That way, you'll be able to spend more of your budget on the gate's look and design, rather than its functionality.
3. Direction of Swing
This is mainly a space issue. Check the space around your gate, and decide what would work best with the space available. A sliding gate is perfect if space is at a premium internally and externally.
4. Privacy and Security
Steel and timber gates come in more solid varieties, with fewer bells and whistles than a typical wrought iron gate. If privacy and security are something you value, then choose tall gates with fewer openings. But if style is more important to you, then a custom wrought iron gate might be suitable.
5. Color and Style
Your driveway gate should blend in seamlessly with your home's exterior. Consider the style of your house, for instance. A Craftsman-style home goes well with picket fences and gates, whereas more modern-looking homes suit steel or timber gates. Color is also an important consideration especially if your driveway gate is visible to passersby.
6. Safety
This is one of the most important factors when you choose a gate for your driveway. If you have children and pets, for instance, a solid driveway gate will offer more safety from passing animals and people that might reach through than a gate with openings will. And consider accessibility during emergencies. A remote-controlled gate will allow emergency vehicles quick access to your property.
A beautiful home should have a beautiful driveway gate . If you'd like to take a role in designing your own driveway gate with the help of a skilled designer, Northgates in Motion can help. With the assistance of one of our highly qualified and experienced technicians, you can design a gate that meets all your needs, aesthetically and otherwise. Call us today, and we'll help you get started.

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