Where to buy driveway gates compatible with electric openers?

[trackman23]

I am getting ready to fence and gate my front field which will be the main access to my property and house. I am looking for gates but don't want the pure ag / utilitarian ones but also don't need an ornate iron one. Are there any go-to online sellers of driveway gates that I should look at?

Thanks

 

[GreensvilleJay]

maybe Gooogle can help ?
One item. be SURE the gate comes with thrust bearings on the hinges !
I just installed a classic 8x4 farm gate and added the thrust bearing. WOW , a small breeze can move the gate, little pinky it's that easy. Cost was $10 and 2 dabs of grease for the HUGE improvement.

Also be sure the hinge side post is FIRMLY set into the ground, plumb and true and both hinges are perfectly in alignment.

 

[Vlach7]

Check with Any welding shops in town, take pictures of gates that appeal to you, and they can create exactly what you need

 

[jyoutz]

Go to a local fencing company.

 

[Russell King]

You need to figure out what type of gate opener you want. There are rolling openers, swing openers that mount on the gate and post, swing openers that are pad mounted, and one that rotates the gate into a vertical position.

I have a liftmaster LA500 solar powered that I like but it was a little difficult to install since the mounts had to be welded at the post and at the gate. But as far as the gate goes I just used a tube frame with wire mesh since it is windy where I am. I simply got two steel plates and clamped the gate mesh between them and welded the gate opener mount to those plates. I could have had the gate modified but went the cheaper way.

Square tube gates and square posts would probably work better than round.

But a gate opener will be able to rip or bend any gate that most people can buy.

I installed mine myself but most people have a gate installer do the gate and opener at one time so they can design and build it to work together.

I bought my gate and opener from a fence supply store.

 

[jyoutz]

I had a friend of mine who does custom fabrication build my entire gate and opener system. The gate is 16’ wide, heavy, and swings freely without sagging. He used over 10 80 pound bags of concrete to anchor the posts and swing panels. The post pipes are 5” diameter and the gate frame is the typical 2 3/8” pipe. It’s been working perfectly without sagging for over 12 years. The weld/on hinges need a shot of grease annually. The AGM battery operates the gate and it is kept charged by the solar panel..

 

[Donystoy]

I agree that you will probably have to have one custom built to suite your requirements by a weld shop. Here is a picture of a simple gate and entrance that I built 37 years ago. The operator I custom built but there are commercially built electric worm driven operators that are reasonable in cost.

 

[jyoutz]

I forgot to mention that my gate opener is the patriot brand. I’ve gone through 2 AGM batteries in twelve years and blown a few fuses. Other than that, it keeps working.

 

[Tarmy]

In snow country consider using a sliding gate…less digging…ask me how I know. I built my own. 26’ clear span, no rollers to clog up. Weighs about 800-1000lbs.
As others mentioned…figure out the opener system and gadgets you want (remote control panel, loops, power etc.

Get a commercial grade opener or a beefy one that easily exceeds you needs. Heat and cold contorts the gates if they are big enough and will stress things.

 

[jyoutz]

In snow country consider using a sliding gate…less digging…ask me how I know. I built my own. 26’ clear span, no rollers to clog up. Weighs about 800-1000lbs.
As others mentioned…figure out the opener system and gadgets you want (remote control panel, loops, power etc.

Get a commercial grade opener or a beefy one that easily exceeds you needs. Heat and cold contorts the gates if they are big enough and will stress things. View attachment 142372 View attachment 142373 View attachment 142374

Very good point. And as you can see from my photo, there was considerable digging to open my gate. If we are expecting deep snow, I’ll offer just lock the gate open.

 

[Tarmy]

Very good point. And as you can see from my photo, there was considerable digging to open my gate. If we are expecting deep snow, I’ll offer just lock the gate open.

Figure out how you wanna plow or move snow around the installation site. In one of the pics you can see a trench I dug so snow wouldn’t block the opening of the gate unless is was a couple feet deep. That is why I didn’t want a track or wheel either. Snow or ice would clog it up or build up and jam the gate. I usually just clean up, by hand shoveling, when things pile up…

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Neighour asked about an 18' wide gate for his property so I suggested a few option( made a few over the years...) and he loved the 'slider' idea, especially after I said mount it here and it'll be 8' narrower.
If you get any kind of snow, lots of fluffy or a 'dump ' of heavy wet..... sliders are best as they'll always work.