Driveway Gates

Hi Tony,

You have not said how long the drive is but assuming that there is room I would be inclined to set the posts back 8 foot and have the gates opening 'downhill'. This way when they are closed it will look neat rather than trying to engineer the rise into the bottom rail which will look naff.

The downside to this idea is that the gates will look a little awkward open and you will have to figure how to 'catch' them in the open position. This is much easier if there is a wall or hedge to hide the keepers. If the wall or hedge is high enough you could go for a side mounted sliding gate which would solve your ramp problem. Wheels in a track would take the weight of the gate and it would be easy to open and look neat in both open and close positions.

Turning back to conventionally hung gates, there are no rising butts that I know of that would lift a gate this high and the weight will be a factor. Calculate the weight pull on the posts as this will be substantial and could cause problems with the gates meeting properly in the closed position. I would be inclined to have metal gates on steel posts in this situation.

I hope this helps,

DWD

 

There is a type of hinge available with the pins at the bottom offset somehow, this throws the gate up in the air as it opens, probably not 18" though.

Can't be more specific about it, I've never fitted any or even examined them, I just know that I've seen a pair of gates somewhere which were at a funny angle when they were open.

 

Hi again Tony,

Taking Chippy's lead I had a look and found this site. Might be worth checking with them for UK suppliers?

http://www.upswung.com/

DWD

 

Just remembered now where I saw these things, (don't ever get old,) unfortunately, I can also remember that they are no longer there having been replaced by wrought iron gates.

The hinges were a fairly simple affair just made out of galvanised iron and probably just as likely to have come from a farm supplier as a builders merchant.

Scats should be worth a try.

 

What about spanning the two posts with an motor driven roller shutter as used on garage doors. My, roller shutter, garage door is 5m wide (over 16' wide) and 7' high.

I am still deciding on driveway gates, the opening is about 14' wide. Luckily mine slopes downwards to the garage but gates opening inwards will hinder access to one side of the garage. I am therefore contemplating another roller shutter for driveway entrance or a sliding gate.

Note: Roller shutters have come a long way and look the bizz ! Plastic coated, Galvanised, even an embossed grain effect. They can be flitted externally as the motor and drive are boxed in, in a weather proof casing.

I have had quotes for the electric sliding gate in excess of £4K. An eclectic roller shutter about £1200. Gates are out becuase of the access.

 

How about making the gates so that they can flex up and down - ie as if all the joints were loose and worked in a scissor action.
Use a wheel on the end of each gate to stop it dragging on the floor and the gate should ride up with the drive as it's opened and will look neat and tidy when the gate is closed.

 

Just stumbled across this post it will be a little late to help you but for anyone else who may have the same problem it may help
I own irongatecompany.co.uk
in my time i have come across gates made where this problem exists the worst I have seen is where the gate was hung a good 18" off the ground normally bearing in mind these gates were added as the owners had bought a small dog and wanted to stop them escaping this is a terrible solution!!

however Im not going to tell you exactly what to do with plans but i will point you in the right direction
if you think about double pivotting hinges where the gate will sit in the closed position level as all gates fitted correctly are but when the gate opens the centre of the gate will rise upwards so when open the gate will rise with the drive

if you have the knowledge to make the gate you should be able to work this out fairly easily
adjusting the distance between the pivots will increase / decrease the rise

a few trial and errors on paper will soon work it out

Hope this helps