Anyone made a sliding driveway gate?
Discussion
I have a driveway that I can fit a couple of cars on, which I need to widen the entrance to (by taking down the front brick wall, and rebuilding shorter). I have some old, crappy iron gates that don't close, but even if they did, you couldn't close them with 2 cars on the drive as the arc that they describe would clatter one of the cars. So, by opening the entrance out, and fitting a sliding gate on wheels (that rolls parallel to the front wall), I could get 3 cars on the drive, or 2 cars and some nice planting areas / pathway etc.
Anyone know if there are kits out there? I have had a quick google, I guess I need a track, wheels, guide wheel, then some form of latch for open and closed?? I fancy getting the timber and having a go at it myself in spring - anyone done this before?
Anyone know if there are kits out there? I have had a quick google, I guess I need a track, wheels, guide wheel, then some form of latch for open and closed?? I fancy getting the timber and having a go at it myself in spring - anyone done this before?
Now here's an off the wall idea. Take yourself off to la belle france for a cheap day out, the Express are doing a two day return for £29 with a car and find yourself a Castorama, which is French for B&Q or better still a Leroy Merlin and you can buy them off the shelf.
Here's what I nearly bought but sold the house instead;
http://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/produits/portail-co...
And you can make them electric opening too. Flash eh?
Calais has got both stores, well worth a trip
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Here's what I nearly bought but sold the house instead;
http://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/produits/portail-co...
And you can make them electric opening too. Flash eh?
Calais has got both stores, well worth a trip
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Done, now pick a gate.
Plenty of kits out there from a quick google. We have a sliding gate for reasons of vantage point - they'd be opening uphill against the wind, so sliding made more sense and the gate could be taller. Also doesn't get stuck and burn out the motors in the snow either.
Plenty of kits out there from a quick google. We have a sliding gate for reasons of vantage point - they'd be opening uphill against the wind, so sliding made more sense and the gate could be taller. Also doesn't get stuck and burn out the motors in the snow either.
GraemeP said:
I have a driveway that I can fit a couple of cars on, which I need to widen the entrance to (by taking down the front brick wall, and rebuilding shorter). I have some old, crappy iron gates that don't close, but even if they did, you couldn't close them with 2 cars on the drive as the arc that they describe would clatter one of the cars. So, by opening the entrance out, and fitting a sliding gate on wheels (that rolls parallel to the front wall), I could get 3 cars on the drive, or 2 cars and some nice planting areas / pathway etc.
Anyone know if there are kits out there? I have had a quick google, I guess I need a track, wheels, guide wheel, then some form of latch for open and closed?? I fancy getting the timber and having a go at it myself in spring - anyone done this before?
I had one fitted to a gate that was 3 mtrs wide and 2.5 high in spain, it was a fixed electric winch with a revolving cog on the side and it then connecte to a toothed metal bar that was fixed across to the bottom rail of the door about 150 up from on the bottom rail and the gate ran in a metal U section with wheel guides which were rebated into the bottom of the gate.Anyone know if there are kits out there? I have had a quick google, I guess I need a track, wheels, guide wheel, then some form of latch for open and closed?? I fancy getting the timber and having a go at it myself in spring - anyone done this before?
Try these easygates.co.uk same type as I had and worked perfectly
We had a manual one made and fitted this year, for exactly the same reason.
We can get two gars on our drive, but the opening is to wide to have space for a hinged version.
Try 'The Gatemakers' based near Aston Clinton, Aylesbury. All installed and works brilliantly, even our 4 year old can push it open.
Happy to send you pic's if you want (and I have daylight time on this run up to Christmas)
V.
We can get two gars on our drive, but the opening is to wide to have space for a hinged version.
Try 'The Gatemakers' based near Aston Clinton, Aylesbury. All installed and works brilliantly, even our 4 year old can push it open.
Happy to send you pic's if you want (and I have daylight time on this run up to Christmas)
V.
Thanks to all for the replies! I am afraid I have to confess, that I will need to be governed by budget - I also don't want them electric. I will take a good look at the options you guys have posted, the France trip whilst a good idea, is too expensive, they won't fit on the roof of a Fiat Punto, and it's a long way to go back if it's the wrong size 
I quite like the cantilever idea, but it will come down to what can be achieved cost effectively, and with the lowest maintenance. I would like to be able to do something sub £1k (ideally nearer £500), but we shall see!
I quite like the cantilever idea, but it will come down to what can be achieved cost effectively, and with the lowest maintenance. I would like to be able to do something sub £1k (ideally nearer £500), but we shall see!
VEX said:
We had a manual one made and fitted this year, for exactly the same reason.
We can get two gars on our drive, but the opening is to wide to have space for a hinged version.
Try 'The Gatemakers' based near Aston Clinton, Aylesbury. All installed and works brilliantly, even our 4 year old can push it open.
Happy to send you pic's if you want (and I have daylight time on this run up to Christmas)
V.
V, would be really interested in seeing a picutre of what you have. I take it you are pleased with yours?We can get two gars on our drive, but the opening is to wide to have space for a hinged version.
Try 'The Gatemakers' based near Aston Clinton, Aylesbury. All installed and works brilliantly, even our 4 year old can push it open.
Happy to send you pic's if you want (and I have daylight time on this run up to Christmas)
V.
Love the last 2, nice and discreet...
Looks like my best bet is:
http://www.easygates.co.uk/CANTALEVER_GATE_KIT.asp
Alternatively the same kit from fhbrundle. Comes in about £250 ish (excluding VAT), you then need the gate to fit it to. Looks like an interesting new year project to me!
Looks like my best bet is:
http://www.easygates.co.uk/CANTALEVER_GATE_KIT.asp
Alternatively the same kit from fhbrundle. Comes in about £250 ish (excluding VAT), you then need the gate to fit it to. Looks like an interesting new year project to me!
GraemeP said:
Love the last 2, nice and discreet...
Looks like my best bet is:
http://www.easygates.co.uk/CANTALEVER_GATE_KIT.asp
Alternatively the same kit from fhbrundle. Comes in about £250 ish (excluding VAT), you then need the gate to fit it to. Looks like an interesting new year project to me!
If you're going with the cantilever option you will need an adequate concrete foundation, there's a calculator hereLooks like my best bet is:
http://www.easygates.co.uk/CANTALEVER_GATE_KIT.asp
Alternatively the same kit from fhbrundle. Comes in about £250 ish (excluding VAT), you then need the gate to fit it to. Looks like an interesting new year project to me!
Full solutions from these people. Highly recommended.
http://www.overwroughtironwork.co.uk/slidingbarrie...
http://www.overwroughtironwork.co.uk/slidingbarrie...
GraemeP said:
Thanks to all for the replies! I am afraid I have to confess, that I will need to be governed by budget - I also don't want them electric. I will take a good look at the options you guys have posted, the France trip whilst a good idea, is too expensive, they won't fit on the roof of a Fiat Punto, and it's a long way to go back if it's the wrong size
I quite like the cantilever idea, but it will come down to what can be achieved cost effectively, and with the lowest maintenance. I would like to be able to do something sub £1k (ideally nearer £500), but we shall see!
The only thing I'd consider in terms of electrification is the weight of the gate - even on well set rollers, they can be heavy to push open. When we get powercuts (which we do, being out in the sticks), I'm always surprised how effort the gate takes to roll back, I certainly wouldn't want to be doing it half a dozen times a day. Granted ours is 6ft high and 14ft across, but even so!I quite like the cantilever idea, but it will come down to what can be achieved cost effectively, and with the lowest maintenance. I would like to be able to do something sub £1k (ideally nearer £500), but we shall see!
V8RX7 said:
Bear in mind most councils want you to only place gates a car's length into you property.
That is so you can pull off the road so you don't cause an obstruction when opening them (even electric ones)
V8 - not sure I understand what the concern is? Apart from when I visit my very posh friends, there aren't many properties that have much more than a car's lenght between the road and the house That is so you can pull off the road so you don't cause an obstruction when opening them (even electric ones)
Also, we wouldn't shut the gate when we were out in the car, just when we are at home. And, we have a double width dropped kerb with a white line on the road, so you would just be parked in line with other parked cars if you had to open the gates?
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