The first question we ask on almost every gate job is the same: sliding or swing? Both are custom-built in steel, both can be automated, and both can look great. The right answer comes from the driveway itself, not from a catalogue.
When a sliding gate is the better fit
A sliding gate runs along the inside of your fence line on a ground track or a cantilever rail. It needs clear run-off room to one side, roughly the width of the opening plus a little extra, but it needs almost no room in front of or behind the gate.
- Sloping driveways. A swing gate on an uphill drive will hit the ground as it opens. A slider is unaffected.
- Short driveways. If cars park close to the gate line, there is no space for leaves to swing inward.
- Wide openings. A single slider handles 5–7 metre openings cleanly, where a swing pair would need heavy posts and long hinges.
When a swing gate is the better fit
Swing gates hinge off posts on either side of the opening and are usually built as a matched pair. They suit flat drives with room behind the gate line and give a more traditional entrance.
- No room to the side. Where a garage, garden bed or boundary sits right at the edge of the opening, there is nowhere for a slider to travel.
- Level ground. A flat driveway and a flat area behind the gate keep the leaves clear as they open.
- Budget. A manual swing pair is usually the simplest build; automation adds a motor per leaf.
Things we check on site
Before we quote we measure the opening, check the fall across the driveway, look at where the cars actually stop, and confirm what is below ground (services, stormwater, tree roots) where posts or a track would go. That ten minutes on site avoids most gate regrets.
Automation changes the sums
If you plan to automate, tell us before we draw anything. Slider motors need a level rack and a solid post; swing motors need room for the arm and a decent post to fix to. Building for automation from the start is far cheaper than retro-fitting.
Not sure which way to go? Send us a photo of the driveway and we will give you a straight answer.
