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Automatic Driveway Gate Openers

Alpine 1789

Alpine 1789

SAOCA President
Diamond Level Sponsor
My main garage is behind my house, with a gate to the driveway - primarily to keep deer out of the yard - that limits its usefulness. I would like to put an electric gate opener on it to make it easier for my wife. The opening is about 13 feet wide with two 6 1/2 foot wood and metal gates. (FWIW, I am about to make new gates, but they will still be wood on a metal frame.)

The gate posts are 6”x6" pressure treated lumber set in concrete, so they should be more than up to the task. The driveway hasn’t been paved yet, so getting current out to the openers shouldn't be a problem. I've been researching this and think my best option will be to put the controls in the garage and just run whatever power I need to the gates via buried conduit. Consumer grade systems seem to be either 12 or 24 volts, so the power requirements are pretty minimal. The hard part for me seems to be deciding on a brand, as prices for basic dual gate systems range from around $700 to $1800. That is a pretty wide range. I'd like to keep my costs down, but have enough projects to keep me busy and don't want to be constantly fiddling with the gates. Does anyone here have any experience to pass on with gate openers? Brands to consider or avoid?

Thanks.
 
spmdr

spmdr

Diamond Level Sponsor
My $.02

I have dealt with duel swinging gate openers and a single rolling gate opener for years.

The duel swinging were/are a pain, maintenance wise.

The single roller has been much less demanding maintenance wise.

YMMV DW
 
husky drvr

husky drvr

Platinum Level Sponsor
absunbeam

absunbeam

Platinum Level Sponsor
Jim- Are you looking for the slide variety of opener? See Lowes had a kit for $300+ with openers. They look to be a simple setup less maintenance.(No affiliation)had the same setup at my former place of employment.
.https://mobileimages.lowes.com/productimages/086c1d5a-ab30-48e2-88d7-809bb12ca5b0/15614170.jpg?size=pdhism
 
Alpine 1789

Alpine 1789

SAOCA President
Diamond Level Sponsor
Thanks, guys. Good to hear positives on Mighty Mule. They are one of the more affordable options I have looked at.

My problem is that we need the gate to look nice and also hide stuff like my trailer. Our backyard is our neighbor's front, so we try to be considerate of their views. The current gate is a metal frame with stockade fencing screwed on it to match the rest of the fence. We are going to replace the stockade fence with a horizontal slat fence and will do the same thing with the new gate. I could do a single gate, but am concerned about the weight of a single 13' wood and metal gate.

I only briefly considered the sliding gate, but maybe I should reconsider that. There is enough room on the left side and it is reasonably flat, but I'd have to do some work there to create a decent path for it to roll on. My thought has been that the dual gates would be less work, but maybe I should reconsider that.
 
Series6

Series6

Past President
Gold Level Sponsor
Good post and answers

I live on a private road maintained by three homeowners and we have considered a gate off the public road. This post is helpful. Thanks.
 
Alpine 1789

Alpine 1789

SAOCA President
Diamond Level Sponsor
Thanks, guys. At the moment, I have been persuaded to seriously consider a sliding gate and am researching them to see what would be involved. I know how to build a swinging gate; sliding appears to be a very different animal.
 
Alpine 1789

Alpine 1789

SAOCA President
Diamond Level Sponsor
I don't think a solar charger will be worth the effort; too much shade in the area. Back up power isn't a critical issue but I would probably put a battery in the garage if a simple charging system is available.

I have been researching sliding gates and already see a problem, or at least a challenge: most of them rely on a track on the ground. I am not sure why, but everything I see about installing the tracks references concrete. While I would love to go with concrete for the driveway, I suspect I will only be able to afford asphalt and may even have to go with gravel (local zoning issues). I don't see any obvious reason why I can't put a track on asphalt, but I would love to be able to build and install the system before the area is paved. I have seen some references to cantilevered systems that don't use a track, which is a possibility. It looks like those systems require a much longer gate to counterbalance the weight. That would be possible, but would certainly increase the cost and complexity of building the gate.

I'll post more as this develops in my mind, but as always, any experience/advice/suggestions will be appreciated.
 
Aladin Sane

Aladin Sane

Diamond Level Sponsor
At the various chemical plants I have worked at, I have seen a number of rolling gates that the bottom pipe of the gate rides on a set of rollers that are hung off the posts that hold the fence. The part of the gate over the driveway is either cantilevered, or has a single wheel at the free end. No need for a track on the ground.
 
spmdr

spmdr

Diamond Level Sponsor
Also, remember, it's customary to add a pedestrian gate, if not there,

for when the Gate opener fails ...to the point of having to climb the fence...

DW
 
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