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Wooden Driveway Gates Considerations

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  • 31-10-2022
Wooden Driveway Gates Considerations

What are important wooden driveway gates considerations? We look at questions to ask before installing a new driveway gate for your home or business.

Choosing the right driveway gates

Choosing suitable driveway gates for your household or commercial property can be incredibly challenging based on several factors other than the costs, such as height, width, weight, materials, colours, and many others.

There are various aspects to consider and many questions raised to help you decide; however, we're here to offer you top tips to combat your questions.

Swing Or Sliding Wooden Driveway Gates?

Sliding wooden gates are often designed to be close-boarded with zero gaps between each slot, top rail or wooden section; however, whilst these are popular gate design aspects, it is a practical feature.

With no spaces, you won't risk getting climbing plants, shrubbery, or other materials awkwardly stuck between the sliding gates as they open.

Wooden Driveway Gates Considerations

When it comes to installing sliding gates for your household or property, you must be wary that it will require groundwork, such as concrete foundations and supporting posts or pillars on either side of the driveway.

On the other hand, wooden swing gates offer a 5-bar traditional gate with efficient close-boarded designs. The gates are compiled of wooden slats that provide no gaps; however, open-boarded vertical, horizontal or sloping versions are available to purchase. 

What is the best wood for driveway gates?

Timber wooden gates provide a home or property owner with plenty of stunning beauty, often that steel metal or iron gates cannot offer. Wooden gates are suitable for traditional homes or cottages, complete with classic designs for a garden gate.

Alternatively, you can use timber to modernise your driveway with sleek wood that you can maintain with regular maintenance every six months, preservative staining that gives you many years' worth of service and bright wood materials. There is a large range of options available for those searching for whole gate construction.

You can select from durable metal, such as wrought iron gates, aluminium gates and steel, softwoods and hardwoods and PVC materials. Various protective stains can help combat harsh weather conditions, paint colours and different styles that add an extra flair to your home or backyard.  

How wide should a gate be for a driveway?

Many of the standard driveway entrance gates mass-produced throughout the UK typically have a measured width between 12-24ft. On the other hand, the type of property can affect the sizes offered; for example, those for residential properties often range between 9-12 feet; however, depending on the local regulations and the property size, they can be larger or smaller.

You want to ensure you consider the size of your and your guest's vehicles that will be entering and leaving. Additionally, you want to factor in the shape of your driveway; for example, if it is curved, it may typically require larger gates as it will need to accommodate the turning to avoid damage or crashes. 

How Wide Should A Gate Be For A Driveway?

Should driveway gates open inwards or outwards?

Driveway gates can offer privacy, additional security and often elegance or some aesthetic value to the curb appeal of your household or property, adding extensive character or prestige.

As long as you purchase high-quality gates and fences made of robust materials and constructed correctly by skilled professionals, you'll have the luxury of relying on your driveway gate for numerous years with low-maintenance required.

However, the process of discovering the best, most suitable security gates for your household or property can be pretty challenging, especially when tackling various factors, such as height, width, shapes, colours, standard sizes, configurations, materials and various others.

When thinking about purchasing swing gates, one of the most common questions that customers and clients ask is:

'Should the pair of gate doors open inward or outward?'

Gate opening inwards

Traditionally most gates on the market are designed to swing inwards, which is helpful for driving vehicles into the drive and is the direction that visitors will move in to enter your home or property. 

Gates that swing inwards are generally the safest option; however, we encourage you to consider the varying factors before deciding which is most suitable for your property and which way would be better for your gates to swing.

For example, if your home is on a high, rough or sloping terrain, you want to ensure they don't result in harsh swings that could damage or hurt those in its way. If your driveway is sloped, you may risk your gate striking the surface, so it may be sensible to opt for a sliding gate in such circumstances to overcome that issue.

Swing gates require less room to create and build than sliding gates, so bear this in mind. To remedy the problem, you may wish to invest in high-quality hinges that will allow you to open your security gates so that they stop at a specific angle and prevent them from swinging. 

Gate opening outwards

Plenty of houses with pathways or those that face the roads should avoid installing gates that open outwards. Driveways with gates that open onto main roads could risk hitting cars or motorists, and those gates opening out onto pavements could obstruct cyclist and pedestrian access, causing collisions or creating time-consuming obstructions.

You must consider these safety concerns when selecting the direction of your swing gates. You want to make sure that your home or property has broad and safe amounts of space to accommodate swinging outwards without curating issues. You can choose either option if you live in the middle of nowhere. 

How Far Off The Ground Should A Driveway Gate Be?

How far off the ground should a driveway gate be?

Often people ask questions such as 'How much distance from the ground is allowed for your gate?' and the answer is that the distance underneath your driveway gate should be approximately three inches and no higher than six inches.

Gates positioned too high will often make your gate look odd or like it's floating, and in the same vein, a gate too close to the ground may be more challenging to manoeuvre or appear more like a fence of sturdy walls than a gate. 

How Tall Should The Gate Be?

Driveway gates are often measured between 5-6ft tall; however, they can be made to be lower or higher depending on the needs of your household or property as long as the local building regulations are considered or any planning permission.

It's paramount to make yourself aware of the laws of your particular area or zone and specific restrictions that are put on gates and fences. You must check the local municipality and authorities before selecting a gate of any height to ensure it's suitable. 

Should The Gate Be Manual Or Automatic?

Over the years, there has been debate over whether the gate should be manual or automatic and the pros and cons of both systems. Manual or pedestrian gates' main purpose is to be operated by hand with padlocks or latches to keep children and pets and keep out intruders and unwanted traffic or bypassers away from loitering around the front of your home.

Manual gates provide far fewer moving parts and electrical mechanisms; however, they are typically cheaper and more straightforward to maintain than automatic gates, which is why they are more favourable for those searching for a budget-friendly option that still adds curb appeal.

On the other hand, if you're looking for the highest security installation and convenience standards, we highly recommend automatic gates. Automated gates can be installed by professionals with electric gate operators that allow you to control the gates with access control systems tailored to your household or property requirements.

These control systems can include keypads and remote controls and even be attached to your smartphone with handy apps that enable you to control your gates. It's convenient for you, as you longer have to get out of your car or vehicle to leave or enter your property, which definitely helps in times of harsh weather!

Numerous gate automation operators usually come with their own backup battery that you can utilise so that you never have to worry about getting locked out of your home during power outages or low electricity. 


Are you looking for wooden driveway gate installation near you? If you require new gates in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire contact us today. 

Our garden design experts can supply and install beautiful driveway gates for you and your family to enjoy for years to come.