How to choose your gate?
The gate closes your entrance. It must meet your security and comfort requirements, while harmonizing with the aesthetics of your exterior.
Robust, it must protect your home from outside intruders and guarantee real resistance to weather, time and use.
The choice of a gate is not to be taken lightly, as its solidity will be put to the test on a daily basis.
But between the different types of opening, concealment and motorization, it's easy to get lost. Here are a few tips to help you choose the right gate.
I) Type of opening: swing or sliding gate?
Buying a gate means first and foremost choosing how it will open. There are 2 types of opening: swing or sliding. Depending on the layout of your entrance, you may prefer one or the other.
Here are the different features:
The swing gate
A swing gate has 2 leaves that can open independently of each other.
In most cases, the leaves open "pushing", i.e. towards the interior of your property. You therefore need to have enough space at the entrance to allow a 90° opening.
The push swing gate is the most common model. It's the ideal solution when you don't have enough lateral clearance.
If, for technical reasons, it's impossible to open the gate by pushing, you can opt for "pulling" leaves, which open towards the street. Please note, however, that town planning regulations stipulate that your gate must open onto your property and not onto the public highway. You must therefore leave a distance in front of your gate at least equal to the length of your leaves, as they must not encroach on the road or sidewalk.
The advantages of a swing gate :
- Aluminium swing gates can open inwards or outwards, depending on the space available.
- It can easily be motorized, either during or after installation.
- Swing gates require less masonry work than sliding gates.
Rail-mounted sliding gates
This sliding gate opens by sliding sideways on a track fixed to the ground to clear the entrance to your property.
Often more expensive than the swinging model, this system requires :
- Sufficient discharge (opening length), at least equal to the distance between pillars plus 400 mm.
- Creation of a concrete foundation on which the rail will rest over the entire width of the opening and side discharge.
Sliding gates are the ideal solution for exteriors where space is at a premium. It doesn't encroach on the yard, and makes it easier to close sloping entrances (slopes perpendicular to the sliding gate).
The advantages of a sliding gate :
- Sliding gates are ideal for sloping entrances (slopes perpendicular to the gate).
- It's a more durable solution than a swing gate. Very stable, it is held in place by its track on the ground, and rolls sideways. It therefore has no pivot problems and requires less maintenance than a 2-leaf gate.
- It can be motorized during or after installation.
- Unlike a swing gate, which needs to automate its 2 leaves, a sliding gate only needs a single motor.
- It does not encroach on your yard or the public highway.
2) The gate: motorized or not?
Whatever their opening system, all our aluminum gate models can be automated.
While swing gates are opened by motorized arms, sliding gates are operated by a rack fixed to the leaf, which holds the structure in place and guides its lateral movement.
In both cases, all you need to do is press your remote control to trigger the mechanism.
The advantages of motorized gates :
- Its greatest advantage is, of course, its practicality: operating your gate remotely, from the safety of your car, offers undeniable convenience. Motorization also saves time, as there's no need to get out of your car to open and close your gate.
- Opening your gate remotely also offers greater safety for all roadside residents: by not having to get out of your car to open and close your gate, you stay safe and leave the road and sidewalks clear for other road users.
The disadvantages of motorized gates :
- A motorized gate will no longer function in the event of a power cut.
- Although they add real value to your home, motorized gates often cost more than manually opened ones.
3) Blackout type: openwork, solid or semi-openwork?
The type of blackout you choose for your gate depends on your tastes and the degree of privacy you wish to enjoy. Here are the three main types:
The solid portal
The full gate is a totally concealed model that preserves your privacy, closes off and secures your living space. No more indiscreet glances or confrontations with neighbors! It also blocks the way for your pets, who can no longer escape onto the public highway.
Semi-openwork gates
Less intimate but more airy than a solid gate, a semi-open gate features a "solid" bottom section and openwork slats at the top. It effectively closes off your living space, but leaves a glimpse of your garden.
It also has the advantage of blocking access to small animals, which can no longer slip between the slats of your gate to enter or leave your property.
Openwork gates
Thanks to their spaced slats, openwork gates let the light and the view through. It's the ideal model for anyone wishing to delimit their property and still enjoy the view.