Choose the Right Gate

Our comprehensive guide to gates will assist you in choosing the right gate for you whether it be an electric gate, swing gate or cantilever gate NH Fabrications is happy to advise you on the right route to take.

Why do you want to buy a gate? There are many reasons for someone to want a gate at the entrance of their house. You will have your own reasons for looking for an Approved Installer to fit your gates but here are some advantages you might not have thought about.

Make your property secure from unwanted visitors, a gate moves the first line of defence out to the perimeter of your property. This then means that the garden becomes your own private property, free from prowlers. The driveway and the cars parked upon it are much safer and less likely to suffer from vandalism or car crime. The garage and outbuildings, with the tools and garden machinery, are much more secure behind your gates. Electric Gates can further increase the security of your home, irreversibly geared motors and electric locks help prevent intrusions. Finally intercoms allow you to communicate with visitors at the gateway rather than the front door.

The effects of a stylish gate entrance has a very positive effect on the value of the property and it’s often the case that it was the gate or electric gate installation that “sold us” on our new home. In some cases, people use their gateway as a major selling point in the sale of their home and once they have moved to a new property, they waste no time in having another new set of gates installed, often electric gates. The installation of an electrically automated or manual gateway almost guarantees the quick sale of a quality residential property.

Feel comfortable and safe behind your gates. You can be comfortable in the knowledge that your home and your family are safe and secure. Many busy parents are greatly relieved to know, that once they have had their gates fitted, their children are kept safely behind closed gates and away from the traffic on busy roads and lanes; a mere second of forgetfulness could result in tragic accidents or fatalities. When your children are safely behind gates they are also protected from the attentions of casual passers-by who may not be as innocent as they appear. Many people have installed their gates to prevent their pets, particularly dogs, from escaping onto the road. People have also bought gates to prevent irritating drivers using their open gateway as a turning circle.

A large number of people have purchased electric gates for the timesaving convenience of opening and closing their gateway by remote control. This is not only much easier than manually closing heavy gates but extremely useful in all weathers. It is very comforting to see your electric gates open in the headlights on a dark and stormy night and even more reassuring to see them close automatically behind you, in the rear view mirror, when you arrive at the safe haven of your home.

A well maintained property with an attractive closed gateway is a credit to the neighbourhood and we often find when one household takes the step to smarten up their frontage with a gateway, that this has the effect of spurring on others within the locality to look at their property’s appearance and to go ahead and design an individual entrance to compliment their home. The result of your gate often becomes the talk of the golf club, the aerobics class and even the pub; people are envied for their forward thinking in having gates fitted at their home.

Wrought Iron Gates & Metal Gates

Always popular with customers, gates made from wrought iron offer a diverse range of styles and designs both traditional and contemporary. Wrought Iron gates are simple to maintain as a well made gate will resist the elements very well. Wrought Iron gates guarantee your security. As a metal product, strength is integral to the material. Your property will be protected behind a set of well fitted gates.

When it comes to designs, a great gate maker will be able to offer you designs to match your imagination. Seen something you’d like to replicate? Perhaps a beautiful set of traditional styled wrought iron gates, or a modern minimalist design; Your gate installer should be able to fabricate a similar design from wrought iron. On the other hand if your not sure what you’d like, the approved installers you’ll find on our site will have many examples of their previous work to inspire you and will be able to help you select your perfect gate.

Wrought Iron gates are however quite heavy to open. A large set of manual gates may be heavier than your comfortable to open regularly. This problem can be overcome if you choose to automate your gates, which will provide you with a practical and convenient method of accessing your property. Wrought Iron gates usually have an open style, allowing you to see between the bars, providing you with a view of what’s behind them, this does however mean others can see into your property, which may be detrimental to your privacy.

Why Buy Metal Gates?

There are many reasons for someone to want a wrought iron gate at the entrance of their house. You will have your own reasons for looking for an Approved Installer to fit your gates but here are some advantages you might not have thought about:

Metal Gates can be less expensive than wooden gates
Metal Gates are easy to maintain
Metal Gates are strong and secure
Metal Gates are durable
Metal Gates blend in with their surroundings

Swinging Driveway Gates

The majority of gates around the country will be swinging gates; A traditional opening whereby the gates are hinged to one side and open around this pivot point, usually into the property. This type of gate is ideal for people with ample room on their property for the gate wings to swing into.

Often the first choice for a gate installation, swinging gates are less expensive to install and look better than sliding gates. Swing gates are also considered safer than sliding gates and are easier to open. It is possible to have a single swinging gate or a pair of swinging gates (Like French doors) depending on the size of your opening. Single gates are the more economical option but would be unsuitable for openings over about 12 feet (3.65m) wide.

Opening your gates into your property will always be the most desirable choice, however some circumstances may make it possible, or necessary to open the gates outwards. Opening gates out of the property can free up parking space but you are restricted from opening your gates onto a public highway.

Swinging gates cannot be fitted onto a driveway if it is on an upward incline, the gate would be prevented from opening by the higher ground behind it. Gates can be mounted with a gap beneath to avoid slight inclines but anything over 6″ or 8″ looks unsightly and may compromise your security. Again if you have enough room, gates could open outwards avoiding any inclines. Should a swinging gate not be suitable for your property, you may find sliding gates a suitable alternative. Sliding gates can help avoid inclines and offer access to properties with restricted space.

As always NH Fabrications will be able to advise you on your requirements and what gate will suit your property.

Sliding Driveway Gates

Sliding gates offer a great alternative to swing gates. Perhaps you prefer sliding gates, or more likely the layout of your property demands a sliding gate as an alternative. You will almost certainly need a sliding gate if your entrance way:

Has limited room for swing gate wings to open in, compromising possible parking space.
Turns sharply left or right and a swinging gate would create an obstruction to the turning vehicle.
Is on a steep upward incline preventing a swing gate wing from opening up the drive.

NH Fabrications will be able to advise you on what gate will best suit your entrance. Although often a second choice, sliding gates can provide you with the kind of entrance you’re looking for. Sliding gate designs can replicate those of swinging gates, giving the illusion of being a pair when closed. They can be made of the same materials as swinging gates.

Sliding gates do offer you the advantage of being able to fit where a traditional swing gate wouldn’t, offering you nearly the same aesthetic and security advantages. Indeed a sliding gate is often more secure once locked as the gates weak points are usually less accessible and the single structure design ensures additional prevention from the gate being driven into. Sliding gates are hung in either a tracked style, where the bottom of the gate has runners which glide along an embedded tracking or cantilever style using a series of guides and balancing, avoiding the need for ground tracking and the additional maintenance required.

Tracked Metal Sliding Gate. Tracked sliding gates are a straightforward and economical way of installing sliding gates. A tracked gate will consist of two main elements. Firstly embedded in the ground is a length of metal rail spanning the entrance. The gate is guided along the track using wheels mounted along its base. The tracking on the gate needs to be kept clear from debris which could impair the smooth operation of your gate, but with a quick regular sweep there is no reason that your sliding tracked gate will give you any problems during its lifetime.

Cantilever Gates

Metal cantilever gates

Cantilever sliding gates remove the need for tracking along the length of the opening. A cantilever gate is suspended over the entrance with horizontal posts. Cantilever gates are quieter than tracked gates and reduce the need to keep the tracking clear of debris. However due to the nature of the cantilever design, and additional section of gate is required to ‘hang’ over the guides, often behind a wall or hedge perimeter. This means that additional room is needed beside the gateway than a tracked version and may prevent you from choosing this option.

Electric Gates, Automated Gates

By choosing to have your gates automated, you will further enhance all the benefits of having gates at the entrance of your property. Beyond the simplicity and convenience of opening and closing your gates with a remote control without having to leave your vehicle (which is most useful at night or in bad weather) electric gates have additional advantages over that of manual gates.

An electric gate eliminates the struggle with large and heavy manual gates that many people encounter. A simple press of a button on a remote control allows access. Visitors will usually use an intercom at the gateway to contact you before you let them in, this helps prevent unwanted callers and hawkers.

On the security front, electric gates have irreversibly geared motors making it difficult for burglars to force open the gates. Fitting a maglock ensures maximum protection and even greater security. Having your gates automated increases the investment made to your property, with the extra style and exclusivity of automatically operating gates. It’s possible to automate existing gates too, so you’ve no need to purchase an entirely new system.

By choosing NH Fabrications for your electric gates, you can also be confident that the quality of service, installation and back-up will be second to none. NH Fabrications Installers tell us how often they have needed to replace low grade existing automation systems that were cheap originally but rapidly failed and whose spares were unavailable. With our automation very many years of service are delivered with a minimum of fuss.