How to Choose an Automatic Gate for Country House

My home is my fortress! This wonderful expression can be slightly transformed into”My country house— my fortress”. And, as you know, any fortress needs a good fence and strong gates, which are considered to be the “face” of the site. Some use the traditional, hand-operated, and someone actively introduces automation into suburban life.

This material will be devoted to automatic gates. We will discuss their principle of operation, types, pluses and minuses and also determine what budget to expect, it sets out “automatic” epic.

The principle of operation of automatic gates

There is a great variety of automatic systems offered by various companies today. But the principle of operation at all gates is similar:

1. A signal from the control device is sent to a special control Board;
2. This signal activates the drive mechanism;
3. The drive mechanism gives a “go-ahead” to the equipment, which opens the gate folds.

Automatic gate mechanism

As a rule, the automatic gate system includes:

• remote control (for signal);
• antenna radio receiver (to receive signals);
• the apparatus includes a pulse;
• control unit.

In addition, you can add to the system:

• sensors responsible for the current state of the gate;
• locking mechanisms and photocells (stop movement if someone does not have time to go in a set period of time);
• signal lamps (relevant for narrow streets, warn about the opening of the gate), etc.

A bit about drives

There are 3 types of mechanisms that start the process of opening the automatic gate: it is a linear drive, lever and underground. Without sinking into the jungle of mechanics, find out what each type is and what is better to choose for a country gate.

1. The linear drive looks like an elongated case. It is simple and reliable even in active operation.

Linear type drive

Inside the mechanism is a worm gear (“Mechanical transmission, engaged in the engagement of the worm and its associated worm wheel.” In the back of the body is a gear. Turning on, he pulls the transmission, and it begins to interact with the leaf (pushes it or pulls).
The housing of the linear actuator is made of powder-coated metal. Suitable for gates of any weight and design. Installs on the pole with one of the supporting beams at mid-height of the canvas.

2. In the case of the lever drive there is a reducer and two movable levers. The gear unit is mounted on a pole, and the lever, similar to the elbow — on the leaf.

Lever drive

Most often the gate with this drive open to the inside.

3. And finally, the third type of drive — underground. The reducer is hidden in a metal box, which is concreted near the column, only the lever is visible from the outside.

Underground drive

Which one to choose is an individual question. Its solution depends on many factors. For example, if the distance from the post to the place of attachment of the leaf is more than 8 cm, the linear actuator will not work, it simply will not reach. In any case, you need to choose based on the fact that the design of the gate should not interfere with the passage of the car. After all, automatic gates are installed most often either in the garage or at the entrance to the territory of the site.

Kinds of designs of automatic gates

Swing gates

This type of automatic gate is the most popular among summer residents. Install swing gates can not only at the entrance to the territory, but also in the garage. This is the easiest option. Gates are two doors that can be opened or inside or outside.

Swing gates

Hinged drives silently and smoothly open and then shift the leaf. For their manufacture use different materials: clapboard, aluminum profile, sheet metal, forged metal grille, mesh, steel panel. All materials are different from the aesthetic and functional points of view, but all withstand the influence of ultraviolet rays, dirt, dust, moisture, wind, etc. In any case, it is better to cover them with a special protective composition.

Swing gates have a number of advantages:

• ease of installation;
• huge range of models of different design;
• structural reliability;
• long service life;
• affordable price compared to other types of auto rotation.

There are also “cons”:

• dear automation (every leaf is your drive);
• not suitable for areas located too close to the road (there may be emergency situations when opening the gate, and sometimes the lamps do not help);

Lift gate

Suitable for areas in which every meter of free space on the account. Active cottager are installed in garages. Lifting gates have several subtypes: roll-up, sectional and rotary. They differ in the way the sash moves when opened / closed, in functionality and in aesthetic properties.

1. Roll-up gate-the most compact type of lifting gate. According to the principle of they look like ordinary shutters.

Roll gate

Inside the box is a shaft, which is wound on a flexible fabric of steel or aluminum slats, filled with polyurethane foam and fastened with hinges. The fabric can be made in size and shape of the opening, whether arch, rectangle or square. Roll-up gates can be conventional and high-speed-at the user’s choice.

The advantages of roll-up gates include:

• the possibility of replacing the failed or lost presentable appearance of the slats;
• compact size;
• durability.

They also have disadvantages:

• gaps;
• the probability of icing mechanisms in winter.

2. Lifting and turning models also have one leaf from a single web. Only in the raised form it is not wound anywhere, and is located horizontally, parallel to the floor. Ideal for garage.

Lifting and turning doors

It should only be taken into account that somewhere 1/3 of the leaf will stick out. To do this, you need to carefully calculate the space. The canvas is made of sandwich panels or profiled sheet. Raised up the sash securely hold durable spring mechanisms.

Now about the advantages of the model. Among them are:

• quiet during operation;
• reliability and resistance to hacking;
• tight fit to the frame (and, as a consequence, tightness of the structure).

Summer residents who managed to use such a gate, insist that with all the positive features and they have a number of “cons”:

• complexity of the mechanism and its installation;
• difficulties in self-installation (easier to contact specialists);
• short-lived spring that needs replacing;
• high price.

3. Section gate is a “hybrid” of rotary and roll-up gates, which absorbed many of their advantages. The fabric of the sectional model is made of sandwich panels. It moves up when opened and fixed to the ceiling. Again, a decent option for the garage.

Sectional door

Key benefits:

• compact (suitable even for small garage);
• silent movement (due to the presence of rubber seals around the perimeter of the doorway);
• good sound and heat insulation;
• modern design.

The drawback, which is most often paid attention to, is the price.

Sliding gates

The idea of sliding gates is not new. They’re many, many years old. Sliding gates can be found by visiting the territory of an old factory, built in Soviet times, or warehouse.

The moment of operation could be heard without even listening to it: the passage opened with a creak and a crash and closed with the same sound.

Manufacturers of modern automatic sliding gates have borrowed the idea, added and improved it. Here’s what happened:

Sliding gates

1. On the concreted platform the rail on which will “walk” a cloth is established. As a primitive, but illustrative example I will give a wardrobe. The door in it moves the same way.
2. The canvas should be sewn in what you want, from siding to forged items.
3. In the open position, the flap is located on the side of the opening. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the landscape of your site. The flap must move freely, they are not resting and not messing up the walls of nearby buildings or plants.
4. Upon receipt of the corresponding signal, the leaf goes and returns to the place — everything, the gate is firmly closed.

“Pluses” of sliding models:

• reliability;
• many interesting design solutions for every taste;
• space saving.

What to look for when choosing

As we have already seen, each design has a number of advantages and disadvantages. To make the right choice, you need to compare a number of criteria. Then the gate will serve faithfully for many years.

Before you order the gate, make all the necessary measurements:

1. The width of the passenger car is calculated on the basis of the length of the machine plus half a meter on each side.
2. If the site is (or planned) active construction, involving the arrival of construction equipment and trucks, the opening is better to increase to 4 meters.

When comparing several options, pay attention to the following nuances:

• Where do you want to put the gate (at the entrance or in the garage)?
• How convenient will this model be in operation on your site?
• How strong is the mechanism?
• How easy is it to maintain?
• Is it possible to mount the gate yourself?

Important: keep in mind, you have a wide street or not. Wide will allow to establish swing gate, and at narrow it is better to make sliding (if the internal space of a site allows). If on a narrow street installed swing gates, you will have to protect yourself and your neighbors and get warning lights.

Are there any summer residents who can share their opinion on the use of automatic gates?