Residential driveway gates come in a variety of materials and designs to complement the style of your home and personal aesthetic. Your gate can exude class and elegance, all while serving as an effective barrier against unwanted guests. Here’s an overview of the three most common styles of driveway gates.

Contemporary

Choose a gate with simple, clean lines if you have a modern home with a flat or low-pitched roof. A solid-coloured aluminum gate is an affordable choice because it requires minimal upkeep, saving you time and money in the long run. You can choose from a wide variety of powder-coat finishes to match the exterior of your home.

If you want to turn heads, opt for a custom gate with a smooth, woodgrain finish and frosted glass inserts for an ultramodern look. Frosted glass panes create an air of privacy without blocking out any light. They also soften the exterior of your home while keeping it modern and attractive.

Rustic

Wooden gates offer a rich, natural appearance. They’re best suited to farmhouse homes, craftsman houses, and cottage-style abodes. Wooden gates are typically made of a single, solid piece of wood or several closely stacked wooden planks.

If you want something a bit showier, a carriage house-style gate is the way to go. It combines the rustic elements of wood with wrought-iron strap hinges, decorative knockers, brackets, and clavos to add a unique flair to the exterior of your home.

Classic

Ornamental wrought-iron gates are highly stylized and have a beautiful hand-crafted look. Consequently, they generally complement Mediterranean, Tudor, Victorian, and Colonial homes.

Classic iron gates typically have arched tops and ornamentations like detailed finials, curls, flourishes, and spirals. Depending on the style of your home and personal preferences, you may want to incorporate details that flow into the nature around your gate. You can review our guide to metal driveway gates for inspiration.

To complete the look of your driveway gate, install decorative pillars or columns. If you’re going for an upscale look, materials like stone, brick, or stucco are great choices. You can also place lanterns on either side. If you want something a little more understated, slim metal or wood posts are great choices. These materials are particularly suitable if your gate has fine detailing that you don’t want to detract from.

Swinging Vs Sliding Gates

Swinging gates are generally less expensive than sliding gates. They are a good option if you live in an area with heavy snowfall. Swinging gates are also suitable for a sloped driveway because you can adjust the bottom clearance.

You might also opt for double swinging gates. They offer a timeless design and are perfect if you need a wide opening. Keep in mind, double swinging gates require two gate operators. In general, single swinging gates can accommodate openings up to 16 feet wide, whereas double swinging gates can be as wide as 32 feet.

If your driveway is on a flat surface and you live in an area with mild weather, a sliding gate will work just fine. With no incline, you don’t have to worry about snow and ice clogging up the tracks. Sliding gates are also suitable for driveways with limited space. They tuck neatly away and don’t require clearance to swing open.

Another option is a telescopic or stacker gate. This type of gate has two or more panels that stack on top of each other when the gate opens, allowing the gate to be compactly stowed.

Helping Your Gates Last

At Creative Door Services^TM, we want to help extend the lifespan of your automatic gate with our comprehensive planned maintenance program. Once you sign up for the program, one of our expert technicians will come to your home regularly to inspect your gate system and ensure it’s working well. They’ll be able to detect minor problems before they become major issues and thereby save you from needing to invest in a new system prematurely.

Get Creative with our Commercial And Residential Gate Experts

At Creative Door Services^TM, we offer a range of high-quality commercial and residential gates from top-tier brands. We also carry innovative access control solutions like keypads, telephone entry systems and automatic sensors. To learn more about our products and services or get a free quote, contact us today.

We have eight locations from which were happy to serve you. You can find us in Kelowna, British Columbia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Fort McMurray, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.