[TraditionalToolworks]

I've been reluctant to post this video as I hate to derail any existing threads, but one of my projects I will have is fabricating a driveway gate for the driveway in this video.

I'm not entirely sure how the driveway will end up yet, but know that I will be required to have a flattened area where the encroachment meets the street.

The 4 ways I have thought about this is having one large gate that swings open on a wheel, in another thread cj mentioned this as a wheelbarrow style wheel that could be extended on a spring so it would collapse and extend as the gate swings open. I'm not sure if I will be able to bring the grade down enough for that, or if it's possible to have it swing up an incline, but don't think so. This would need to swing in.

Another way is to have a double gate with both sides swinging in to open, but if I use an opener I think I would need 2 openers.

Another way and possibly more likely would be when the front is excavated, to allow for a gate to slide sideways to open the driveway for entry/exit.

The last way is similar to a gate Simclardy pictured recently which didn't have any pickets and swung open, that might allow me to work around the incline. I like the picket style better, but ultimately this might be a better option for my driveway. This is NOT an immediate need, but it is a project that is definitely coming up and I've never fabricated a gate before. I'm trying to research and understand what my options are so that when this comes to fruit, I have a good idea on what to do.

What are some of the ramifications of designing a gate for this type of driveway that some of you may have experience with on such a steep incline? I know that the county told me I will need to flatten some area but I can't remember how much, seems about 30' from the road. I also don't know if it needs to be entirely flat or not.

Around 4:20 in this video I show the driveway and encroachment at the street:

[Poland308]

Will there ever be a snow or seasonal issues? Is there room to do a one piece retractable (in line chain drive) with a support wheel on the travel end? Does it need to be security / solid 6 or 8 ft tall? Or just the single bar swing style like the other posts?

[TraditionalToolworks]

Will there ever be a snow or seasonal issues?

No, nothing to be concerned about. I have seen snow on the property once about 10 years ago, so it occasionally snows, but it's not a real issue. I think it's about 1000-1500 ft above sea level. at the water, the top of the driveway is another 300-400 feet higher.

Is there room to do a one piece retractable (in line chain drive) with a support wheel on the travel end?

There might be, depend on how it gets graded in the front. I think my septic contractor is going to excavate that portion, he has a backhoe and did some grading for me a couple years ago before the foundation went in.

Does it need to be security / solid 6 or 8 ft tall? Or just the single bar swing style like the other posts?

No, not unless I enclose the entire front. There's 210' on the front property line at the street. I don't plan to secure it, but just want to keep cars out and don't want anyone driving up there. It's kind of tough to climb up the embankment so I am not too concerned about security. The area is very quiet, that is until I get my shop in... Currently there's just a chain with a no trespassing sign on it.

The driveway is pretty steep, I'm pretty sure I can get the flatbed up ('97 F-SuperDuty 1-1/2 ton dually), but don't know about pulling a trailer up yet. I'm hoping I can. It's hard to tell how much gravel is there, but under the leaves and dirt there's what looks like hard pack gravel on the top 1/3rd. I believe there could be gravel down to the road, but there's quiet a bit of dirt and leaves on the bottom 2/3rds. An arborist got his dump truck stuck there in the winter when it was raining, but the septic guy was removing the tree stumps and he pulled him down with his backhoe.

Ideally I'd like something that looks nice with pickets.I may run a chain-link/picket fence up to the corner of the water tank enclosure, it depends on how I get the front graded. I'm mostly wanting a gate to keep people from driving up. The roof of the home might be visible, but most of it will be hidden out of site.

If I wanted to do a one piece retractable as you note above, what would I need to make sure of? Does that roll on a track? Obviously I would need enough straight distance, but not clear how it rolls and/or what needs to be secure in place. Do they run off 120v or 240v? Currently it's about 20' wide, but I want to have the tree and corner knocked down to open it up, that's what was recommended to me by the septic contractor and masonry contractor. The masonry contractor will enclose the basement for me, putting TGI joists and subfloor, and framing the rear wall and building stairs with dimensional lumber up to the main floor. I have a log shell currently up to the top plates that will go on the foundation, which is not too far from where I live. The basement enclosure will be my new shop to build the home. Utility equipment going in basement also. I have water rights to the lake, which has been approved for my domestic water. That's a ways off to get that done though...I have other fish to fry first.

[Poland308]

Pipe in a pipe, chain drive, hydraulic motor. Single bar that just shoots across the drive. No hinges just the chain and lots of grease.

[TraditionalToolworks]

Pipe in a pipe, chain drive, hydraulic motor. Single bar that just shoots across the drive. No hinges just the chain and lots of grease.

I'm googlin' trying to get an idea...I ran across this gate which looks exactly like the gate Krazywelder was showing of his Dad's house... (at Home Depot)

Home Depot - Aleko - Venice Style Gate.

venice-gate.png (183.49 KiB) Viewed 8154 times

I see some interesting cantilevered and telescoping gates on YouTube.

Something simple like a single pole that shoots across the driveway might be ok. I'm looking...

This has some interesting ideas:

[TraditionalToolworks]

Pipe in a pipe, chain drive, hydraulic motor. Single bar that just shoots across the drive. No hinges just the chain and lots of grease.

Josh,

Still trying to picture this in my head, I kind of envision the pipe retracting and extending from the side.

I have seen this style which would also be pretty simple to do, but wouldn't keep people from climbing under/over it.

I think I would like something more ornamental, with pickets if possible. I have probably a year to sort it out, but it's a project in the back of my mind. I think I'm getting my electrical panel installed on my pole next Wed. per the electrical contractor, and then PG&E will drop my service to it. The service currently goes from the opposite corner to the foundation, so I will need to figure getting a line trenched from the foundation to the front of the driveway for electrical.

I could also install a gate without an opener for the time being, until I could get it trenched. As I get the home enclosed I'm gonna want some possible protection against people being able to drive up the driveway while I'm not there...too easy to take stuff...

guard gate

guard-gate.jpg (125.42 KiB) Viewed 8109 times

[Poland308]

Build a full height gate. Use rollers and counter balance the back side. It could still be chain drive. Lots of utilities use the chain link version at there shop.

[TraditionalToolworks]

Build a full height gate. Use rollers and counter balance the back side. It could still be chain drive. Lots of utilities use the chain link version at there shop.

Josh,

Actually chain link could work, I've seen where people put texture on the outside of the chain link, such as wood.

Here's one the guy used galvanized pipe. I was just looking on the Aleko site, there seem to be 3 or 4 types of openers, those that use chain, those that use a rack and those that swing. Looks like the rack is the least expensive. They also have solar versions with panels. That could be handy, but at a cost. This cantilever style requires the 4 rollers.

[Poland308]

We have a cantilever one with wood slats at work. It doesn’t even have a drive unit we just unchain it and roll it by hand.

[TraditionalToolworks]

We have a cantilever one with wood slats at work. It doesn’t even have a drive unit we just unchain it and roll it by hand.

I think it will make sense for me to fabricate it without the opener as I will always be able to add it later after I run some power to the driveway opening. I'll design it so that I can add one later.

I hadn't thought about aluminum before, but cj mentioned it in another thread and has me thinking about it. I'll have to see, budget is gonna be tight with this coronavirus, IMO, I think we're gonna see a fair amount of people loosing their jobs.

[Poland308]

Depending on how wide the opening is you could get by with pretty light gauge steel tube. The one at the shop is 2inch od. I’m guessing 14 or 16 ga. The opening is about 16 or 20 ft.

[Fullerp]

In your situation, a sliding electric gate would fit perfectly because it doesn`t take up so much space, or an equally good idea would be double gates that open from the middle in two parts. Recently I also discovered electric gates that come out of the ground and rise upwards. This is, of course, probably the most suitable option, but probably also the most expensive. I have seen some newer systems for opening and closing electric gates on everlastgates.com. They can also do custom work according to your requirements.