From driveways to gardens, our outdoor spaces are worth protecting. Gates can separate private properties from the outside world, ensuring only authorised persons have access, while remaining aesthetically pleasing. The following sections will guide you through the different types of garden gates available to you, including how to pick an option that is suited to your property and your needs.

Why Gates Matter

Before purchasing or crafting a gate, it’s important to know why gates are important. Gates serve a variety of key purposes, both practical and aesthetic. Importantly, gates allow you to control who enters and exits your property, keeping your home secure and private. Gates can also block unwanted views, creating a sense of seclusion and privacy within your property.

Well-designed gates can enhance the visual appeal of your property, creating a welcoming and inviting entrance. Additionally, security and aesthetic features provided by gates can increase the perceived value of your property, making it more attractive to potential buyers or renters.

The Types of Property Gates

On a property, it’s not uncommon to have multiple gates, each serving a specific purpose. These gates not only enhance functionality but also contribute to the overall design and security of the property. Whether it’s a front entrance gate that creates a welcoming first impression, a side gate offering easy access to the garden, or a driveway gate providing added security, each type plays an important role in making daily life more convenient.

Garden Gates

Typically designed to allow a single person to enter and exit a property’s outdoor space, garden gates are typically placed between fence panels to allow for easy access. These gates are typically designed to match the surrounding fence panels, creating a seamless appearance while also ensuring complete functionality.

Driveway Gates

As larger alternatives to simple garden gates, driveway gates are designed to allow vehicles to enter and exit a property while preventing unauthorised vehicles from gaining access. Designed for security and aesthetic purposes, driveway gates come in various shapes and sizes. Driveway gates can also be made of various materials, from metal to timber.

Agricultural Gates

Designed to protect fields, crops, livestock and plant life, agricultural gates are highly important to implement on properties with large amounts of land. Agricultural gates can stop vehicles and unauthorised persons from trespassing, protecting your property from accidental or purposeful damage.

Consider Its Purpose

To choose the right gate for your property, it’s important to consider your gate’s intended purpose. A gate is more than just an entryway; it serves specific functions that can range from enhancing security and privacy to boosting the aesthetic appeal of your home. Below, you can find some key purposes for gates.

Protection

One of the advantages of a gate is to protect your property from intruders. You might decide to choose a gate specifically for your home’s security. If so, you should choose a gate style that can be effectively equipped with a lock, securing your property from the outside world.

Security

Aside from protecting your property from intruders, gates can also prevent children and pets from getting lost. Gates can be designed to be purposefully challenging for small children and animals to open. A simple lock addition can also add further security, as, for pets and children, a simple mechanism should suffice instead of a key and lock system.

Aesthetics

One of the greatest advantages of gates is their aesthetic appeal, adding elegance to a property with ease.  A well-designed gate can act as a statement piece, seamlessly blending style with functionality to create a lasting impression. Gates also provide an opportunity to complement the architectural style of your home, making them a versatile addition that combines beauty with practicality.

The Different Styles Available

As mentioned, gates can be greatly appealing. There are various styles for you to choose from, making it easy to find a style that suits your home’s aesthetic perfectly. Read on to discover some of the most popular styles available on the market today.

Rustic

Rustic gates are recognisable for their natural wood style and neutral tones. They often include a natural tree-like appearance, which is perfect for homes surrounded by nature. Rustic gates make the perfect addition to cottages, for example, especially those with outdoor plants.

Lattice

Recognised by their criss-cross patterns, lattice gates are a classic style that can easily fit in with any type of property. Lattice patterns offer airflow and aesthetically pleasing patterns, while still helping to keep your outdoor space private.

Ornate

Ornate is a traditional style of gate, well-suited to historical or maximalist properties. These styles offer intricate designs and elaborate stylings and are typically made of metal, however, wooden ornate gates are a fantastic alternative with a more natural feel. Ornate features have the advantage of standing out on a gate, making the entranceway highly appealing to visitors.

Opening Mechanisms

When choosing a gate for your home, you will need to consider how your gate will be opened. There are different types of opening mechanisms available on the market today, making it easy to choose a system that will work for your property. Discover two of the most popular opening mechanisms below.

Swing Gates

These are easy-to-use solutions, popular in a variety of properties and fantastic for a wide range of gates. It’s important to consider whether a swing gate is appropriate for your space before selecting it, however, as these gates often need to be pushed wide to open fully. Driveway gates that swing, for example, will require a large amount of space to accommodate their width.

Tongue and Groove Gates

If you’re looking for a durable, attractive, and long-lasting gate option, tongue and groove gates are definitely worth considering. Their combination of strength, privacy, and versatility makes them a popular choice for homeowners and property owners alike. The two sides of the gate panels connect using the tongue and groove interlocking method, securing the boards.

Maintenance Requirements

One of the most important considerations to make when it comes to choosing a gate is how easy it will be to care for. In busy households, you might find it challenging to maintain the appearance of a gate that requires frequent cleaning and treatments. If this is the case, it’s best to choose a timber that is easy to look after and has weatherproof qualities. Our experts at Hales Sawmills can offer you recommendations for different wood types that may be easier to look after, as well as bespoke gates that can meet your requirements perfectly.

Choosing DIY Gates or Bespoke Solutions

When implementing a gate on your property, you can either choose to have a gate custom-made or create one yourself. Each option has its advantages, which can make it difficult to make a choice immediately. Read on to learn the benefits of each, helping you decide between the two.

The Benefits of DIY Gates

DIY gates offer you the opportunity to create a unique design, as individual as you are. Should you like to add a creative flair, you can carve intricate patterns and designs into the surface of the wood. When you create your gate, you create a piece of your home that you can take pride in for years to come.

The Advantages of Bespoke Solutions

Bespoke solutions allow you to achieve a creative and unique design, without requiring the time and expertise a DIY project needs. Bespoke solutions offer the perfect opportunity to achieve a truly creative and unique design that reflects your personal style and complements your property. These custom-made options are tailored to your specific needs, ensuring that the final result aligns perfectly with your vision.

Where to Find the Perfect Garden Gate

Hales Sawmills is a trusted supplier of timber, offering tools, fencing, decorative garden gates and more to customers. Here at Hales Sawmills in Shropshire, we can provide you with a bespoke gate that is designed to perfectly suit your property. Alternatively, we can supply you with the materials you need to craft your very own, from gate posts to hinges.

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