Gates are essential components for your business, offering security, traffic control and streamlined access for vehicles.  Our Cleveland automatic gate installers provide new construction, replacement and repair of commercial gates throughout Northeast Ohio. Common applications include parking lots, gated communities, and businesses requiring high security. Here is an overview of gates types that we install and service.

Parking Lot Gates

Most people are familiar with this type of gate. This iconic gate is usually not a welcome sight, often signaling a payment is due before allowing exit. Parking lot gates are typically a single arm that raises and lowers to permit exit and entry. Reflective material is installed on the arm to increase visibility at night. Best for high traffic areas such as parking garages, toll plazas, and office complexes, barrier arm gates feature speed of opening and closing, low cost, and reliability. Barrier arm gates are ideal for preventing unauthorized vehicles from entering a lot, or for collecting payment upon entry or exit. It is not suited for high security applications as the gate is easy to circumvent by pedestrians by walking around or under it.  However, reliable vehicle access is assured, as there are several ways to authenticate users: keypads, card readers, ticket based systems, remote access devices, and mobile based access control systems are available. 

Swing Gates

Swing gates open inward or outward, similar to a traditional door, with hinges attached to posts or a wall. In contrast to the barrier gate arm, swing gates are good for low to moderate traffic entrances and exits. Gates can be single or double sized, allowing for a single lane of traffic or a larger opening for two lanes of traffic or large vehicles such as semi trucks. Swing gates are best for larger driveways, as they require a space for the swing path of the door to operate, which reduces the usable area of the driveway or lot. Swing gates can be made of metal, wood or vinyl to match the architectural appeal, and provide durability depending on the climate of the area the gate is installed in. 

Swing gates can be manually opened, or with an attached electric opener for automatic access. Manual operation may be appropriate where low cost is important, necessary power infrastructure is not practical, and the gate sees low to moderate usage. For typical applications, we recommend installing electric swing gate openers for convenient operation and access control.

For residential settings, smartphone control, battery backup, and solar capability options are available, ensuring seamless access at any time. Wireless keypads and remote controls with rolling code technology keep your door secure while providing convenient access for users. Single and dual gate openers mean automated access can be added to nearly any sized gate.

Commercial swing gates are larger, with larger openers to match, handing up to 30’ long, 2000 lb gates. These openers can be installed underground for a streamlined look, and are built to withstand extreme weather conditions and higher usage.

Sliding Gates

Slide Gates are used in properties where there is ample space along the fence line for the gate to retract horizontally. For properties with shorter driveways, and densely packed urban settings, slide gates are preferred–they provide more usable driveway space as there is no swing path to keep clear as when using a swing gate.  Compared to barrier arm gates, slide gates offer higher security as the driveway opening is closed off entirety by the gate when closed. 

Sliding gates are more costly than swing gates, requiring a track on the driveway surface or top of the gate in cantilever gate systems. Cantilever gates are suited to driveways with uneven surfaces since the track is incorporated into the gate, suspended on top of the surface. Sliding gates can be made of metal, wood, or vinyl to match the architectural style of the property, and provide the necessary durability characteristics of the gate. Electric openers are used with slide gates, at a similar cost to swing gate openers. These openers incorporate safety features such as photoelectric eyes to detect obstructions in the door path, and convenience features such as remote access, keypads, solar power options, and battery backups. 

Vertical Pivot Gates

Vertical pivot gates are suited for commercial sites where uneven ground or tight spaces won’t allow for a large swing gate or sliding gate. Vertical pivot gates lift up on one axis when they are opened, taking advantage of air space rather than ground space.  These gates must be opened with a motor as they require the gate to be lifted into the air to open. These gates have the advantage of increased safety compared to swing or sliding gates as there is no chance of a pedestrian being in the door path as with a swing or sliding gate. According to Brian Fritz, vice president of business development at AutoGate, vertical pivot gates offer considerable security, safety, and space saving advantages compared to sliding gates.  These gates are sold as a system with the gate and operator already integrated which ensures that the gate is matched correctly to the operator. This is in contrast to sliding or swinging gate operators, which are sold separately from the gate, relying on the installer to correctly match the gate with the operator. The vertical pivot gate style is the most costly, but for high security and high traffic applications, the benefits are clear. 

These are a few of the common gate options to help you get started determining what gate type is right for you. We also service existing gate installations. If you have questions, contact us and we can help!

Advance Door Co. provides commercial gate installation, services, repairs, and replacements to customers throughout Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland, Parma, and surrounding communities.

Additional Resources:

Why Should I Consider a Vertical Pivot Gate?, September 4, 2020, Green Building & Design

More Blog Entries:

Pros & Cons of Cantilever Gates for NE Ohio Business Operations,  February 27, 2023, Ohio Commercial Door Blog