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Single vs. Double Drive Gates

Do you wish you would have thought about putting a gate in when you installed your fence? American Fence Company has a staff of qualified professionals to assist with your gates. We the professionals are obligated to point out the features, Liabilities and benefits of all gate installations. You feel you know what is the best location for your gate prior to installing. Then to only realize later that it will not open a full ninety degrees or slide up hill. We look at all swing gates. Would your application be better as a single or Double gate?

Swing gates are the most popular type of gate in our industry. These gates come in both Single and doubles. Which one will work best for you? The best answer my be the size of the opening. That is not always correct. the selection between a single and double has more to do with the following.

- The slope that runs parallel to the fence or gate. If too much slope a single gate hung plumb while closed will have a gap six inches or more at one end at the bottom of the gate. A double gate might be a better choice. This would allow you to divide the gat between the gate leaves.

-The swing of the gate and slope that is perpendicular to the fence line or gate opening. If you choose a single gate, the gate when swung open bottoms out against a rising slope; A double gate should be considered. This selection would prevent the gate from bottoming-out.

We rarely recommend a drive gate that swings to the outside, or what is called the public area. When this happens there are several factors. Vehicles might have to back up to allow the gate to open. This can cause several issues like backing up into traffic. Imagine yourself setting at the entrance of a gated community. Behind you is a busy perpendicular thoroughfare and the traffic is always speeding. The gate next to you starts to open, you panic slam your car into to reverse. Paying more attention to the gate coming at you, you rail to recognize the on-coming traffic you just back-into. BOOM you just got hit.

-The storage of the gate. If a single gate results in storing the gate into a drive lane or stall; a double gate will only take up half as much storage space.

So as you can see, a double gate will always be a safer gate to install. it may appear so, but we believe a single gate is the safer and more reliable choice. Also with a single gate, you are securing and locking it to a positive immovable latch post. On the other hand, a double drive swing  gate is only secured or locked to each other where they meet in the middle. Double swing gates also have to have drop rods attached and pins the gat leave to the ground. Again this is not as secure as a single swing gate.

When is your gate opening to large for just a single swing gate? It would take a very large opening to not consider using a single leaf gate. Here at Americas Fence company, we have built some of the biggest single swing gates you can dream of. Some single swing gates spanning sixty plus feet.

So, weather you choose a sing swing gate or a double swing gate, American Fence Company highly recommends using our Ultra Latch. The Ultra Latch is the only non-removable no-cut padlock gate latch in the industry. We carry it both the single swing gate and the double drive gate.