Automatic gates for a private house

Recommendation points

• Types of automatic gates
• Sectional doors
• Up-and-over doors
• Sliding gates
• Swing gates
• Automation
• Mounting
• Sectional door installation
• Installation of overhead gates
• Installation of sliding gates
• Installation of swing gates

Every year more and more private house owners prefer automatic gates. They can be used as the main gate to enter the territory, as well as to protect the garage, which is located on the territory itself. This choice is primarily due to the fact that doors of this kind are very convenient to operate, in addition, it is stylish and meets all trends.

Types of automatic gates

According to their structure and principle of operation, there are several main types of automatic gates..

Sectional doors

In most cases, gates of this type are used to protect garages. In appearance, the sectional doors are separate horizontal strips, which are held together by strong hinges. The movement of the sections occurs along guides that are fixed in the garage openings (in a vertical position) and under the ceiling inside the room (in a horizontal position). Smooth and precise movement of sections along the guides is ensured by special rollers on bearings.

The advantages of sectional doors:

• high anti-vandal protection;
• excellent thermal insulation (allow you to maintain a stable indoor climate);
• the possibility of installation in almost any room with any size of the driveway (if the access to the garage is limited);
• convenient gate control.

In the domestic market, the cost of sectional doors ranges from $ 180 to $ 230 per 1 m².

Up-and-over doors

They are also a great solution for protecting your garage. Made in the form of a solid shield (they are also called shield gates). The operation of such gates is carried out by a smooth transition of the protective sheet from a vertical position to a horizontal one, under the ceiling. Panel doors are used where it is not possible to use sectional doors, their installation does not require much space on the sides of the entrance and under the ceiling. The web is controlled using special springs and levers. The advantage of such gates is the ability to finish in almost any form, you can also install windows and doors into the canvas, which will allow you to make the gate in the general style with the rest of your cottage. A clear minus – the standard equipment is not intended to maintain a stable climate inside the garage, since the canvas is not insulated.

The average cost of a panel gate is from $ 150 to $ 200 per 1 m².

Sliding gates

A gate of this type is used to restrict entry to the site. The principle of operation is that the door leaf, moving along the guide of the toothed rack, rolls back to the side (left or right) horizontally. Such gates do not require a spare space before entering the territory for the working course of the canvas. When opening the gate, the canvas is completely hidden behind the fence, without taking up unnecessary useful space. The decoration of such gates can be varied, it can be ordinary sheets of corrugated board, which are attached to one or both sides of a special movable frame, as well as wooden elements fixed in the frame.

The cost of sliding gates depends on many parameters, the standard cost per square meter is from $ 100 to $ 140, but this is without facing. The rest is just for your taste and budget..

Swing gates

This is the most common gate for protecting your territory. Variations in the execution of swing gates can be presented in a huge variety. The principle of operation is very simple – the door leaf is attached to special side frames using hinges, which makes it possible for the gate to open both inward and outward. Swing gates do not require additional space on the side, as is the case with sliding gates, but they do require space for the door leaf to move from the front or back. They are absolutely silent and easy to use. Their only drawback is that in winter, when the yard is covered with snow, there may be problems when opening.

It is very difficult to say the cost of swing gates, since such gates are a classic option, and the price depends only on the type of control (manual or automatic). Standard welded gates, if desired, can be made with your own hands.

Automation

For sectional doors, a ceiling-type electric drive must be used. The drive rail and the drive itself are mounted under the garage ceiling. The movement of the door leaf is driven by a belt or chain, which are placed in the drive rail.

It is best to use drives from leading world manufacturers such as NICE (Italy) and Marantek (Germany). Prices range from $ 200 to $ 500 depending on model lines and configurations.

As with the previous version, the operator for the up-and-over door is ceiling-mounted. The best developments are presented by companies Sommer (Germany), Casali and Came (Italy). Estimated cost from $ 180 to $ 450.

For sliding gates, the structure of the drive is significantly different; it consists of an electric motor, a control unit and a gearbox, all of which are housed in a one-piece metal case. To transfer the force from the drive to the guide rack, a gear is used, which is attached to the gearbox, on the output shaft. Also, some models use limit switches that allow you to stop the movable door frame in the required position..

The best sliding gate operators are represented by the Italian manufacturers FAAC and Came. Their cost in the domestic market is from $ 350.

For automatic control of swing gates, linear-type hydraulic drives are most often used. Drives from Came and Nice (made in Italy) have proven themselves the best. Cost from $ 600 and more, it all depends on the mass and size of the swing gate.

In addition to the main elements, I also use auxiliary ones – motion sensors, photocells, unlocking systems and control panels. The assortment of this kind of goods on the domestic market is presented in a wide form, it can be both Chinese and European manufacturers. They allow you to significantly expand the possibilities of gate control for greater comfort..

Mounting

Sectional door installation

After the ordered gate has been delivered to your site, the first step is to check the entire set, as well as the instructions and installation card. After that, we start assembling. The door leaf itself consists of separate sections; it is necessary to fasten them together with special hinges, using ordinary bolts. Next, we start preparing and checking the garage opening. It is necessary to measure the opening in three places – height, width and diagonal. These three parameters will allow us to ensure maximum accuracy. The first step is to install the guide panels, they consist of a profile and brackets. If the height of the gate is less than two meters, then the assembly of the guides can be done directly on site, if it is more than two meters, then it is better to assemble the parts of the structure on the floor, and then attach them to the opening ready-made. Be sure to check everything with a building level. The correct arrangement of surfaces is the key to correct and long-term performance.

After installing the guides, it is necessary to attach the door sections. This is done using special roller bearings and brackets that are located on the sections themselves. The rollers will provide us with a smooth movement of the canvas along the guides. After these procedures, a shaft with torsion springs and drums for winding the cable is attached above the opening, which transfers the driving force from the drive to the sections, providing the gate lifting and lowering. Under the ceiling, the guide rails are attached with special brackets and intermediate rails, which together will give greater stability and strength to the structure as a whole. After attaching the drive, it is necessary to adjust the cable, wind it as indicated in the instructions and the gate is ready for use..

Installation of overhead gates

According to the principle of operation of guides, overhead doors differ little from sectional doors, a significant difference is the fact that the door leaf is not divided into sections, but rises or falls as a whole. The blade lifting mechanism is a lever type mechanism. Assembling all this into a single structure will not be difficult, guided by the instructions from the supplier. Installation of guide panels and frames of the entire structure is carried out according to the principle of installation of sectional doors.

Installation of sliding gates

Installation of sliding gates is a kind of construction work. The design of such a gate consists of three main parts:

• support frame;
• cantilever beam;
• canvas.

The first step is to mount the support frame. After you have decided in which direction the gate will move during opening, it is necessary to install the embedded elements. From the right side, a trench is dug into which the mortgages are placed, after which everything is poured with concrete. The second step is to install the support frame. The base frame is welded to the top plates on embedded elements in the concrete base. It is necessary to clearly maintain the vertical and horizontal level at the time of installation, since the working stroke of the door leaf depends on this. On the support frame itself, there are two fasteners with guide rollers, they serve to ensure the horizontal movement of the cantilever beam. It is necessary to insert the cantilever beam strictly along the rollers and extend it to the end of the blade travel. At the end of the beam, a special stop is screwed on, which will not allow the gate to move further than is necessary to open the opening. After you have made sure that the beam smoothly and clearly moves horizontally along the guides on the frame, you need to start attaching the door leaf. The sliding gate leaf sits on special spindles that are present on the cantilever beam. Strictly according to the holes cut during the production of the gate, it is necessary to tighten the canvas and the beam with bolts. After that, you can check the movement of the gate in manual mode. The electric drive is mounted on the support frame using special brackets that serve as a stand for the body. On the cantilever beam, from the bottom, there is a toothed rack. We accurately adjust the gear, which is attached to the end of the gearbox shaft, under this rail and you can do a test run.

Installation of swing gates

Hinged gates are installed according to the leaf principle. To do this, use hinges that are attached to the vertical bases of the opening. The hinges themselves sit on reinforcing metal supports, which in turn are attached to the opening in a strictly vertical position. On the second side, the hinges are attached to the bases on the door leaves themselves. It is necessary to make sure that the hinges are correctly attached to the gate and the opening, as well as to fully debug the movement of the canvases, it must be strictly horizontal, which helps to prevent the gate from sagging. If you neglect the installation, then in the future, sagging will negatively affect the overall structure of the gate. After completing the installation procedure, you are ready to install the drive. Usually hydraulics are used. In principle, they resemble the same loops. The installation of the drive itself is carried out according to the same requirements, the strict level is still a priority. The leading parts of the drive are attached to fixed supports on the sides of the opening, and the driven parts are attached to the blades themselves. Following the instructions from the supplier, you will be able to perform the installation correctly, which will allow you to operate the gate as efficiently as possible.

During the operation of both garage and entrance gates, it is necessary to carry out a small set of procedures that are aimed at increasing the duration of the gate’s operation and, to a large extent, are preventive. The gearboxes of the drives should be checked regularly and lubricated as necessary. In the case of garage doors, it is also necessary to check the lubrication of the drive, the lubrication of the cables and the integrity of the rubber seals, which can deteriorate over time, leading to a loss of heat inside the room. At least once every few months, have recourse to the services of a professional electrician who will perform a preventive check of the wiring, which is also a necessary procedure during the operation of an automatic gate. Your gate will last you longer if you strictly adhere to preventive standards and recommendations from manufacturers.