Automatic Gates for Small Driveways

Automatic gates for small driveways need a bit more planning than gates on a big open frontage, because the gate has to open somewhere. A traditional swing gate sweeps back into the drive, which on a short driveway is usually where the car goes. Pick the right type and a compact or narrow entrance can still have a secure electric gate without losing your parking space.

What decides the type is where the gate goes when it’s open. A swing gate needs clear space on the drive behind it, while a sliding gate needs that space alongside the entrance instead.

The best space-saving electric gate types

Bi-fold automatic gates

If there isn’t room for a traditional swing gate to open, look at a bi-fold. It opens a bit like a book: two gates part in the middle and each one folds as it opens, so it takes up about half the space a swing gate usually needs.

Sliding gates for compact driveways

Sliding gates move sideways across the entrance instead of swinging into the drive, so you can pull the car up close. If your property is close to the road, a sliding gate is most likely the one to go for. The opening speed and the length of the gate can both be set to suit you.

Telescopic sliding gates

A telescopic gate can be split into two or three sections that slide back next to each other. Because the sections stack up as it opens, the gate needs less clear room beside the entrance than one long sliding leaf, which gets you the most opening width where space is tight.

Curved electric gates for tight spaces

Curved gates are for awkward entrances, where the space is an odd shape or gate posts and other obstructions get in the way. They fit the space closely without giving up any security.

Tracked vs cantilever sliding gates

A cantilever sliding gate doesn’t need a track.

That makes it worth considering if your entrance is on an uneven or rocky surface. It does need room at the side: a clear area equal to the width of the entrance plus approximately 30% of the entrance width. On a 4m entrance, that’s roughly 5.2m.

A gate that runs on a track needs an average-size opening of 3m 058mm. You also need extra space for the overhang and other necessary equipment, so on average you need at least 3m 958mm to either the left or right side of the drive to fit a gate on a track.

These figures change with the size of your entrance, so treat them as a rough guide to what you’re working with. A site survey gives us the real numbers.

Wooden or metal gates for small driveways

Looks play a big part in choosing the material, but timber and metal also differ on security, privacy and upkeep. We build bespoke gates in our own workshop, so the gate is made to fit your entrance.

For a fuller side-by-side comparison, read our article Wooden or metal electric gates – which is right for you?

Access control for automatic gates: keypads, intercoms and timers

You’ll need some form of access control on any automatic gate, and that goes for an electric wooden gate as much as a bi-fold. What suits you depends on who uses the gate.

A keypad works well for the people who use the gate every day, such as family. The gate only opens for someone who knows the 4-digit code, and you choose the code yourself.

An intercom is for visitors, because you can speak to whoever is at the gate before letting them in. It’s popular with private homes, and we have a range of hardwired and wireless intercoms.

With a timer, you decide when the gate can be opened and closed. It suits businesses with set opening hours, and it can be paired with a keypad or an intercom.

On the security side, a closed gate is a deterrent in itself, and a well-designed one can smarten up a small frontage too.

If you’d like to talk through ideas for your gate, get in touch. We’ll help you design it and then install it.

Talk to TPS Electric Gates about your small driveway