Making the right choice when it comes to replacing old gates

Replacing Old Gates

They say that if it isn’t broken, then don’t try and fix it. That’s all well and good, but what do you do when it comes to your gates? Do they still open easily? What do they look like? Have they seen better days? Perhaps they are left permanently open simply because they have ‘passed their sell by date’ and no longer function properly? The question is, what is stopping you from replacing them? If it’s money, how do you know what the cost to replace them would be? Have you asked us here at TPS Gates & Doors Ltd for a quote? No? Then you can’t really make any informed decision then, and your guessing you can’t afford them may be way off the mark.

So if you are warming to the idea of new gates, the next question is what type?Do you want to replace the old existing ones with something similar, or do you want to go for a complete transformation? Sometimes it can be as difficult as choosing a colour of paint for the living room walls – you have such a wide choice. So you have to ask yourself what needs taking into consideration.

Maintenance is always going to be an issue, though if carried out properly and regularly, your new gates will see you through many a year. Wooden gates need ‘feeding’ with an oil-based finish to repel water and to add a little bit of extra colour if needed. Whatever you do don’t varnish your wooden gates or you will be setting yourself up for a lifetime of time-consuming maintenance. Using an oil-based treatment means your gates will just need lightly sanding down and brushing clear of any build-up of grime once a year, and then a quick recoating.

Metal gates require a different form of maintenance in that while usually painted or powder coated, regular cleaning is all they need, and perhaps painting once every four to five years. As with wooden gates, paying attention to all moving parts is essential, so hinges and locks should be kept well-oiled.

Of course if you have chosen to opt for electric gates, then a little extra maintenance will be required, and with opening mechanisms that are electrified, then we recommend that we be allowed to make an annual inspection of everything on your behalf. It is not usually a major task, it is not costly, and like any regular maintenance, it will prolong the working life of your gates. We find late summer and early autumn a good time to book a maintenance check-up ready for all the rigours the changing elements of winter will throw at your gates.

Just imagine coming home and with the click of a button, and without having to get out of your car, you could be greeted by a beautiful pair of open gates that shut effortlessly behind you after you have driven through them. Sounds enticing, doesn’t it? So why not give us a call at TPS Gates and doors if you live anywhere around Bristol, Bath, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Cirencester, Chepstow, Newport or Clevedon and we’ll be happy to give you that quote we know you’d like?