What is the Best Material for Your Driveway Gates?

2018-11-27

Ever wondered which material is going to be best for your driveway gates? Well with the help of this useful guide we hope to be able to give you a good understanding of the pro`s and con`s of selecting either metal or timber as your gate material of choice.

Wooden Driveway Gates – Warmth and Natural Beauty at the Entrance to the Home

Timber gates are an excellent choice for any homeowner looking to enhance the main entrance of the driveway. They offer an attractive appearance thanks to the natural grains of the timber, are able to provide lots of privacy and are very convenient to use. All in all what`s not to like about them?

  

Appearance

As a natural building material timber is an excellent choice. Wooden gates have a charm and character all of their own and as a result will create a welcoming feel to the entrance of any driveway. Easy to work and available in a huge array of designs a wooden gate is most commonly made out of softwood however in many instances the same design can also be made from a selection of hardwoods including Oak, Idigbo and Iroko.

Maintenance

Wooden driveway gates will be exposed to all weathers and as a result will require proper finishing before installation in the form of painting or staining. They will then need on-going maintenance every few years to keep them looking their best and to prevent rot setting in. Alternatively for a lower level of maintenance pressure treated wooden gates are increasing in popularity as these have a preservative injected into the timber helping to reduce the effects of moisture.

Privacy

Most wooden gates offer high levels of privacy due to the solid boarded design blocking the view behind the gate therefore are an excellent choice for any property that has lots of people and cars passing by on a regular basis.

Environmental Reasons

Typically sourced from sustainable forests a wooden driveway gate has very little environmental impact. The timber used in our driveway gates is from PEFC and FSC certified sources.

Price

As with anything in life, you basically get what you pay for. Cheap ledge and braced wooden gates are great for a rarely used entrance or one that is at the back of the property however if you want to make a statement at the front of the driveway then heavy duty wooden gates will cost considerably more.

 

Metal Gates – The Perfect Mix of Strength and Elegance

Strong, robust and easy to work with metal driveway gates will provide years of aesthetic and security benefits to your home at a relatively affordable price. Offering a starker appearance than timber they come in literally hundreds of designs so you can customise the look to suit your tastes or installation environment.

  

 Appearance

Whether you want a simple gate or an elaborate design a pair of metal driveway gates will make an elegant statement to the entrance of any home. Flexible in terms of design you can mix and match decorative elements to create a perfect match for your home or where you budget cannot stretch to this can also be purchased in lots of standard designs.

Maintenance

Although steel is a tough material it will still need to be protected from the elements to prevent it from rusting. The cheapest option is to paint the gates using a brush and tin of paint however if you are looking for a higher level of protection galvanised and factory powder coated gates make a wise investment.

Privacy

Unlike a solid boarded timber gate which provides high levels of privacy metal gates in comparison provide low level of privacy. This is because the gaps between the bars do not block your view however this does mean that you can always see who is approaching the home.

Environmental Reasons

Metal gates are now mainly constructed using recycled materials lessening their impact on the environment.

Cost

Available in a wide range of steel specifications metal driveway gates are surprisingly affordable however the more you spend the stronger and larger the component parts will be.

To conclude, whilst both materials have their positive and negative sides there really is no right and wrong answer to the question “What is the best material for your driveway gates” as it is down to personal preference, available budget and installation constraints.

You can find out more information about our wooden and metal driveway gates within our online store.