Sliding gate automation
A rack-and-pinion motor for yards with no swing room
If your driveway is short or opens straight onto the street, a sliding gate is the logical choice: it folds away sideways along the fence and costs you nothing in yard space.
In principle the automation is simple — a pinion motor driving a rack bolted to the gate. The setup is what separates a gate that lasts ten years from one that jumps its track after a single winter.
What the job includes
- Motors from 400 kg up to 1,800 kg, matched to the real gate weight
- Galvanised steel or reinforced nylon rack with adjustable spacers
- Magnetic or mechanical limit switches, set to the millimetre
- Photocells in both directions, optional safety edge
- Key release for manual operation
- Track and roller inspection before anything is installed
The track decides everything
The most common fault on sliding gates around here is not the motor but a concrete track that has settled or filled with soil. If the gate is hard to push by hand, the motor will drag it for a while and then give out.
At the survey we check the track level along its full length and the condition of the rollers. If we find problems, you hear about them before anything is ordered.
Cantilever or ground-track?
Cantilever gates hang from a beam and never touch the ground. They cost more but permanently solve snow and soil build-up in the track.
We automate them the same way, with one caveat: the motor is specified with 30–40% force in reserve, because the gate hangs unsupported.
What we fit for businesses and housing associations
For multi-user access we add a card reader or keypad, plus a GSM module holding a list of approved numbers.
Each resident calls the gate from their own phone, the gate opens and nobody answers the call. When someone moves out you delete a number from a list instead of replacing every remote.
Frequently asked questions
What motor do I need for a 5-metre gate?
Weight matters, not length. A 5 m gate in box section and sheet steel comes to roughly 250–300 kg, so a 600 kg motor handles it comfortably. In solid timber or with filled panels it can approach 500 kg and we specify differently.
Does concrete need pouring for the motor?
Yes, the motor bolts to a plate anchored in concrete, typically 40×40 cm and around 30 cm deep. If you already have a slab beside the gate it can often mount straight onto that.
Can the gate run on battery or solar?
Yes. There are 24 V control units with a battery that manage several dozen cycles off-grid. Useful for gates on farm tracks or in areas where the supply drops often.
Do you repair automation installed by someone else?
Yes, any brand. We come out, diagnose it and tell you whether it is worth repairing or replacing. We will not sell you a new control unit when the fault is a dirty photocell.