Swing gates can help keep your home safe and secure while still making your property seem attractive and even a bit stately. Swing gates typically come in a wide variety of materials and styles, and while it's good to have different choices, this can also make it difficult to decide the right type of gate for your home's property. When you are ready to consider swing gates for your home's driveway, note a few features to consider so you know you make the right choice and are happy with the gates for years to come.

1. Direction of swing

It's often suggested that the gates should swing into your property rather than away from the property, so that you don't risk hitting a biker, pedestrian, other car, and so on if they are close to your gates. However, you also need to consider any slope of your property; a gate may get stuck on a driveway that slopes even a slight bit, so in those cases you will either need to grade your property or choose a gate that swings away from the slope.

2. Size of gate

The size of the gate will depend on more than just the amount of clearance you have; if the gate needs to swing out and away from your property, choose a bilateral gate or two narrow gate doors rather than one large gate door. These smaller gates may reduce the risk of the gate hitting someone walking or driving by. Note too any curve in the driveway or obstacle; if one wide gate door would block a curving driveway as it opens, you would need a bilateral door.

3. Pillars

Remember that many swing gates come attached to their own poles. If you have pillars on the sides of your driveway and want the gate poles to sit next to these pillars rather than in front or behind them, you need to figure the added width of these poles. If you want to hang the gates from the pillars themselves, note if you need special hinges and brackets that will support the weight of the gates.

4. Material

Note that wood gates may need refinishing over time, and may tend to chip or rot. Steel gates may also eventually rust and need replacing or repair. Aluminum doesn't rust and may also do less damage to your car if you should accidentally hit the gate, since the material is much lighter and more likely to bend itself rather than dent your car.