Our Frequently Asked Questions

We know you have questions, and quite frankly many of you don't want to call in and ask them. So we've put together a list of frequently asked questions to help you find the answers you're looking for.

If you can't find the appropriate questions and answers here, please don't hesitate to contact us and ask us directly.

You've got gate questions, we've got answers.

Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for Florida Custom Gates! Here, we’ve compiled answers to the most common questions about our premium gate design, manufacturing, and installation services. Whether you're exploring custom driveway gates, automatic systems, or security solutions, this page is designed to provide quick, clear answers to help guide your decision-making process. At Florida Custom Gates, we are dedicated to delivering quality craftsmanship, exceptional service, and tailored solutions that meet your unique needs. If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, feel free to contact us—we’re always happy to assist!

What is The Best Driveway Gate Design?

The best gate designs for driveways should balance function with form. A driveway gate design makes an impression as to the owner’s personality. The gate design should be created from either steel or aluminum for metal driveway gates. JDR Metal Art has over 100 high-quality driveway gate designs and creates brand new gate designs every month.

How To Design a Ranch Gate?

Start designing a ranch gate by first getting the measurements together, such as the width of the opening and the desired height of the gate. Then think about whether you want the top arched, flat, and with or without decorative elements such as finials (spears). A ranch gate can be old-world wrought iron style or a modern ranch gate with a stunning plasma cut artistic design of ranch animals such as horses and equine, cattle, bison, or exotics. 

What is a Swinging Steel Gate?

The single steel swinging gate design is the most functional type of driveway gate because it only requires one gate post and can be easily installed. The double open swing gate is more complex as it requires two gate posts and takes more effort to make sure the swinging gate panels align properly when they are in the closed position. Design: Swing Steel Gate For Home, Farm, Ranch or Estate.

What is Standard Gate Width?

The driveway gate should be at least a foot or two wider than your driveway. You have to be sure to leave room for the hinges. If there is concrete or asphalt, use a tape measure and start about a foot away from the hard driveway surface. Measure across the driveway to about a foot past the hard surface on the other side. 

What is the Standard Gate Height?

Driveway gates typically come in standard manufactured heights of 48″, 60″ and 72″ tall. Other sizes would require a custom order to be placed. The height of the gate should match with the fencing that the gate may be connected to. ontent

Does a Driveway Gate Increase Curb Appeal Of a Property?

A driveway gate can increase the curb appeal of a property by adding an impressive and stylish feature to the entrance of a home or estate. It can create an immediate visual impact, setting the tone for the rest of the property. A well-designed driveway gate can convey a sense of security, exclusivity, and sophistication. It can also enhance the overall aesthetics of a property by complementing its architectural style, landscape design, and color scheme.

Moreover, a driveway gate can act as a focal point of the property and can be customized to reflect the owner’s personal style and interests. For example, a ranch-style gate can suit a country-style property, while a wildlife-themed gate can be ideal for a nature lover. A tree-themed gate can be perfect for a property surrounded by trees. A horse-themed gate can be an excellent choice for a property with equestrian facilities.

A driveway gate can also add value to a property. Equipping your gate with an automatic opener has the potential of increasing your home’s value by several percent. It can increase the perceived value of a home or estate, making it more attractive to potential buyers. It can also increase the property’s actual value, as it is a desirable feature that not all properties have. Overall, a driveway gate can be a significant investment for a property owner, but it can also be a valuable addition that enhances the property’s curb appeal, security, and value.

How Wide Can a Single Driveway Gate Be?

For a sliding driveway gate, it can be built to practically any width up to 40′ or more. The largest we’ve built is 37′ single slide gate that had to be shipped on a flatbed trailer. For a swinging driveway gate, even the best driveway gate openers can only handle up to a 16′ or 18′ single swing gate.  We’ve built many 16′ single swing gates. 

Can Electric Gates Open 180 Degrees?

An electric swinging driveway gate can only open up to 110 degrees. This is due to mechanical restrictions of the opener arms. Certain types of electric gate openers, such as a pad-mounted opener only “pulls to open” i.e. if you were standing on the home side of your gates, the gate opener only opens the gate towards the house, not out towards the road.

How Much Ground Clearance Does a Driveway Gate Need?

For driveway gate clearance above the ground, we typically see clients going with 4″ to 6″ ground clearance. For clearance between the gate and the gate post, there should be 3.5″ to 4″ of clearance. For clearance between the gate and a latching post (single swing gates) we recommend 1″ space so hands can’t get crushed when the gate is going into the closed position. 

What size driveway gates do you build?

Driveway Gate Sizes Are as follows:We build 10′ driveway gates, 12′ driveway gates, 14′ driveway gates, 16′ driveway gates, 18′ driveway gates, 20′ driveway gates, 22′ driveway gates, and 24′ driveway gates. Custom gates are sized to the inch, up to 40′ long.

What materials do you use to build gates with?

The metals we use are only of the highest quality. All our stock steel and aluminum is stamped “Made in USA.”

For our steel driveway gates we always use a minimum of 1/8″ (.125 inch thick) material thickness for all gate construction.

Load bearing components such as the hinge rails are always at least 3/16″ in wall thickness.

For our aluminum driveway gates, the minimum material thickness is 3/16″. 

Our standard mounting posts are made from 4×4″ square tubing with a minimum of 1/4″ wall thickness. We also build 6×6, 8×8 and larger gate posts.

What Does An Electric Gate Cost?

Electric driveway gates come in a wide range of sizes, designs and quality. The average cost to install an electric gate is between $8,000 to $25,000 with average customers paying around $12,500 for a single swing 12 foot automated gate completely installed from start to finish.

What Power Supply Do I Need For My Electric Gates?

There are typically two options. If solar power will work for your application (you need at least 4 hours of direct sunlight per day to provide an adequate charge), you can install solar panels that are rated for a solar capable gate opener such as the Liftmaster LA 412 (residential duty) or LA 500 (commercial duty).

If you are running AC power to the site, you will need to install a 110 volt 20 amp power supply to one side of the gate entrance, where the gate opener control box will be located. This will be used to charge the batteries on your electric gate operators. The power wire should be appropriately sized to the length of the overall run to account for voltage drop.

Can A Gate Opener Work Without a Battery?

Most gate openers contain either 12v or 24v batteries which are charged with 120v electric or by a solar panel. Only the largest gate openers, such as the Liftmaster CSW200, are run directly by 120v AC power.

Do Electric Gates Use Much Power?

Electric gates consume very little electricity at a single-family residence. The gates use practically no power while they are in standby mode. A single fully charged battery will open and close a gate 300 cycles without being charged.

A gated community will use much more power, but still not enough cost to be more than a passing concern.

What Size Custom Driveway Gate Do I Need?

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Is There A Minimum Size My Metal Driveway Gate Should be?

Some local jurisdictions require at least a 14′ driveway gate opening to allow their full sized emergency equipment to easily pass through in the event of an emergency. We recommend at least a 12′ wide driveway gate for all other areas. This helps avoid “close call” gate collisions with distracted delivery drivers.

Which is Better, a Swinging Driveway Gate or a Sliding Driveway Gate?

A swinging driveway gate is much easier to install and automate than a sliding driveway gate. A sliding driveway gate requires more room to operate in most instances,  and is more expensive to automate than a swinging driveway gate. A sliding driveway gate requires extra supports welded to the end of the gate for a cantilever style sliding gate.

Do I Need a Single Swing Driveway Gate or a Double (dual) Swing Driveway Gate?

A single swing gate is typically used for up to a 12′ wide driveway. Anything larger than 12′ wide generally will be a dual swing gate. A curved driveway may be better for a dual swing gate, depending on which side of the curve the gate hinge post will be located.

Do You Need a Permit To Install Custom Driveway Gates?

If you live in a rural area then you most likely will not need to apply for a driveway gate permit if you want to install a new custom driveway gate on your property. City or county planning may require a permit to install or replace a residential driveway gate, but not in every instance. Consult with the local building department to confirm.

How Long Do Driveway Gate Motor Batteries Last?

The batteries need to be tested yearly and typically last 3-4 years before needing replacement.

Can I Install My Own Driveway Gates?

Yes, with the proper planning and tools anyone can install our driveway gates because the gate simply bolts to the post, there is no need for any welding. The gates can be set down on wood blocks laid on the ground to get the desired ground clearance, bolted to the gate post, and the post hole filled with concrete.

Which Gates Are Better, Steel or Aluminum?

It depends on our customer’s needs because steel and aluminum each have their advantages and disadvantages.

Steel is very strong and durable but is also relatively heavy and will rust if not properly coated.

Aluminum weighs 60% less than steel, is extremely corrosion resistant and exceptionally strong for it’s weight.

Aluminum is also more expensive than steel and more challenging to work with.

Keeping those factors in mind is helpful when considering which material to use in the construction of your gate.

How Much Do Steel And Aluminum Driveway Gates Weigh?

Steel gates generally weigh approximately 25 lbs per linear foot. Therefore a 10′ steel gate panel would weigh approximately 250lbs.

Aluminum gates generally weigh approximately 8.3 lbs/ft. Therefore a 10′ aluminum gate panel would weigh approximately 83lbs.

These weights are rough estimates only, please contact us to learn more about a specific gate you may have in mind.

How Much Does a Driveway Gate Cost?

Depending on the gate design and material, from $400-1000 dollars per linear foot. Therefore a 10′ gate panel would be anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000.

Do Custom Driveway Gates Require a Down Payment To Get Started?

Once the customer chooses a design we ask for a 50% down payment to begin building the driveway gates for your project. The remaining balance is due at the time of completion.

How Much Do Custom Gate Designs Cost?

If you choose one of our existing driveway gate designs there is no charge. For new gate designs, depending on the complexity of the project we may require a design deposit of up to $1,000.

How Long Does It Take To Build a Custom Driveway Gate?

Our lead time to completion is usually 6 to 8 weeks from the time a down payment is made. Larger or exceptionally intricate projects may take longer to complete.

Our Promise:

Dedicated 1-on-1 Customer Service

Premium Quality Design Work

20 Year Craftsmanship Warranty

Nationwide Doorstep Delivery

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