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A double gate has several advantages over a single gate. It provides more accessibility and space, which is an added edge for people owning large vehicles. It also offers more security because of its flexible use. Most importantly, double gates increase the aesthetic appeal of any property manifold.
However, when exploring double-gate ideas, one of the most prominent questions that would nag a designer or consumer is the dimensions. How big should it be? What should be the proportions concerning the opening?
How much free space should be left? You will find the answers to these questions and a perfect beginner’s guide in our article below. Continue reading to find out!
Ideal Dimensions for Constructing a Double Gate
1. Width
Although everyone’s homes and outdoors differ in size and aesthetics, we can comprehend the ideal dimensions of a double gate contextually by considering an example. For instance, consider a fence around the garden or courtyard with a round gate post of 3.5” in diameter. Just adjacent to this post would be the fence posts on the outside of the gate. Ideally, the gap between the round gate post and the fence posts should be 3”. Anything less than that, your gate won’t open swiftly, and it will eventually cause structural issues, like hinge misalignment or added stress on the round post. Anything more than 3”, you would be comprising the safety.
Next, consider the distance between two fence posts concerning the distance between two round gate posts. If the former is around 9’5” or 113”, the latter must be approximately 8’4” or 100”. Similarly, if the two fence posts are 13’5” apart, the round gate posts must be 12’4”. From these measurements, we can conclude that the double gate should be approximately 1’1” smaller than the opening, considering a fence post.
2. Height
The height of a double gate can be anything you want. Taller and wider gates typically portray more grandeur and elegance. So feel free to choose a tall gate. However, a double gate must have an ideal gap of 2 inches at the bottom. Smaller gaps will restrict the swift movement of the gates, and bigger ones won’t obstruct stray animals or unauthorized access. However, this figure isn’t set in stone, and you might need to alter it. For instance, if your driveway has a prominent slope, 2 inches might not be enough to open the gates both ways. Or if there’s grass grown under the gates, a small gap won’t allow you to tend to it properly.
Standard Size of a Double Gate
When you explore the standard sizes of double gates available in the US, you’ll find that gates typically come as wide as 10, 12, 14, and 16 feet. On the other hand, the average height of the gates varies from 4 feet to 8 feet. These sizes are recommended since gates smaller than 10 feet may obstruct larger vehicles, like SUVs, and reduce their practicality. On the contrary, gates shorter than 4 feet will decrease security and allow animals (or humans) to jump over the gates easily. Otherwise, you can get double gates custom-made depending on your requirements.
The best way to measure the ideal dimensions of the gates is to compare them with your driveway. If the latter measures 11 feet, your gate should be 12 feet wide. The main concern is to ensure that your gate overlaps the driveway from both sides.
Why Pick a Double Gate Over a Single Gate?
Although they seem grander, more elegant, and highly aesthetic, there are several other reasons why you should pick a double gate over a single gate for your property. Some of the top ones are listed here.
- Security: Double gates provide far more enhanced security than a single gate. When locked and secured properly, picking the locks becomes much more difficult. Thus, you get more security with these.
- Visual Appeal: As previously mentioned in the above sections, double gates add a sense of grandeur and sophistication to any property, thereby elevating its visual appeal and aesthetics.
- Functionality: You can use double gates as and when required instead of opening both the whole way each time. For instance, opening only one side of the double gate is needed for pedestrians.
- Property Value: Craftfully designed high-functional double gates can potentially increase the overall value of your property manifold. Hence, even if the primary costs are high, the investment pays off in the long run.
Precautions Before Installing a Gate
Before you finalize and install a double gate, you must remember to measure the required dimensions accurately. We advise you to take apt measurements of height from the top and bottom and the width of the gates from the middle. Next, consider the material. Many products are quite heavy and may not be suitable for the posts or existing construction of your fences.
Different measurements will be needed if you’re constructing the whole setup from scratch. You must consider this extra space when ordering the gates. Lastly, consider the clearance on either side of the gate so you don’t face any problems of rework in the future.
Conclusion
Double gates, undoubtedly, have a much higher preference than single gates, especially when you have a large property. They provide enhanced security, better aesthetics, easier functionality, and increased property value over single gates. If you have fence posts, the double gate should be approximately 1’1” smaller than the opening.
Also, it must have a gap of 2 inches from the bottom to ensure easy access and smooth functioning of the gates. In the United States, the standard sizes of double gates are 10, 12, 14, and 16 feet in width and 4 to 6 feet in height. However, you can get these custom-made depending on your needs.
What are the ideal dimensions of double gates according to you? Let us know in the comments section below!
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