A heavy duty gate is judged on three things: whether it stays hung under its own weight, whether it survives being opened and shut by vans and staff every day, and whether it slows someone down who wants to get in. That comes from the frame, the posts and the ironmongery, not from how thick the bars look.
We fit heavy duty metal gates for commercial yards, industrial units and larger domestic driveways across London and Hertfordshire. Each is made to measure from the opening.
Frame and infill
Frames are commonly square hollow section, with the size stepped up for wider leaves. Infill depends on the job: vertical bars for visibility, palisade style pales for a yard, or mesh where the gate sits in a mesh fence line. The steel is galvanised and powder coated after fabrication so the welds are protected.
Posts that carry the weight
A wide steel leaf puts a lot of leverage on its post. Posts are sized to the gate and set deep in concrete, because a post that moves even slightly is how heavy gates drop and start dragging. On yards with vehicle traffic we plan the post positions so they are not in the line of a turning lorry.
Hinges, bolts and locking
- Industrial hinges rated for the leaf weight
- Drop bolts into the ground so leaves stay shut against wind and pushing
- Cane bolts on the fixed leaf of double gates
- Provision for a padlock, hasp or lock box
- Ground stops so the leaves close to the same line every time
Yards and commercial sites
For commercial and industrial sites the gate is usually part of a perimeter. We look at how the site is used out of hours, where vehicles enter, and where staff walk in, and may suggest a separate pedestrian gate rather than opening the main gates every time. Where a gate is likely to be automated later, we allow for it, though motors and controls are fitted by a specialist.
Driveways
On larger domestic driveways, heavy duty usually means wide double gates that need to stay true for years. The same rules apply: posts set properly, hinges sized to the leaf, and drop bolts so wind does not work the gates loose.
Quote and install
Everything starts with a free site visit and a written, itemised quote. Our own team installs the posts and hangs the gates, and the old gate and posts are removed. Cards are accepted.