Due to the convenience and user-friendliness they offer, automated entrances are rapidly becoming the preferred choice for an increasing number of residences and businesses. However, with the wide array of options available in the market, it can be challenging to determine which automatic door will best serve your needs in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. Before purchasing an automated door for your home, office, or retail establishment, there are several factors to consider. These factors apply to all three types of buildings. When searching for an automated door, it is essential to consider important aspects such as the door type, safety features, and cost.

In this article, we will explore these aspects, providing you with the necessary knowledge to make an informed decision and select the automated door that suits your specific requirements in the most optimal way.

Type of Required Entrance

A wide range of automated doors is available, each designed to meet specific requirements and conditions. The following is a list of some commonly used automated door types and their typical applications:

1. Sliding doors: Sliding automated doors are frequently utilised in various establishments, including retail stores, supermarkets, and office buildings, among others. Their fast and uncomplicated access and exit make them ideal for locations with high foot traffic.
2. Swing doors: Automatic swing doors are commonly found in healthcare settings such as hospitals, assisted living centers, and similar establishments. They are also often seen in commercial structures like office complexes and retail businesses.
3. Revolving doors: Hotels, airports, and other public buildings with significant traffic typically employ revolving automatic doors. Some private homes also feature revolving doors. These doors enhance energy efficiency by minimizing the escape of conditioned air.
4. Folding doors: Folding automated doors are an excellent solution for areas with limited space or narrow entrances. They are prevalent in hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality establishments.
5. Telescopic doors: Telescopic automated doors are designed to provide a wide entrance while conserving space. These doors can be manually or automatically extended. They are commonly used in office buildings and retail establishments.

When selecting an automated door, it is crucial to consider the specific requirements of your home or place of business to ensure you choose the appropriate type of door.

Safety First

When purchasing an automated door, prioritising safety is of utmost importance. While automatic doors are intended to enhance convenience and ease of movement, they can also pose risks if not installed or maintained properly.

Ensuring that the chosen automatic door meets relevant safety standards is essential to minimise the risk of accidents or injuries. For example, doors equipped with motion sensors and the ability to detect objects in their path should prevent entrapment. Safety beams should also be incorporated to detect and prevent entrapment. Additionally, automatic doors should feature safety components such as manual releases to allow secure building evacuation in case of power outages or emergencies.

By considering the safety aspects of an automatic door before making a purchase, you can ensure a responsible investment that provides both convenience and peace of mind.

Choose Autogate for Trustworthy Solutions

At Autogate, we understand the paramount importance of safety when it comes to automatic doors. That is why we ensure that each of our doors complies with government-imposed norms and requirements.

Our doors are meticulously designed and constructed to adhere to the strictest of safety regulations, guaranteeing their reliability and risk-free operation. Incorporating cutting-edge technology, our automatic doors are equipped with advanced safety features, including motion sensors and safety beams, to prevent accidents and injuries. Moreover, our doors are equipped with safety elements like manual releases, enabling secure building evacuation in case of emergencies or power disruptions.

By selecting Autogate for your automated door needs, you can be confident that you are investing in a superior-quality product that is both safe and dependable, providing you with convenience and peace of mind.

A Reliable Supplier

To guarantee an investment in a product that is of excellent quality and dependable, it is crucial to choose a trustworthy automated door supplier. When selecting a provider of automatic doors, several factors should be taken into consideration.

First and foremost, look for a company with a well-established reputation for delivering dependable and high-quality automatic doors. Assess the ratings and feedback from previous customers to gauge the company’s standing in the industry. Additionally, ensure that the company offers a diverse range of automatic door types and models for customers to choose from, enabling you to find the product that best suits your specific needs. When searching for a company to collaborate with, it’s vital to find one that excels in providing exceptional customer service and employs supportive staff who can address any concerns or queries and guide you through the purchasing process.

Lastly, verify that the company provides competent installation and maintenance services to ensure your automatic door remains in optimal working condition at all times. By considering these aforementioned factors, you can select a reputable provider of automated doors who will offer you a product that is both reliable and of superior quality, tailored to your unique requirements.

Adhering to British and European Safety Standards

At Autogate PSR, we prioritize safety and ensure that all our installations fully comply with the British and European Safety Standards BS7036-0 and EN16005. This commitment is one of the many reasons why we are industry leaders in safety. The implementation of the EN16005 standard in April 2013 aimed to protect pedestrians from injuries resulting from the design or installation of automatic doors.

Moreover, as part of our dedication to safety, each installation of an automatic door comes with its own logbook. This logbook contains vital information, such as a unique identification number, door position references, installer contact details, installation date, and identification of power-operated drive units and protective devices. The new standard places special emphasis on the significance of logbooks as the primary record of production and installation. Choosing Autogate as your preferred provider for automatic doors ensures full compliance with all relevant safety standards and regulations, offering you peace of mind regarding the installation of your automatic door.

The Price of Automatic Doors

The cost of automatic doors in the UK can vary depending on the door type and its features. The most common type, sliding doors, can range in price from £2,000 to £10,000, based on the opening size and installation complexity. Swing doors, another popular style, can cost anywhere between £3,000 and £12,000, depending on the type of swing mechanism and door size. Bi-folding doors, suitable for compact spaces, may range from £4,000 to £15,000, considering the door size and included features. Lastly, revolving doors are the most expensive option, with prices ranging from £20,000 to £50,000 or more, depending on the door size and style.

It’s important to note that these price estimates are approximate, and actual costs may vary significantly based on specific characteristics, components, and installation requirements of the selected automatic door. To obtain an accurate estimate tailored to your needs, it’s advisable to consult a reputable automatic door provider.

To summarize the costs of specific automatic doors:

• Sliding Doors: £2,000 – £10,000
• Swing Doors: £3,000 – £12,000
• Bi-folding Doors: £4,000 – £15,000
• Revolving Doors: £20,000 – £50,000

At Autogate, we are committed to meeting our clients’ requirements by offering effective automatic door solutions. If you are interested in installing an automatic door, we encourage you to contact us promptly to request a price estimate. You can reach us by phone, email, or by using the contact form on our website.

Which Entrance Will You Opt For? Autogate is the sole destination to consider if you have an interest in procuring an automated entrance. If you’re in the market for a gliding entrance, swinging entrance, or any other type of automatic entrance, our experienced team members can assist you in making the optimal choice. We take immense pride in offering our customers a wide range of top-notch entrances, all customised to meet their specific needs. Our aim is to provide guidance and support in exploring the various options available. If you require assistance in selecting the appropriate automated entrance, we’re delighted to offer advice and consider factors such as the dimensions of your building and the amount of foot traffic. Feel free to reach out to us with any inquiries or to obtain a price estimate. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is available round-the-clock to provide you with the assistance you need.

Adding a driveway gate enhances the security and style of your home. It restricts uninvited visitors from accessing your property effortlessly. Gates can be operated manually or electronically, based on your preference. When accompanied by a fence, it provides a safe and enclosed space for children and pets. This manual is only for manual gate installation. For electric gate installation, always employ the services of a professional. Contact us at 01420 487700 for assistance.

The wooden driveway gate must be protected with suitable outdoor paint or stain and treatment. If you need to do this, check out our “How to Paint or Stain a Gate” guide. This guide will take you through the process of fitting the driveway gate to existing posts or pillars. Before proceeding, if you need to install new posts, go through our “How to Fit Gate Posts” guide.

DRIVEWAY GATE BRACING

It is essential to comprehend the appearance of the gate from the back and the positioning of the gate’s furniture. The frame and the rear structural bracing determine the strength and durability of the driveway gate. Hanging the gate correctly is crucial. If your new gate has a structural brace style, hang it accordingly. (Depending on the design, some gates may have an upside-down “V” pattern on each leaf. In such cases, you can hang either side.)

With the hinges located at the back, this driveway gate opens inwards towards the property. If you need it to open out, place the hinges at the front of the gate. Please note that gates must not open onto highways or pedestrian paths. If you need it to open in that direction, ensure you have sufficient space to do so.

HOW TO FIT A DRIVEWAY GATE

First, ensure that you have the minimum clearance required for driveway gates to operate. The opening should be at least 40mm (1 1/2″) larger than the gate. The gap clearance should be 15mm per side (edge of post or pillar to edge of gate) and 10mm for the center to allow the gate to open. If you have more than 40mm, subtract the 10mm center measurement, divide by two, and obtain the gap for each side.

HINGES TO USE

We suggest and sell only adjustable hinges. They simplify gate installation and enable you to adjust the gate’s position as needed without removing it. If you purchased the hinges from us, you would have received four hinges (either 24″, 36″ or 48″, depending on the gate size).

FITTING THE GATE HINGES

Place the hinge on the horizontal structural brace (hinges to be placed on top and bottom). For aesthetics, centralize the hinge. Mark holes and remove the hinge. Drill pilot holes for the screws. On the hinge, there is a square opening. This is for the dome-headed bolt. To allow the “dome” part to be placed on the front, you must drill this bolt through the entire gate. Proceed with caution while doing this. Begin by drilling a pilot hole using a 3mm drill bit. Then enlarge the hole. To prevent the wood from splitting as you go through, drill halfway on each side following the guide hole set with the 3mm drill.

Connect the eye bolt to the hinge. One bolt and washer should go on either side of the hinge’s edge.

MARKING THE HINGE PLATES

Next, take the hinge plate, place it onto the eye bolt, determine the distance from the ground level to the bottom of the hinge plate and add the ground clearance gap (25mm to 50mm). Now mark on the post the position of the bottom of the hinge

INSTALL THE GATE

Using a second person, place the gate onto the hinge plates.

Once both sides are attached, modify the hinges by using the two bolts to align the height and sides. Each side should have an equal gap width with the center being 10mm. This process may take some time to achieve exact alignment. The gate should be able to swing open and close smoothly now.

INSTALL THE GATE HARDWARE

RING LATCH

The ring latch comes in five pieces, including a ring latch with a connected rectangle bar, ring latch, 2 x bar catches, and a stainless steel bar. If the gate opens inwards towards you, the ring latch with the rectangle bar should be placed on the rear of the gate. If the gate opens away from you, it should be fitted to the front of the gate.

Place the ring latch on the brace and allow the rectangle bar to protrude 50mm from the edge of the gate. Then, mark the holes, and remove and drill pilot holes. After this, there should be 4 holes. Use a ruler to draw a cross to locate the center of the area. This is where the stainless steel bar will connect to the ring latch on both sides. Carefully drill a pilot hole all the way through the gate. Measure the thickness of the stainless steel bar and select a drill bit larger than that to create a hole for the bar to turn freely. Screw the ring latch to the gate and place the bar in it.

Next, slide the holding catch over the rectangle bar, mark, remove, drill pilot holes, and fix it in place.

Go to the other side of the gate, connect the ring latch to the stainless steel bar, mark the holes, remove, drill pilot holes, then screw it in place.

Close the gate and position the catch on the other gate for the ring latch to close onto. Mark the holes, remove, drill pilot holes, and screw it to the post.

BRENTON BOLT

Choose the position for the bolt (usually best suited on top of the gate). Centralize it on the horizontal brace (for better appearance), mark the holes, remove, drill pilot holes, then fix it. For extra security, add a padlock.

DROP BOLTS

Drop bolts help secure the driveway gate in either an open or closed position. Each drop bolt needs to be fixed to the vertical edge opposite the hinge side (towards the center of both gates). Position it, mark the holes, remove, drill pilot holes, and secure it in place. With the gate in the closed position, release the drop bolt till it hits the floor. Mark the position by drawing a circle around the bolt. Open the gate to enable easier access.

Next, measure the diameter of the bolt and select a drill bit slightly larger. Set your drill to “hammer” mode. Drill a hole just past the depth required. Be careful with this procedure. It is worth checking that no services run underneath! When complete, check and repeat on the other side.

Now, fully open the gates to the required position. Repeat the above process so that the drop bolts will hold the gate securely in the open position.

That’s it!  Your driveway gate is now fully installed!