Having a fence all the way around your property, including gates across the driveway, can be a real sign of property ownership. If the fence and gate are see-through, like widely spaced pickets or wrought iron, then the fence can define your property and ownership without giving the impression that you are stand-offish or afraid. A tall, solid fence and gates does seem like fear and/or you are trying to cut your self off from the neighbors or society in general.
So, lets say you only want to define your property and give it a decorative border. A wrought iron fence is good looking and you can get automatic or manual gates for the driveway. Automatic gates are motorized and can be opened from inside the car, not requiring someone to open the gate, which is handy when it is pouring rain or really, really cold. Manual gates will require someone to open it so you can drive through, then close it after you are inside or outside the fence.
Many people get the fence and driveway gate, and leave the gate open. Then, the gate can be closed when there is a reason, but does not impede access during normal times. Such a fence and gate is not going to keep most small animals inside the perimeter unless an electronic fence is added. Dogs, cats and children can always escape when the gate is open for car access unless there is some other reason for them not to do so, like an adult. Even this doesn’t work for cats.
Wrought iron fences must be painted, initially and periodically, to keep them good looking and from deterioration. Other metal fences and gates are available, like aluminum, and you can get fences and gates made of wood. These also have to be painted unless they are made of redwood and you allow them to weather to a gray color. New planks are readily identified when added, but should weather to the same gray over time. If you are really particular about how the fence looks, then paint is the way to go. When planks are replaced, a new coat of paint will be required as well.
It is also possible to get manual drive gates that meet in the middle, making opening them easier because each one does not weigh as much as a single gate, but requiring more walking to open the gates. These gates can no doubt be motorized, but now you have two motors to worry about. Electricity has to be run to both sides of the fence opening as well, which is probably one of the reasons you normally see only one driveway gate on most installations.
If you are considering an all-around fence with driveway gates, be sure to do your homework. You want to consider durability as well as initial price. Try to find the brand you are considering installed some time ago and see how the fence and gates stand up to time and weather. If you having a contractor install the fence and gates, he or she should be able to steer you to past installations where you can see how the fence and gates look some time later, and also inspect the quality of the installation as well.
* * * While you are upgrading your property, consider a Rubbermaid shed for outdoor storage. * * *
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