Double Swing Gate

What Is a Double Swing Gate?

A double swing gate is the classic vehicle gate: the opening is divided into two equal leaves that swing open on hinges. Also known as a garden gate, it is the most common entrance solution used with perimeter systems. Because the opening is split in two, each leaf stays far lighter than the single leaf of a swing gate of the same overall width, and that halves the load carried by the hinges.

At AnkaraTel we sell double swing gates in ready-made sizes from our Ostim premises. The leaves are built as welded box section frames filled with panel fence mesh or sheet steel; the hinge set, centre drop bolt and lock keep are supplied with the product. All our products are electrostatic powder coated in RAL 6005 (moss green). This shade is the same as the panel fence colour that has become the standard on site, so the gate and the fence line speak the same visual language.

Double Swing Gate Types

By infill type, models divide into mesh-filled and sheet-clad. A mesh leaf is light and, more importantly, lets the wind through; on open ground a sheet-clad leaf acts almost like a sail, while a mesh leaf sheds most of the wind load. Sheet cladding is preferred at warehouses, scrap yards and construction sites where the area inside has to be screened from view.

By leaf ratio, symmetric and asymmetric arrangements are both possible. On standard products the two leaves are of equal width. Some facilities want one narrow leaf so that only that leaf is opened during the day; if this is what you need, state it before placing the order.

By opening direction, gates are installed to swing inwards or outwards. On plots that front a road, having the gate swing inwards is the right choice for pavement and traffic safety. By lock type, a padlockable centre drop bolt, a ground drop bolt or a mortice lock can be used; on construction sites the most common solution is a padlocked drop bolt.

Technical Specifications

Where Is a Double Swing Gate Used?

The double swing gate is the standard solution for vehicle entrances of moderate width. Factory and workshop yards, villa and housing estate entrances, school and dormitory grounds, farmland and orchard entrances, solar power plants, water reservoirs, livestock farms, municipal service yards and storage areas are where it is seen most often.

It is chosen for cost and simplicity: no rail has to be laid in the ground, there are few moving parts and there is no mechanism to break down. What it does need is clear space in front of and behind the gate for the leaves to swing through. Where that space does not exist, the right product is a sliding gate. At sites that also have pedestrian traffic, we recommend adding a separate pedestrian gate at a suitable point on the line so the large leaves do not have to be opened all day long.

Choosing the Right Size and What to Watch For

The first criterion is the clear opening width. The gate size states the total opening; once the posts and the centre bolt allowance are deducted, the space left for the vehicle is a little narrower. For that reason, add 60-100 cm to the width of the largest vehicle that will pass through. In practice 300x200 cm is enough for cars, vans and tractors, while 400x200 cm is preferred at sites where lorries, trailers and plant machinery pass.

The second criterion is the swing area. Each leaf opens through an arc with a radius equal to its own width. On a 400 cm gate each leaf sweeps roughly 200 cm. Kerbstones, waste containers, posts or parked vehicles must not sit inside that area.

The third criterion is the ground slope. On a swing gate, if the ground rises in the direction the gate opens, the leaf catches on the ground beyond a certain point and never opens fully. On sloping entrances either the threshold gap is increased or the opening direction is reversed. This is the problem we find most often during our free site surveys within Ankara.

The fourth is wind and matching the fence line. On open ground, wide sheet-clad leaves get thrown about by the wind; mesh infill is safer at those sites. If the fence line is higher than the gate, the gate is topped up with an extra panel or the top line is finished with concertina razor wire.

What Determines the Price of a Double Swing Gate?

The first thing that sets the price is size; a 400x200 cm gate needs more section metreage as well as stronger hinges and posts than a 300x200 cm one. The second is the section size and wall thickness. On swing gates the wall thickness of the profile is the real factor that decides whether the gate will drop at the corner a few years down the line.

The third is the infill type: sheet cladding involves more material and more labour than mesh infill. The fourth is the hardware; hinge type and quantity, the centre drop bolt, the ground stop, the choice of lock and whether braces are needed all affect the total. The fifth is quantity; unit cost falls when more than one gate is bought for the same project.

The last item is the delivery point. Delivery is always charged — this applies to deliveries within Ankara as well, and carriage is not included in the price. Installation is not one of our standard services; our teams attend perimeter projects of approximately 1000 metres and above. All our prices include VAT.

How Is It Installed?

On a double swing gate the whole installation comes down to two things: the posts standing plumb and the hinges being fixed soundly. The order of work is as follows:

1. Marking out the post centres: The two post positions are set by adding the hinge and centre closing allowances to the total leaf width. The measurement is taken from the leaves themselves.
2. Foundations and concreting: A hole of sufficient depth is dug for each post; the post is held plumb while the concrete is poured. On a double swing gate the post carries the leverage of the leaf, so foundation depth is not something to compromise on.
3. Levelling: The two posts must be exactly parallel and at the same level. Otherwise the leaves will not meet in the middle and the bolt will not line up.
4. Fitting the hinges: On each leaf the top and bottom hinges are fixed on the same vertical axis. A third hinge is used on heavy leaves.
5. Bracing: A diagonal brace is welded to each post. The brace is the only effective measure against the weight of the leaf pulling the post forward; it must never be skipped on wide leaves.
6. Hanging the leaves: The leaves are seated on the hinges, the threshold gap is checked, and the two leaves are seen to meet flush in the middle.
7. Drop bolts, stops and final adjustment: The keeps for the centre drop bolt and the ground bolt are marked out and fixed in the ground, the open-position stops are fitted, and the hinges are fine-adjusted while the gate is operated over and over.

Maintenance and Service Life

Maintenance on a double swing gate is all about the hinges and the drop bolts. Greasing the hinges twice a year both stops the squeaking and delays wear on the pin. When the ground socket that the drop bolt drops into fills with mud and gravel the gate no longer locks fully; keeping that hole clear is a small but effective habit.

The second point is the integrity of the paint. An electrostatic powder coated surface lasts for many years outdoors; but where the paint wears through — at the hinge roots, around the drop bolt and on the bottom rail that touches the ground — rust starts from that point. Touching up the worn spots in the same RAL shade is enough. The alignment where the leaves meet in the middle should also be checked by eye once a year, and if the leaf has begun to drop, hinge adjustment or an extra brace should not be put off. With this much care, a double swing gate with a box section body gives many years of service.

Nationwide Shipping and Delivery

AnkaraTel ships to every province of Turkey by courier and freight from its base in Ostim. Because a double swing gate is dispatched in two parts, transport is more flexible than it is with single wide gates; depending on the order quantity and the delivery address we plan either a part load or a full vehicle.

Delivery is always charged; this applies to deliveries within Ankara as well, and carriage is not included in the product price. On the other hand, site survey is free of charge within Ankara: our team comes to the site and assesses the opening width, the ground slope and the opening direction in person. Installation is not within our standard scope; on perimeter projects of approximately 1000 metres and above our installation team works on site. On smaller jobs the gate is delivered with installation instructions and can be fitted by your local tradesman.