Choosing a Gate for a Caravan, Boat or Trailer Driveway

Western Sydney is ute and trailer country. Across Penrith, St Marys, Blacktown, Liverpool and the rural edges of Camden and Campbelltown, plenty of driveways have a caravan, a boat, a box trailer, a horse float or a tradie's work vehicle parked behind the gate. If that is you, a gate sized for a sedan will be a daily frustration.

Here is how to get the size and layout right before you talk to an installer.

Measure the widest thing, not the driveway

Most people measure their driveway and order a gate to suit. If you tow, start with your vehicles instead.

• Measure the widest vehicle you bring through, including mirrors. Towing mirrors on a ute or a 4WD can add a lot of width.
• Measure the widest trailer, caravan or boat on its trailer, including any awning, wheel guards or side lockers.
• Add a generous margin each side. Reversing a caravan through a gate that leaves only a few centimetres to spare is stressful, and gate posts and motors do not survive many knocks.

Many people end up choosing a wider opening than their driveway, with the gate spanning part of the lawn or garden. That is often the better result.

Think about the approach and the turn

Width is only half of it. The real problem is usually the angle you approach from.

If you have to swing in from a narrow street, the trailer will cut the corner and track inside the tow vehicle. A gate that is wide enough when you drive straight through may not be wide enough when you are turning in. Look at where your wheels actually go, and if possible, watch someone back the van in while you note where it comes closest to the posts.

Behind the gate, check you have room to straighten up, and that a swing gate will not have to open into the space the van occupies.

Height

If your gate design includes an archway, a header beam or a lintel between piers, check the height of your tallest vehicle. Caravans, boats on trailers with a T-top or bimini, and utes with ladder racks can be taller than you think. Many people simply avoid any overhead structure.

Sliding or swing for big openings

Sliding gates suit most wide openings. They do not need room behind the gate, so a parked van or boat is not in the way. You do need a clear run beside the opening roughly equal to the gate's width, which can be a challenge on wide gates. Cantilever sliding gates, which hang from rollers and do not touch the ground, suit gravel driveways and spots where a track would fill with dirt. See automatic sliding gates.

Swing gates split a wide opening into two leaves, which keeps each one manageable. They need depth behind the gate for the leaves to open, and they can be blocked by anything parked too close. On rural-residential blocks with plenty of space they work well. See automatic swing gates.

Motor choice for wide or heavy gates

A wider gate is a heavier gate, and wide solid gates catch the wind. Tell your installer the full width, the material you want and how often you will use the gate. They will suggest a motor rated for that load. Underpowered motors are a common cause of gates that struggle and fail early. Read more on gate motors and automation.

Safety around big vehicles

Reversing a trailer through a moving gate is a recipe for damage. A few things help:

• Safety beams across the opening, positioned so they detect a trailer drawbar, not just a car
• A hold-open setting or timer so the gate stays open while you manoeuvre
• A remote in the tow vehicle so you are not getting in and out
• Good lighting for night arrivals

Automatic gate drives should be set up with reference to AS/NZS 60335.2.103, the Australian standard covering electric drives for gates, including obstacle detection and force limits.

Council and estate rules

Wide openings still need to meet the rules. Under the NSW exempt development standards, front fences on road boundaries in residential zones are generally limited to 1.2 metres, and gates must not open outwards. If you are in a new estate, check your 88B instrument and design guidelines too, as some restrict where caravans and boats can be parked as well as front fencing. Our guide to gates for new estate homes explains more.

Your driveway crossing

A wider gate may mean a wider driveway crossing from the road. The crossing (the section over the footpath and kerb) is normally controlled by council, so check whether you need approval before widening it.

Ready to plan it?

Tell us the width of your widest vehicle, the opening you have in mind and whether you approach straight or at an angle. We pass it to an independent local installer who works in your area, and they check the site before pricing. If you are in the Liverpool area, see automatic gates in Liverpool.