Buckner Fence Co
Automated Driveway Gates in Dallas, GA
Ornamental steel or wood driveway gates on brick, stone, or timber columns, wired or solar powered with opener and keypad.
A driveway gate is really two projects in one, the gate and columns themselves, and the opener system that has to move heavy panels reliably for years. The columns carry all the weight and all the stress of an automated gate opening and closing every day, so they get a much deeper footing than a fence post, usually poured concrete sized to the gate's weight and the wind load of a solid panel versus an open ornamental design.
Steel ornamental gates hold their shape better over time and take less maintenance than wood, but wood or a wood and steel combination gives a warmer look that matches a timber column better. Either way, the opener has to be matched to the gate weight and swing or slide style, an undersized opener straining against a heavy panel is the most common reason gates start failing early.
When there is no power run to the road, solar keeps the opener running off a battery charged by a small panel, which works well here as long as the panel gets enough sun and the battery is sized for the gate's daily use. Keypad, clicker, and phone entry all wire into the same control box, and we run safety sensors so the gate does not close on a car or a person still in the opening.
How it runs
- Site and power check We look at where power runs to the driveway, if at all, and decide between a wired or solar setup before anything else is planned.
- Column footings Concrete footings go in deep and sized for the gate weight, then cure before columns and gate hardware are attached.
- Gate and opener installation The gate is hung on the columns and the opener is matched to its weight and swing or slide style, then wired to the control box.
- Entry systems and testing Keypad, remote, and phone entry are set up, safety sensors are checked, and the gate is run through its full cycle to confirm it opens, closes, and stops correctly.