The short version
- Tracked: a wheel runs in a track set in the ground. Cheaper, lighter, but wants flat ground and a clean track.
- Cantilever: the gate hangs from rollers on one post. No ground track. Costs more, copes with anything below it.
- Slope, bumps, leaves, and a busy driveway all push you to a cantilever gate.
- Flat ground, a short span, and a tight budget suit a tracked gate.
- Both need run-back room beside the opening, roughly the opening plus a counterbalance tail.
- Past the reach of a single slide, look at a telescopic gate.
How each one carries its weight
A sliding gate has to carry its own weight as it travels, and the two types do it in opposite ways.
A tracked gate puts the weight on a wheel that runs in a track set into the driveway, with guide rollers up top to keep it upright. The ground carries the load, so the frame and hardware can be light. The catch is that the track has to be smooth, level along its run, and kept clear of leaves and grit.
A cantilever gate hangs from roller carriages bolted to a single post, riding inside a cantilever rail welded along the gate. A counterbalance tail extends behind the opening to keep the gate level. Nothing touches the ground, so slope, bumps, and debris stop mattering. See the cantilever gate entry for the detail.
Side by side
| Factor | Cantilever | Tracked |
|---|---|---|
| Ground | Handles slope, bumps, and uneven ground | Wants flat, even ground |
| Driveway | Nothing on the ground to cross | Track runs across the opening |
| Debris | Leaves and grit do not stop it | Track jams if not kept clean |
| Span | Small up past 8–10 m on heavy kits | Best on shorter, lighter spans |
| Metal used | More: a counterbalance tail behind the post | Less: weight sits on a ground wheel |
| Cost | Higher (rail, rollers, extra metal) | Lower |
| Run-back room | Opening + 40–50% tail beside the gate | Similar run-back, lighter structure |
Pick a cantilever gate when
- The ground slopes. A track has to follow the grade smoothly; a cantilever gate does not care what the ground does below it. See measuring on raked ground.
- It crosses a busy driveway. No track means nothing to trip over, jam, or wear under tyres.
- Leaves and grit are a problem. A track in a leafy yard needs sweeping; a cantilever gate ignores debris.
- The gate is heavy or wide. Heavier cantilever kits carry long spans without a ground wheel to wear out.
Pick a tracked gate when
- The ground is flat and even. A track runs sweetly on a level pad and costs less to build.
- Budget is tight. Less metal and lighter hardware make the tracked gate the cheaper gate.
- The span is short. On a small opening the counterbalance tail of a cantilever gate is overkill.
- The track can stay clean. A tidy, paved entrance with no leaf drop keeps a tracked gate happy for years.
The run-back trap
Both gates slide sideways, so both need clear room beside the opening for the gate to park. A cantilever gate needs that room equal to the whole leaf: the clear opening plus the counterbalance tail, often 40 to 50 percent of the span. A 4 m opening can want close to 6 m of clear run-back. Measure that space before you promise a single slide. If it is not there, that is exactly when a telescopic gate earns its place.
Draw either one from the same numbers
CAD60’s sliding gates take your opening, height, overlap, and rake, then draw the dimensioned gate and the cut list. Pick a style and try it:
Browse the full catalogueQuestions people ask
What is the difference between a cantilever and a tracked sliding gate?
A tracked gate runs on a wheel in a track set into the ground. A cantilever gate hangs from rollers on a single post and has no track on the ground at all. The cantilever gate carries a counterbalance tail behind the opening, so the gate leaf is longer, but nothing touches the driveway as it moves.
Is a cantilever gate better than a tracked gate?
It is better on sloping or messy ground, across a driveway, and where you cannot keep a track clean. A tracked gate is cheaper, takes less room beside the opening, and suits flat, even ground with a short run-back. Neither is best everywhere. Pick by site, span, and slope.
How much room does a cantilever gate need?
Room beside the opening equal to the gate leaf, which is the opening plus a counterbalance tail of roughly 40 to 50 percent of the span. So a 4 m opening needs about 5.6 to 6 m of clear run-back behind the post. A tracked gate needs the same kind of run-back, but the structure beside it is lighter.
Can a tracked gate handle a slope?
Only a gentle, even one. The track has to sit smooth and follow the same grade the whole way. Bumps, dips, or a steep run make a tracked gate rock and clatter, and leaves and grit jam the wheel. If the ground really slopes, a cantilever gate is the simpler pick.
What span suits a cantilever gate?
Cantilever gates cover a wide range, from small residential up past 8 to 10 m on heavier kits. The longer the span, the deeper the rail and the bigger the rollers, so the cost climbs with length. Beyond the practical reach of a single slide, a telescopic gate splits the leaf to cut the run-back.
Why does a cantilever gate cost more?
It uses more metal (the counterbalance tail), a deeper cantilever rail, and roller carriages rated to carry the whole gate off one post. A tracked gate puts the weight on a ground wheel, so the frame and hardware are lighter and cheaper. You pay for the cantilever, you buy freedom from the track.
Does a cantilever gate work with automation?
Yes, both types automate well. A cantilever gate is often easier to commission because there is no ground track to keep clear of the rack and rollers. Size the motor to the gate weight either way, and on a cantilever gate remember the leaf is longer and heavier than the opening suggests.