Which Type of Gate to Choose

TL;DR

The 30-second decision. Walk it in this order.

Pedestrian only? Single-leaf pedestrian gate. Done.
Driveway under 3.5 m, with at least 4 m of front clearance? Single swing.
Driveway 3 to 6 m, with front clearance? Double swing.
Driveway over 3 m, with runout space along the fence but no front clearance? Sliding gate. Pick cantilever if the driveway must stay clear of any track.
No runout, no front clearance? Telescopic.
Wide opening with limited swing arc and no runout? Bi-fold (rare).

Beyond the type, six factors fine-tune the choice: opening width, available space, site conditions, use pattern, security and compliance, and budget. Each one can flip a borderline call.

The six gate types at a glance

Pedestrian gate

A single-leaf gate sized for foot traffic. Standard widths 0.9 to 1.1 m, heights 1.2 to 2.1 m. Used in front fences, side passageways, pool barriers, and as a separate access gate beside a driveway gate. Common pitfall: under-spec’ing the post depth on a 2.1 m security-height gate.

Single swing driveway gate

One leaf hinged to one post, swinging into the property. Practical width up to 3.5 m before hinge sag and post-depth requirements get expensive. Cheapest driveway gate to fabricate and automate. Common pitfall: forgetting the leading edge needs a drop bolt to stop sag pulling the latch out of alignment.

Double swing driveway gate

Two leaves hinged at opposite posts, meeting at a centre stile. Spans 3 to 6 m without the lever-arm problem of a single 6 m swing. Each leaf needs its own hinges, post, and either a drop bolt or a centre latch. Common pitfall: under-spec’ing the meeting stile detail, leaving a gap where the leaves meet.

Tracked sliding gate

The gate panel rides on bottom rollers running along a V-track or U-track set into the driveway. Spans 3 to 8 m residential, up to 12 m commercial. Cheapest of the sliders to fabricate. Common pitfall: ignoring debris (leaves, gravel) that fouls the track and stops the gate.

Cantilever sliding gate

The gate panel hangs off top rollers fixed to the receive post. A counterweight section extends past the runout post to balance the gate. No ground track. Spans 3 to 12 m residential, up to 20 m commercial. Common pitfall: under-sizing the counterweight, which lets the gate droop at the leading edge.

Telescopic gate

Two or more sliding panels that move in parallel and overlap when retracted. A 6 m opening with 3 m of runout uses a two-section telescopic that retracts to 3 m. Mechanically the most complex of the standard types. Common pitfall: under-budgeting for the synchronised drive hardware and ongoing maintenance.

Decision factor 1: Opening width

How wide the gate has to span. Each type has a practical upper limit before fabrication and hardware get unreasonable.

Type	Practical width range	Notes
Pedestrian	0.9 to 1.5 m	Above 1.5 m, treat as a narrow single-swing driveway leaf.
Single swing	Up to 3.5 m	Past 3.5 m, leverage on the hinges blows out post depth.
Double swing	3.0 to 6.0 m	Splits the leverage problem into two manageable leaves.
Tracked sliding	Up to 8 m residential, 12 m commercial	Track length is opening width plus runout, so site space is the real limit.
Cantilever sliding	Up to 12 m residential, 20 m commercial	Counterweight section adds 30 to 40% to total panel length.
Telescopic	3 to 12 m	Two-section halves the runout requirement; three-section thirds it.
Bi-fold	3 to 6 m	Halves the swing arc requirement of a comparable double swing.

Decision factor 2: Available space

Gate type and site space are tightly coupled. The site usually picks the gate type for you.

Front clearance is the space in front of the gate, swept by the gate as it opens. Single swings need a clear arc equal to the gate width plus a safety margin (about 0.5 m). A 3 m single swing wants 3.5 m of clear space on the swing side. Double swings halve this requirement.

Runout is the space along the fence line where a sliding gate retreats to. Tracked sliders need 1.0 to 1.2 times the opening width as runout. Cantilever sliders need the opening width plus 30 to 40 percent for the counterweight tail (so a 4 m cantilever wants about 5.5 m of total runout).

Telescopic compresses runout by section count. A two-section telescopic over a 6 m opening with 3 m runout is roughly equivalent to a 3 m sliding gate with 3 m runout, doubled up.

Bi-fold halves the swing arc of a comparable double swing. Useful where a parked car or a planter sits inside the property and rules out a full swing.

Decision factor 3: Site conditions

Level vs raked ground. Swing gates handle rake easily because the leading edge sweeps an arc through the air. Sliding gates are trickier; cantilever handles rake better than tracked. See the raked sliding gate guide for the measurement procedure.
Drainage paths. A V-track set into a driveway dams up surface water if it crosses a drainage line. Cantilever and swing gates leave the floor clear for water to run.
Soil type for footings. Reactive clay (the brown sticky stuff in much of Sydney and Melbourne) moves seasonally and can pull a concreted post out of plumb. Sandy or rocky soils are easier. Footplate posts on existing concrete dodge the soil-movement problem entirely.
Existing concrete vs new pour. If the driveway concrete is already poured, footplate posts (chemical-anchored to the slab) are quicker than digging fresh footings. New pours give you the option of cast-in anchor bolts.
Coastal vs inland. Coastal C5 corrosion zones (within 1 km of surf) need stainless hardware (304 or 316 grade) and thicker galvanising. Most automation kits have stainless or marine-grade variants. Inland C2 zones run standard galvanised.

Decision factor 4: Use pattern

How often the gate runs and who uses it shapes the spec.

Pedestrian only vs vehicle. Pedestrian gates can be lighter, simpler, and unmotorised. Vehicle gates carry more weight, more wind load, and almost always justify automation.
Frequency of use. A residential driveway runs 5 to 20 cycles a day. A small commercial site, 50 to 100. A high-traffic site (school carpark, busy car wash), 500+. Heavy-duty motors and bearings get sized to the cycle count, not just the gate weight.
Manual vs automated. Automation changes the gate weight budget. A 200 kg manual gate can be opened by hand by a fit adult. The same gate on a motor needs the motor sized to the duty cycle plus wind load, plus a safety device set to keep impact force under the AS/NZS 4505 thresholds.
Time-to-open. A sliding gate opens in 10 to 15 seconds. A swing gate, 8 to 15 seconds. A telescopic, 12 to 20 seconds. If the user is a delivery driver waiting in the rain, those numbers matter.

Decision factor 5: Security and compliance

Pool barrier compliance (AS1926.1). Pool gates must be self-closing, self-latching, with no opening larger than 100 mm. Realistically that means a single-leaf pedestrian gate. Sliding and double-swing gates aren’t standard pool-compliant configurations. See the pool fence glossary entry.
Disability access (AS1428.1). Pedestrian gates on accessible paths need a clear opening of at least 850 mm, lever-handle latches, no thresholds higher than 5 mm.
Anti-climb.Spear top, loop top, and tubular fence panels with the same finish are the standard anti-climb tops. The choice doesn’t change the gate type, just the infill and top detail.
Visual screening vs see-through. Battened, slatted, and louvred gates block sight lines. Picket and tubular gates are see-through. The choice is independent of swing vs slide vs cantilever.

Decision factor 6: Budget and lead time

Rough cost ratios at the same opening width and the same finish, before automation and engineering. Use these as relative benchmarks, not absolute prices.

Pedestrian gate: 1x
Single swing driveway: 1.5 to 2x
Double swing driveway: 2 to 2.5x
Tracked sliding: 2.5 to 3x
Cantilever sliding: 3 to 3.5x
Telescopic: 4 to 5x
Bi-fold: 3 to 4x

Automation typically adds another 30 to 50% on top of the base gate. Engineering certification (Form 16 in Queensland, or equivalent) is a flat fee that doesn’t scale with gate size. Lead time runs 4 to 8 weeks for a custom-fab gate, plus 1 to 2 weeks if galvanising and powder coating are sequential.

Comparison matrix

Type	Width	Front clearance	Runout	Suits raked	Suits auto	Pool-OK	Cost
Pedestrian	0.9 to 1.5 m	Width + 0.5 m	None	Yes	Optional	Yes	1x
Single swing	Up to 3.5 m	Width + 0.5 m	None	Yes	Yes	No	1.5 to 2x
Double swing	3 to 6 m	Half of width + 0.5 m	None	Yes	Yes	No	2 to 2.5x
Tracked sliding	3 to 8 m	None	1.0 to 1.2x width	Limited	Yes	No	2.5 to 3x
Cantilever sliding	3 to 12 m	None	Width + 30 to 40%	Yes	Yes	No	3 to 3.5x
Telescopic	3 to 12 m	None	Width / sections	Limited	Yes	No	4 to 5x
Bi-fold	3 to 6 m	Half-leaf width + 0.3 m	None	Yes	Yes (specialist)	No	3 to 4x

Decision tree

Walk this in order. Each step routes you to the next step or to a final answer.

Is it pedestrian only? Yes, go to step 2. No, skip to step 3.
Is it a pool barrier gate? Yes: pool-compliant pedestrian gate (1.2 m+ tall, self-closing, self-latching). No: standard pedestrian gate (1.0 m wide is the default).
What’s the opening width? Under 3.5 m, step 4. Between 3 and 6 m, step 5. Over 6 m, step 6.
Do you have front clearance equal to the opening width plus 0.5 m? Yes: single swing. No: step 7.
Do you have front clearance for half the opening width plus 0.5 m? Yes: double swing. No: step 7.
Do you have runout space along the fence? Yes: cantilever or tracked sliding (step 8). No: telescopic.
Sliding it is. Cantilever or tracked? Driveway must stay clear of any track or the ground rakes more than 1 in 60: cantilever. Otherwise: tracked.
Is the ground raked? Yes: confirm cantilever and consult the raked sliding gate guide. No: cantilever or tracked is fine.

The bi-fold case is rare enough that it doesn’t earn a step in this tree. Use it where a wide opening, no runout, and a parked obstruction inside the property all combine.

Recommended starting points for common scenarios

Suburban front fence, 1 m pedestrian, 1.8 m tall

Battened pedestrian gate, 1000 mm wide, 1800 mm tall, 50x25 RHS frame, aluminium battens. 50x50 SHS posts in 600x300 concrete. Lever-handle latch, 2 weld-on hinges. HDG plus Dulux Monument powder coat. battened-pedestrian-gate.

Pool surround, 1.2 m pool gate

Tubular fence panel pedestrian gate, 1000 mm wide, 1200 mm tall, vertical bars at 95 mm spacing. Magna Latch Series 3, two D&D TruClose self-closing hinges. Stainless 316 hardware on coastal sites. pool-fence-panel.

Residential driveway, 4 m, level ground, parked car inside

Cantilever sliding gate, 4 m clear opening, slatted infill. 5.5 m of total runout (4 m gate plus 1.5 m counterweight tail). 100x100 SHS posts in 750x400 concrete. Beninca BULL5M or CAME BX704 motor. slatted-sliding-gate.

Rural property, 6 m driveway, automation, gravel runout

Cantilever sliding gate, 6 m clear opening, battened infill, 8 m total runout. Stand-off cantilever brackets to keep the rail above the gravel line. CAME BY3500 motor for the heavier panel. Solar panel and battery backup. battened-sliding-gate.

Heritage front fence, 3 m driveway, traditional look

Double-swing wrought-iron-style gate, 3 m total opening (two 1.5 m leaves), spear top, scroll work in flat bar. 100x100 SHS posts in 750x400 concrete. Strap hinges, drop bolt at one leaf, lever latch on the other. battened-double-swing-gate.

Pick a type, generate a drawing in 60 seconds

The CAD60 catalogue covers every gate type listed here. Choose the one that fits the site, type your dimensions, and download a complete A4 drawing pack with cutting list and orthographic views.

/models/battened-pedestrian-gate /models/battened-double-swing-gate /models/battened-sliding-gate /models/louvred-oversized-sliding-gate /models/diy-telescopic-gate

Browse the full catalogue

Frequently asked questions

What's the most common type of driveway gate in Australia?

Sliding gates dominate suburban driveways above 3 m wide. Below 3 m, single swings are still common. Cantilever sliding has overtaken tracked sliding in new builds because most owners don't want a track in the driveway. Telescopic and bi-fold are niche fits where neither swing space nor full runout is available.

Should I get a sliding or swing gate for a 3.5 m driveway?

It depends on what you have in front of and along the driveway. Front clearance plus a parked car nearby usually rules out swings. Runout space along the fence rules in sliders. With both available, swings are cheaper to build and faster to automate; sliders work in tighter sites and look cleaner closed.

Are sliding gates more secure than swing gates?

Marginally, on the gate itself. Sliding gates have no exposed hinges to attack. Swing gates need a drop bolt to resist being pried at the leading edge. The bigger security factor is anti-climb finish (spear top or loop top) and the latch type, both of which are independent of swing vs slide.

Which gate type is cheapest?

At the same opening width, single swing is cheapest, then double swing, then tracked sliding, then cantilever sliding, then telescopic. Pedestrian gates run roughly 1x; single swing driveway 1.5 to 2x; double swing 2 to 2.5x; tracked sliding 2.5 to 3x; cantilever sliding 3 to 3.5x; telescopic 4 to 5x. Hardware and automation push all of these up.

Do all gate types work with automation?

All standard gate types have off-the-shelf automation kits. Single swings use ram-style or articulated-arm actuators. Double swings use a paired ram set. Sliding gates use rack-and-pinion drive units. Cantilever and telescopic use specialised drive sets. Bi-fold gates need bespoke hardware and are the trickiest to automate cleanly.

What if my driveway is on a slope?

Cantilever sliding is the easiest fit. The cantilever rail stays straight; the rake lives only in the bottom rail and infill below it. Tracked sliding gets fiddly because the V-track has to follow the slope at a constant gradient. Swing gates handle rake well as long as the swing arc clears the high side of the ground. See the CAD60 raked-sliding-gate guide for the measurement procedure.

Can I have a pedestrian gate inside a driveway gate?

Yes. Two patterns are common. A wicket gate cuts a small pedestrian leaf into one side of a driveway gate (single swing or sliding). A separate adjacent pedestrian gate sits beside the driveway leaves with its own posts and latch. The wicket is more compact; the separate gate is more reliable because each gate has its own simple hardware.

Which type works best for a pool barrier?

A single-leaf pedestrian gate, every time. Pool gates need self-closing hinges, a self-latching latch (typically a Magna Latch), and a single uninterrupted leaf with no opening over 100 mm. Sliding and double-swing gates aren't usually pool-compliant in standard configurations. Specify a dedicated pedestrian pool gate next to the driveway gate, not as part of it.

How long does each type take to install?

Pedestrian gate, half a day to a full day plus concrete cure. Single swing driveway, a day plus cure. Double swing, two days plus cure. Tracked sliding, two to three days (track installation is the bottleneck). Cantilever sliding, two days plus cure. Telescopic, three to four days plus cure. Automation adds half a day to a day for any of them.

Which gate type lasts longest?

All of them last 25+ years if galvanised and powder-coated. Cantilever sliding has the lowest mechanical wear because there's no ground track to clog and the top rollers are sealed bearings. Tracked sliding wears fastest because the V-track and bottom rollers see grit, leaves, and water. Swing-gate hinges last decades if they're greased once a year.