Sliding and Cantilever Aluminium Gates in Mansfield
Mansfield driveways often rise sharply from the road, and many plots in NG18 to NG21 have little depth between the pavement and the house. Both make a conventional swing gate awkward: the leaves foul the slope or need clearance the driveway simply does not have.
Sliding gates solve that by moving across the opening instead of through it. There are two ways to build them, and the difference matters on a sloped site.
Tracked vs cantilever
A tracked sliding gate runs on a ground rail. It carries weight efficiently and suits wide openings, but the track must stay clear of grit, leaves and ice, and it needs a level run across the opening.
A cantilever gate carries its weight on rollers set back inside the property, with nothing crossing the driveway. On rising or uneven Mansfield driveways, and anywhere that snow clearance matters, cantilever is usually the better long-term choice.
- Tracked: lower cost, needs a level, clean run
- Cantilever: no ground track, better on slopes and in winter
- Both suit automation with a rack-and-pinion motor
How much run-back do you need?
A tracked gate needs run-back roughly equal to the clear opening. A cantilever gate needs around 1.4 to 1.5 times the opening because of its counterbalance tail.
On a 3.5 m opening that is about 3.5 m of boundary for tracked, or roughly 5 m for cantilever. Where neither fits, a bi-fold gate keeps the whole movement inside a short frontage.
Automation, power and safety
Sliding gates automate cleanly with a rack-and-pinion motor and a fused spur from the house. We fit photocells across the opening, safety edges on the leading edge and a manual release for power cuts.
Every automated installation is force tested and handed over with the safety file, so the gate meets UK regulations from day one.
- Rack-and-pinion motor sized to leaf weight
- Photocells, safety edges and force testing as standard
- Keypad, intercom or app control options
Finishes that last in the Midlands
All our gates are marine-grade powder coated aluminium, so they do not rust and need only occasional washing. Anthracite RAL 7016 matches most modern window frames around Mansfield Woodhouse and Forest Town; black RAL 9005 suits older brick frontages.
Frequently asked questions
- Are sliding gates better than swing gates on a sloped driveway?
- Usually yes. A sliding gate moves across the opening, so it is unaffected by a driveway that rises towards the house, where swing leaves would catch on the ground.
- How much space does a cantilever gate need in Mansfield?
- Around 1.4 to 1.5 times the clear opening as run-back inside the boundary. A 3.5 m opening needs roughly 5 m of clear run.
- Can a sliding gate be automated?
- Yes. Sliding gates automate with a rack-and-pinion motor, photocells and safety edges, plus a manual release for power cuts.
- Do aluminium sliding gates rust?
- No. Aluminium does not rust, and the marine-grade powder coating protects the finish for years with only routine cleaning.