Gate system
Sliding gates: the answer for short drives, slopes and wide openings
A sliding gate runs sideways along your boundary on a ground track, so it needs no swing space on the driveway — making it the standard solution where the drive is short, rises steeply, or the opening exceeds 5 metres. Installed and automated, sliding gates in Surrey typically cost £8,500–£15,000.
When a sliding gate is the right call
Three site conditions push us from swing to sliding, and at least one applies to a large share of Surrey plots:
- Short drives. If parked cars would sit inside the swing arc, swing gates trap them. A slider opens with zero intrusion into the drive.
- Rising drives. Ground climbing more than ~70mm across the arc fouls swing leaves. A slider runs level along the gate line regardless of what the drive does behind it.
- Wide openings. Beyond about 5m, swing leaves become long levers that punish hinges and motors in wind. A single sliding leaf handles 4–12m routinely.
The prerequisite is run-off room: clear space along the inside of your boundary equal to the opening plus ~500mm. No run-off? Consider a cantilever with rear counterbalance, a telescopic slider (two leaves nesting to roughly 60% of the opening), or revert to swing gates.
Tracked vs cantilever vs telescopic
| System | How it works | Advantage | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tracked | Wheels on a ground rail | Cheapest slider; very heavy leaves possible | Track must stay clear of gravel, leaves, ice |
| Cantilever | Leaf suspended from rear counterbalance, no track | Nothing to sweep; suits gravel drives | Needs ~50% extra run-off; higher cost |
| Telescopic | Two nesting leaves | Fits where run-off is tight | More moving parts; premium price |
On gravel drives — half of the plots we survey in the Surrey Hills — we default to cantilever, because a ground track in gravel is a service call waiting to happen. Full comparison on the cantilever page.
Automation and safety specifics for sliders
Sliding gates concentrate different risks from swing gates: drawing-in points at the closing post and the rack, and shearing along railings or piers. Under BS EN 12453 that means safety edges on the leading and trailing edges, photocells across the opening and the run-off, and mesh or infill tight enough that a hand can't reach the rack. We fit BFT and Nice slider operators sized to leaf weight and ground friction, with obstacle detection verified by force meter at handover — the test most installers skip. Details on the safety standards page.
What a sliding gate costs and why
The gate leaf itself is often no dearer than a swing pair; the money is in the groundwork. A slider needs a dead-level concrete foundation beam the full length of travel, plus the run-off structure. Budget £8,500–£12,000 for aluminium or steel-framed sliders to 5m, £12,000–£15,000+ for larger or ornamental iron leaves. Full modelling on the cost page.
Free site survey & fixed quotation
Get a precise price for a sliding gate
Tell us the opening width, whether power is nearby and the style you have in mind. We measure on site, confirm a fixed price in writing, and never sell door-to-door.
Prefer to talk? Call 01483 000 000.
Frequently asked questions
How much run-off space does a sliding gate need?
Opening width plus about 500mm for a tracked slider; add roughly 50% of the opening for cantilever counterbalance. A 4m opening therefore needs ~4.5m (tracked) or ~6m (cantilever) of clear boundary.
Do sliding gates work on a slope?
Across the opening the track must be level, but the drive behind can slope freely — that's precisely why sliders suit rising drives. A boundary that itself falls along the run-off needs a stepped foundation, which we design routinely.
Are sliding gates more secure than swing gates?
Generally yes: a slider locked into its receiver post can't be forced at the centre line like a pair of swing leaves, and the operator's worm drive resists pushing.
Can a sliding gate be manually opened in a power cut?
Yes — every operator we fit has a key-operated manual release that disengages the drive so the leaf rolls freely.