Poles for the entrance gate – which ones to choose?

The initial poles, installed at the entrance to the property, play a very important role. It is on them that the entire weight of the gate and frontal, representative fence spans rest. Properly selected posts for the gate ensure its durability and stability for many years – so what is worth paying attention to before buying them? Below you will find some practical tips.

Columns for gates: choose concrete or metal?

Are you wondering what poles to choose for the installation of the entrance gate? Remember that they should be matched to the weight, finish and color of the door leaf and wicket. The relationship is simple – the more massive the spans, the wider and heavier the supports must have. All structural elements of the fence and the entrance to the property should also be selected so that they form a visually coherent whole together with the buildings and the surroundings.

If you plan to buy a heavy forged gate, put on brick, stone or poured poles. Do you want to have a modern, economical gate, made of light steel profiles? Choose standard galvanized metal poles, which after concreting will form a durable, aesthetic support. You can choose from profiles in different colors, in a simple version or with additional amenities: built-in intercom, space for a mailbox.

Metal gate posts for mesh and panel fences

Panel or mesh fences are the cheapest and most popular way to separate the plot from neighbors and local roads. Metal poles are usually used to fix spans or nets, which successfully replace concrete structures. Poles are most often in the form of:

• square or rectangular profiles, 

• pipes with a circular cross-section.

Steel poles for many years endure heavy loads, supporting both the fence itself and the movable elements of the entrance gates and wickets. What affects their endurance? Profiles and pipes are made of high quality raw material, additionally protected with a special anti-corrosion layer and (optionally) powder coated. The tips of the fence posts also have protective canopies made of PVC or metal, so that moisture does not get inside.

Post for the entrance gate – what dimensions should it have?

Polish manufacturers offer door poles in the option of custom-made or standard sizes, adapted to most modern door models. What starting bars will you currently find in the offer of domestic suppliers? You can choose from profiles of varying lengths, widths and heights – for example:

• 6 cm x 4 cm x 230 cm,

• 6 cm x 4 cm x 200 cm,

• 6 cm x 4 cm x 240 cm,

• 10 cm x 10 cm x 220 cm,

• 7 cm x 7 cm x 200 cm,

• 10 cm x 33 cm x 155 cm (these are wide poles, designed for intercom installations, installation of monitoring systems or letter boxes).

As you can see, there are both high and low profiles in the option, so you can easily choose supports tailored to your needs and concepts. Instead, you can choose steel pipes, which are most often found in size: 4.2 cm in diameter (fi) and a height of 200 cm or 220 cm. They differ in the thickness of the walls – pay attention to the fact that they are not thinner than 2 mm. Also remember that round pipes do not fit gates made of rectangular or square profiles.

Entrance gate – metal posts: advantages

Unlike concrete or masonry gantry poles, you assemble steel profiles and pipes very quickly, without wasting time on design or tedious formwork preparation. What other advantages do metal poles have for gates and what distinguishes them?

• wide range of sizes and colors,

• low material and labor costs,

• a small amount of materials needed for fastening,

• a variety of additional accessories,

• quick assembly,

• simple instructions.

You can choose from different types of ready-made supports for gates – they are available in galvanized or galvanized version and additionally powder coated. In the event of mechanical damage, you will replace steel posts much easier than massive concrete elements. You can also carry out seasonal maintenance of the metal on your own, thanks to which it will last longer and look elegant.

Posts for the swing gate: this is what you need to remember

Before you go to the store to order elements for the gate, pay attention  to a few important issues. Are you building an entrance to the property to a year-round house? Think carefully about where you want to place your letterbox and intercom. On a wide post you will successfully place additional installations or cassettes. Also think about whether you want to have a drive for the swing gate – if so, the wide profile will perfectly cover it.

Don't want to waste time searching for start poles for the entrance wings? Instead of buying them separately, you can choose ready-made sets, consisting of a single- or double-leaf gate and a wicket with matching profiles. Some manufacturers attach sheet metal and hinges to the set, designed for self-fastening. There are also posts with drilled mounting holes on sale – thanks to this, you do not have to waste time on measurements and metal processing.