Manual Aluminium Swing Gates

This project saw us fit a pair of manual aluminium swing gates at a home in East Sussex, finished in anthracite grey with a bell-top and vision bars. We’re a family-feel gate company based in Uckfield, and we design, install, service and repair driveway gates for homeowners across the South East. For this customer, the brief was security and good looks without automation, and manual aluminium turned out to be a tidy fit for both.

Manual VS Automated

Not every driveway needs a motor. Plenty of our customers want the security and privacy of a solid set of gates, but they’re happy to step out and open them by hand, or they’d rather keep the cost down. Manual gates give you that. They’re simpler, there’s less to go wrong over the years, and you can always add automation later if your mind changes.

For this home, hand operation suited the day-to-day. The gates sit across the entrance, close firmly, and lock from both sides, so the family get the reassurance of a secure driveway without any electrics to think about.

Keeping Them Secure

A manual gate is only as good as its ironmongery, so this is where we put the attention. We fitted a single lockable handle that works from both the drive side and the road side, so you can lock up whichever side you’re standing on. We also fitted drop-down bolts that pin the gates to the ground when they’re closed, which hold them steady and prevent them from being pushed or rattled open.

Together, the handle and the bolts mean the gates stay shut and locked when you want them to, and open easily when you don’t. Real security, with no keypad or app to worry about.

Working Alongside A Bricklayer

These gates were hung on newly built brick piers, and the piers were put up by the customer’s own bricklayer. We’re always happy to work this way. If you’ve got a builder or a groundworker already on site, we’ll coordinate with them so the piers end up in the right place, the right distance apart, and strong enough to carry the weight of the gates for years to come.

Getting that spacing and fixing right is half the job with swing gates. Hang them off piers that aren’t quite square or aren’t strong enough, and you’ll be chasing sagging gates down the line. We measure up carefully so the gates swing true and sit level from day one.

Aluminium Gates

Aluminium is one of the easier materials to live with. It doesn’t rust the way steel can, so you won’t be repainting flaking metal every couple of years, and it shrugs off the wet Sussex weather without much fuss. The anthracite grey finish is a popular choice with our customers because it’s smart, it’s modern, and it works against both brick and render.

The bell-top shape gives the gates a softer line across the top, and the vision bars let a little light and view through rather than boxing the entrance in completely. It’s a look that suits a lot of the homes we work on, and it’s one we can tailor to your property.

The Result

The customer ended up with a pair of gates that do the main job well. The driveway is secure, the entrance looks smarter than the open gap it replaced, and there’s nothing to maintain beyond the odd wipe-down and a check of the bolts and hinges now and then. If those hinges or handles ever need attention down the years, we’re only a phone call away, and our gate servicing and repairs keep everything working as it should.

If you’d like manual aluminium swing gates for your own home, or you’re weighing up manual against automated, we’re happy to have a chat and help you decide what suits. Give us a call on 01825 705160, or drop us a message at info@sussexgateservices.co.uk, and we’ll take it from there. You can also fill out the form on our contact page.

Can I automate these manual aluminium swing gates later?

Yes. Manual aluminium swing gates like these can usually be automated further down the line by adding motors and a control system. It’s worth mentioning at the design stage so we can allow for it, but it’s not something you have to decide on day one.

Do aluminium gates need much looking after?

Very little. Aluminium doesn’t rust, so there’s no repainting of flaking metal. An occasional clean and a quick check of the hinges, handle and drop-bolts is about all these gates ask for.

How do the drop-down bolts work?

They’re simple sliding bolts that drop into the ground, or a small ground socket, when the gates are closed, pinning them in place. They stop the gates being pushed open and hold them steady in the wind.

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