Swing Gate Installation in the Bay Area
We design, fabricate, and automate swing gates for Bay Area driveways and entrances, single leaf and dual leaf, hung on steel posts or masonry columns. One licensed crew handles the gate, the footings and conduit, the operator, and the safety devices, then sets the leaves so they close level.
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A swing gate is a driveway gate hung on hinges that opens by rotating through an arc, either as one leaf or as two leaves meeting in the middle. It needs a clear arc behind it, a post or column strong enough to carry the leaf, and an operator matched to that leaf. It is the most common gate on Bay Area driveways.
This page covers the swing gate itself: how leaves are split, which way they open, what slope does to the arc, and which operator suits which gate. For the wider picture see automatic gate installation, and if a swinging leaf will not clear your driveway, read sliding gates instead.
Sources: UL 325, Standard for Safety for Door, Drapery, Gate, Louver, and Window Operators and Systems · ASTM F2200, Automated Vehicular Gate Construction.
Ways a swing gate gets built
The same entrance can be built six ways. Here is how each behaves, and the projects where we used it.
Single leaf
One leaf, one hinge side, one operator. Suited to driveways up to around 16 feet where the leaf can swing back along the fence line.
Custom design
Dual leaf
Two leaves meeting in the middle, each half the length. Shorter arcs, lighter leaves, less strain on hinges and posts, one operator per leaf.
See the project
In-swing and out-swing
Almost every gate we build swings inward. An out-swinging leaf sweeps the sidewalk or the road, which most cities do not allow.
Installation hub
Sloped and uphill
On a rising driveway the leaf catches the ground partway through its arc. We fix that with ground clearance, hinge geometry, a raked bottom rail, or rising hinges.
See the project
Column mounted
Hung off masonry or stone columns instead of steel posts. The hinge sits behind the column face, so the gate needs an articulated or underground operator rather than a straight arm.
See the project
Pedestrian companion gate
A matching walk-in gate beside the driveway gate, so nobody walks through a moving vehicle gate. Usually 3 to 5 feet, with its own keypad or intercom release.
See the projectOne leaf or two? We measure the opening and tell you on the free visit.
Leaf width and the space behind the gate
A swing gate is limited by leaf length, not by the width of the opening.
| Opening | Usual build | Clear arc needed behind the gate |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 12 ft | Single leaf | About 12 ft |
| 12 to 16 ft | Single leaf, or dual for a shorter arc | About 16 ft, or 8 ft per leaf |
| 16 to 24 ft | Dual leaf | About 8 to 12 ft per leaf |
| 24 ft and wider | Dual leaf, or a slide gate | 12 ft or more per leaf |
| Walk-in access | Pedestrian gate, 3 to 5 ft | 3 to 5 ft |
These are the widths we build most often, not fixed limits, and solid infill is held shorter than open picket. We confirm every dimension against the measured opening before fabrication. See the full range of driveway gates.
What we build swing leaves from
Iron, steel, and wood over steel, welded and finished in our shop, then hung on site.
Wrought iron and steel
Picket, grid, and panel leaves, welded and powder coated. Open infill cuts wind load, so a longer leaf still hangs well. See wrought iron gates.
Wood over a steel frame
Cedar, Ipe, or mixed hardwood on a concealed steel frame, so the leaf keeps its shape. Solid wood is heavier, so leaf length is held tighter.
Fully custom design
Drawn around your entrance and your house, with mixed materials and matching side panels. See custom gate design.
Posts, hinges, and finish
Steel posts on concrete footings, or columns with the hinge plate set in. Heavy duty hinges sized to the leaf, then powder coat or stain.
Operators for a swing gate
The operator is matched to the leaf, the mounting, and the cycle count. Not the other way round.
Linear arm operators
The common residential choice on post-mounted leaves. The LiftMaster LA500 is the unit we fit most often, one per leaf on a dual gate.
Articulated and rotary arm
For leaves on masonry columns, where a straight arm cannot reach the hinge. We have used the LiftMaster CSW24UL on estate columns.
Underground and hydraulic
Buried at the pivot so nothing shows, or hydraulic where the leaf is heavy. See our FAAC and Viking pages.
Battery backup and solar
Battery backup keeps the gate working through an outage. Where trenching power is impractical, a solar gate system runs the operator instead.
Compare every operator on the gate openers page, or the LiftMaster page for the models used on most Bay Area swing gates. Keypads, intercoms, and remote entry are covered under access control.
What makes a swing gate safe
A swinging leaf has hazard zones a slide gate does not: the closing edge and the pinch point behind the hinge.
Photo eyes both ways
Sensors cover the closing path and the opening path. A swing leaf can trap someone behind it as it opens, so the closing side alone is not enough.
Monitored devices, UL 325
Modern operators monitor their entrapment devices, so a failed or disconnected sensor stops the gate instead of being ignored. That monitoring is part of UL 325.
Force and travel limits
We set force and travel limits to the leaf so the gate reverses on contact, then test it rather than trust the factory setting.
Structure and reach-through
ASTM F2200 addresses gate construction, including reaching through the gate to the controls. Infill spacing and hardware placement follow from it.
When a sliding gate is the better gate
A swing gate is not always right, and we would rather say so at the estimate than after the footings are poured.
Choose a sliding gate when there is no clear arc behind the opening, when the driveway climbs steeply away from the road, when cars must stop close to the gate, or when the leaves would be too long to hang straight. A track or cantilever gate travels sideways along the fence line and needs no arc at all.
- No clear space behind the gate for the arc
- Driveway rises sharply just inside the gate
- Cars must stop tight to the gate on a busy street
- Very wide opening with no room for two long leaves
- Cars parked or turning inside the swing path
- High cycle commercial or HOA entrance
Compare both on our sliding gates page, or see how they fit a wider project on automatic driveway gates.
How a swing gate installation runs
Six stages, one crew, and a written quote before anything is welded.
Site measurement and swing test
We measure the opening, the grade across the swing arc, the posts or columns, and the power, then confirm how far back the leaves travel.
Design and written quote
You get a leaf layout, single or dual, with the material, the hinge and post detail, the operator, and the safety devices, itemized.
Fabrication and code check
The gate is welded and finished while we confirm the height, setback, and electrical permit rules for your address.
Posts, footings, and power
We set the posts or prepare the columns, pour the footings, and run conduit and low voltage cable to the operator.
Hang, automate, and align
The leaves are hung, plumbed, and stopped so they meet clean and close level, then each operator is mounted and programmed.
Safety test and handover
We set force and travel limits, test the photo eyes and auto reverse to UL 325, program the remotes, and walk you through it.
Why Bay Area owners have us hang the gate
Fabrication, footings, automation, and entry handled by one licensed contractor.
- Licensed CA contractor #1060180, fully insured
- Leaves welded and finished in our own shop
- Swing arc and grade measured before design
- Operators sized to the leaf, not to a price list
- Photo eyes installed and tested to UL 325
- Access control programmed on the same job
- Local height and setback code checked first
- The same crew services the gate afterwards
Talk to a licensed installer about your entrance.
Swing gates we built across the Bay Area
Real projects, with the leaf layout, the operators, and the problem each one solved.
Cedar dual swing on a sloped driveway
Two cedar leaves on a black steel frame, two LiftMaster LA500 operators and a monitored photo eye, built around a rising driveway.
View the project
Column mounted with hidden operators
Cedar on both faces over a concealed steel frame, with two LiftMaster CSW24UL operators hidden inside the masonry columns.
View the project
Horizontal slat dual swing
Two LiftMaster LA500 operators, a vehicle exit loop, and a matching pedestrian gate.
View the project
Steel grid dual swing
Vertical pickets with a square grid upper detail and matching steel side panels.
View the projectMore swing gates: the Atherton acrylic and steel gate and the Emerald Hills Ipe gate.
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What our customers say
Automatic Gate Masters installed a pedestrian gate at our commercial property in San Francisco, and we couldn't be happier. Matt managed the project professionally.
They replaced my old gate with a beautiful, secure one. The workmanship is excellent, and customer service was top-notch from start to finish.
Automatic Gate Masters installed three new gates for us, and the workmanship is outstanding. The gates are both beautiful and secure, giving us peace of mind.
More from Automatic Gate Masters
Everything around the gate, handled in-house.
Sliding Gates
Track and cantilever slide gates for tight, sloped, or very wide entrances.
Learn more
Gate Openers & Automation
New operators, upgrades, remotes, and app control for any gate.
Learn moreWrought Iron Gates
Picket, grid, and ornamental iron leaves, welded and powder coated.
Learn more
Gate Repair
Sagging leaves, worn hinges, failed operators, and sensors put right.
Learn moreSwing gate installation across the Bay Area
Start with your county, or go straight to your city installation page.
City installation pages
Automatic Gate Masters & Garage Doors · 877 S Winchester Blvd #350, San Jose, CA 95128 · (650) 560-4646
Swing gate FAQ
Should my gate swing in or out?
Can a swing gate work on a sloped or uphill driveway?
Which operator suits a swing gate?
When is a sliding gate the better choice?
Do swing gates need photo eyes?
Do I need a permit for a swing gate in the Bay Area?
Ready to put a swing gate on your driveway?
Tell us about the opening and we will measure the arc, the grade, and the posts, then send an itemized written quote. No obligation.