Your building site’s entrance should not be an invitation to steal or vandalise. Moreover, your entrance should not cause frustration in the drivers of arriving and departing construction vehicles. An entrance to your building site should impress on authorised visitors to treat the terrain with respect. So, how do you make an obstacle-free and burglar-proof entrance that suits your building site? This blog provides insight into the pros and cons of purchasing a sliding gate, sliding mobile fence, or a swing gate.
Types of sliding gates and swing gates
1. Double swing gate
This is the most common and economical way of creating an entrance. A double swing gate matches its name and has two mobile fences. This type of entrance is used for short-term construction projects with a minimum risk of theft. You simply connect this fence to the existing fencing.
This choice is very dependent on the risk profile of your building site.
2. Sliding mobile fence
This type of entrance is the most commonly used after swing gates. The gate has one or two robust mobile fences that can be slid toward each other. One or two mobile fences are used depending on the desired thoroughfare. These gates are often secured with a padlock. A sliding mobile fence is often used when other solutions cannot be used, such as a hinged swing sliding gate. It makes it easy for everyone to easily enter and leave, including at the end of the workday. However, it does not prevent theft and requires manual actions to open and close the gate. Sliding mobile fences are most often purchased for short-term projects with a low risk of theft.
3. (Electric) sliding gate
A sliding gate is a quality solution, which makes it more expensive to purchase. However, a sliding gate does have a lot of advantages. A sliding gate has a concrete base, a slab, and is as solid as a house. Once connected to electricity, the sliding gate is easily remotely operated by a contractor and/or porter. And, it can be easily and securely closed after working hours. When no longer needed, a sliding gate can be hoisted in its entirety and transported to the subsequent building site. A sliding gate is purchased or rented for long-term expensive construction projects (i.e. materials prone to theft), such as residential construction projects.
4. Barred swing gate
The barred swing gate is an alternative to the electric sliding gate. A barred swing gate has two gate leaves with a small turning circle and is easy to install between an existing fencing line. Compared to a sliding gate, a barred swing gate is a more economical solution because it is not operated electrically and has a (small) turning circle. You would purchase a barred swing gate for a long-term building site that is prone to theft. The difference compared to a sliding gate is that it is particularly easy to use. This type of swing gate is robust and very suited for long-term use. The spikes mounted on top deters undesirables. You can securely close off your terrain after working hours using an integrated solid lock.
Your choice depends on the type of building site and how prone it is to theft
As stated above, the choice is dependent on how prone the building site is to theft, the type of materials at the building site, arriving and departing construction traffic, the duration of your construction project. The requirements here partly determine the advice (and, thus, costs) on purchasing the fencing, such as a sliding gate for the entrance. Above all, the design of your entrance must be practically and financially feasible. Make sure you make a well-considered decision because your personal choice lasts years.
