What Does Your Gate Weigh and Why Does It Matter?
If you’re installing a gate, there are a few things you need to know, and one of those is how much your gate weighs.
Whether you are going to have a wooden gate, an ornamental cantilever gate or a chain link gate installed, the weight of your gate will affect certain things. Here’s why you always need to know what your gates weigh.
Hinge Carrying Capacity
The first reason why you need to know how much your gate weighs is so that you can be sure you are using the right hinges.
Different hinges have different carrying capacities, which means that they can only carry up to a certain number of pounds or kilograms. If you overload gate hinges, they might fail, which could result in damage to property or injury to people.
Gate Post Design
Gate post design is another process that requires gate weight information. The heavier your gate is, the heavier your gate posts need to be, but also, they might need to be embedded deeper into the ground, and have larger concrete bases to counterbalance the gate weight.
Shipping Costs
The next reason you need to know how much your gate weighs is that it will affect shipping and handling costs. Most shipping companies charge based on weight as well as volume, since their vehicles can only carry up to a certain maximum weight. So the heavier your gate is, the more it’s likely to cost to ship it.
Installation Costs
Another reason why it’s important to know how much your gate weighs is that this can affect installation costs.
Very heavy gates may require equipment like forklifts or other types of construction equipment, which will increase the cost of installation.
Gate Automation
If you plan to automate your gate with a gate motor or gate operator, your gate weight is a big factor in choosing the right equipment.
Gate motors and gate operators come in a huge variety of models and with very different specifications and performance capabilities, and the weight of the gate they have to move is one of the primary factors in choosing the right make, model and style of gate operator.
How to Find Out What Your Gate Weighs
If you are buying a standard size gate from a gate manufacturer, they should have the gate weight for you. Often, it’s listed in the gate catalog or on the quote you receive.
However, many gates are custom made. In that case, be sure to ask the company that gives you a quote on the gate to also give you the weight of the gate and any accessories. They should be able to calculate the weight of the gate based on the components and material types specified for the gate.
