Driveway Gates: To Attach Or Not To Attach, That Is The Question
A driveway gate does not have to be part of a continuous fence surrounding your home to be beautiful and serve its purpose.
Believe it or not, an aluminum driveway gate does not actually have to be attached to aluminum fence panels! While having a matching fence and driveway entrance is often preferred, there are actually a few different ways for a driveway gate to be sturdy and beautiful while still doing the job, whether it is attached to a fence or not!
The purpose of the driveway gate
Driveways come in many different lengths, shapes and terrains. Depending on where your driveway sits on your land, you might find a gate necessary at the beginning of the driveway nearest to the street or closer to the parking bay. The latter is mostly for long driveways on large plots of lands, such as farms.
Most often, a driveway gate closes the gap left by your fence at the driveway. This serves a few purposes, one of which is improving the aesthetics of the front of the house. The concept of curb appeal is often thrown around in the real estate market world because the look of a house from the outside can really help a prospective buyer decide if they are willing to buy or not. The polished look that a driveway gate gives ties the whole space together, creating a grand entrance to your property.
Having a gate sets your home and land apart from surrounding public space. Not only does it delineate your land, but it also adds a first layer of security to your property. Having the extra protection of a driveway gate deters thieves because it is too much of a hassle to penetrate a strong aluminum gate.
Attachment issues
If you already have a beautiful aluminum fence, you can easily add a similarly designed aluminum gate to the area where cars enter the property. While this is a best-case scenario because a matching fence and gate certainly go together decor-wise, there are other ways a gate can be beautiful and purposeful even without the fence there.
If you don’t have the type of property where it’s feasible to have aluminum fence panels that are attached to an aluminum gate, don’t worry. Having just a small stone wall on either side of the gate can be just as practical and gives it a completely different look. You could also use greenery to frame the gate, placing tall shrubs or trees in rows as natural fence running from either end of the gate. If it works for your property, you can even have the gate stand on its own, becoming a sort of centerpiece for your front yard.
If you do decide to have your driveway gate be the star of the front yard, representing your home unattached to a fence, you may find that adding some extra personality to the gate itself can give it an extra boost. A shiny modern finish or a color complementary to the exterior of your home adds a little pizzazz and makes a statement.
If you already have aluminum fence panels and are planning to add a matching gate as an entry point, it is hard to go wrong. Just keep in mind that there are other ways to create a cohesive and attractive boundary to your property. You sometimes need to think outside of the box—or on the other side of the fence!