Security Gate Installation

Every fence has a gate, and on most fences the gate is the easiest way through. A security gate turns that around. It is taller and heavier than a standard gate, built from steel that does not bend or cut quickly, hung on posts that cannot be pushed over, and locked with hardware that cannot be reached or lifted from the outside. We build security gates for homes on acreage, lake houses that sit empty for weeks, storage and equipment yards, churches, and businesses around Polk and San Jacinto County, usually with an opener and keypad so the owner does not have to get out of the truck.

What we build into a security gate

• Height. Six to eight feet for commercial and storage yards; tall ornamental for residential entrances. No horizontal rails on the outside face to use as a ladder.
• Heavy steel frame with close-spaced pickets, solid panel, or welded mesh infill. Welded, not bolted together.
• Posts that cannot be pushed. Steel pipe set deep in oversized footings, with the hinge side built to take a hit.
• Hinges that cannot be lifted. Weld-on hinges with the gate pinned or capped so it cannot be lifted off.
• Locking hardware inside the gate: shielded padlock hasps, electric locks or opener-controlled locking, out of reach from the road side.
• Access control. Keypads, remotes, exit sensors and a safe opener sized to the gate's weight. See gate openers.

Residential security gates

At a home the answer is usually a tall ornamental gate in a close-picket style, with an opener, keypad and remotes, paired with an ornamental or privacy fence that matches its height. On acreage, a heavy tube gate on pipe posts with a keypad does the job without looking out of place on a ranch. Lake houses that stand empty often add a security gate at the road and lighting at the entrance.

Commercial security gates

Storage yards, contractors' lots, churches and businesses get taller gates in chain link with privacy slats, R-panel, or welded mesh, sized for trucks and trailers, usually as slide gates where the opening is wide or the drive rises behind the gate. Openers with keypads and exit loops let employees in and out without keys. Commercial fencing covers the fence that goes with it, and dumpster enclosures get their own heavy gates.

The fence has to match

A security gate in a four-foot fence is a door with no wall. We look at the whole perimeter with you, including the fence height, the places a vehicle could push through, and the gaps at the ends of the fence, and build the gate as part of a boundary that actually holds.

What affects the price of a security gate

Height, weight and the opener. A tall, heavy gate needs big posts and deep footings; a slide gate needs a track and a run of fence to park along. Openers for heavy gates cost more than residential units, and keypads, exit loops, battery backup and solar add lines. Welded infill in R-panel or mesh costs more than bars. We give a line-item estimate so you can see where the money is and decide what the site actually needs.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a gate a security gate?

Height, weight and the way it latches. A security gate is tall enough that it is not casually climbed, built heavy enough that it is not pushed or cut through quickly, and locked with hardware that cannot be reached or lifted from outside. Access control, a keypad or a remote, is usually part of it.

Do you install keypads and intercoms?

We install keypads, remotes, exit sensors and the opener that drives the gate. Intercom and camera systems come from your security or low-voltage installer; we coordinate the gate so they work together.

Can a security gate still look good?

Yes. Ornamental steel in a close-picket, tall style is the common answer for a home. For a business, solid R-panel or close-barred steel reads as serious without looking like a prison.