Choosing the Right Style Privacy Gate for Your Driveway and Fence

When homeowners ask us about installing a privacy gate for their driveway, they usually want three things: security, durability, and curb appeal. At Thrive Fencing, we’ve installed hundreds of residential fence gates across central Iowa, and we’ve learned that the right gate depends on how you’ll use it.

We help you find a driveway gate that looks great in your home’s architecture while keeping your children, grandkids, and dogs safe. We will help you consider everything from material choices to automated entry options. The same basic considerations apply if you’re looking for a simple wood gate or a fully automated security system.

Choosing the Right Materials for Your Privacy Fence Gate

Wood Privacy Gates

We can build entirely with wood materials for residential privacy gates up to 5 feet wide per leaf (or a 10-foot double gate). Beyond that size, we recommend a steel frame with wood covering for added durability. Micah Taintor of Thrive Fencing explains, “We can build a wood fence swing gate entirely out of wood, up to about five feet wide per single leaf, or a 10-foot double gate out of only wood materials. If we go any bigger than that, we would build a steel frame and attach wood to it.”

Vinyl and Aluminum Options

For a low-maintenance solution, vinyl fence panels offer durability without the need for staining or painting. Aluminum gates provide another excellent option, especially for wider openings where weight becomes a factor.

Custom Combinations

Here’s a great example of how we can combine materials for both strength and style. We recently did a project where the homeowner couldn’t use a swing gate because they had a pergola in the way and couldn’t swing into the alley. The solution? A 12-foot opening sliding gate design.

“So they could drive through the alley, 12-foot opening plus six feet for the counterbalance plus an extra foot. So the total gate leaf, the single gate is about 19 feet long,” Micah explains. “And that way, they can slide back and forth. They’re not swinging into the alley. They’re not swinging into their pergola. It was a great, great fit. And then so we had his chain link gate on rollers. We installed chain link posts, then horizontal boards on the gate, and then put our vertical pickets into the horizontal boards.”

This custom solution shows how we can combine the structural strength of a chain link with the privacy and aesthetics of a traditional wood fence gate.

Style and Design Options That Work for Your Home

Swing vs. Sliding Gates for Driveways

Your available space often determines which gate style works best. “Most people at their houses don’t need a 40-foot gate. At most, they need 10 feet so they can drive a car into their backyard or maybe park their camper,” Micah notes. For these standard residential openings, swing gates usually make the most sense.

Size and Height Considerations

When choosing your gate size, think about:

• Vehicle clearance needs
• Available space for operation
• Future access requirements (like delivering a prefabricated shed)
• Property proportions

Security Features and Automation

Gate Operation Options

Both swing and sliding gates can be automated with:

• Remote controls
• Keypad entry
• Smartphone operation
• Video intercom systems

“For a business, they may want to have it where they can control access,” Micah points out. “Someone can be back in the office, and they can talk to the customer through an intercom or video, see who’s out there, and then open it.”

Enhanced Security Features & Access Control Options

Modern driveway gates can include:

• Security cameras
• Intercom systems with video
• Multiple access methods:
  • Key fobs
  • PIN codes
  • Smartphone controls
  • Remote operation

“In a residence scenario,” Micah explains, “it’s a convenience thing where they drive up, typically to a private drive. They can operate with their phone, a pin pad, or a button.”