VINYL GATES
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Built Not to Sag
Vinyl Walk and Drive Gates in Metro Detroit
A vinyl gate is only as good as the post it hangs on. We build walk gates and double drive gates on aluminum frames, hang them from steel-stiffened posts in oversized footings, and match them to your fence style and color.
Aluminum-Framed Gates
Steel-Stiffened Gate Posts
Drive Gates to 16ft
Self-Closing Hardware
DIRECT DISPATCH PHONE
Get Your Free Estimate
Quick response guaranteed within 24 hours
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WHY VINYL GATES FAIL
Most Sagging Vinyl Gates Have a Post Problem, Not a Gate Problem
A hollow PVC post bends a little every time the gate swings. After a few winters the latch misses. These are the four things we do differently.
Steel in the Hinge Post
We stiffen every gate post with a steel insert set in the concrete, so the post cannot flex under the gate's weight.
No drift, no dragging
Aluminum Gate Frame
The gate itself is built around an internal aluminum frame. Hinges thread into metal, not into plastic that strips out.
Square for decades
Oversized Footings
Gate posts get wider, deeper concrete than line posts because they carry a cantilevered load every day of the year.
Below the 42″ frost line
Winter Clearance
We set bottom clearance for Michigan snow and frost so gates still swing in February, not just on install day.
Swings in every season
WALK OR DRIVE GATE
Sizing a Gate for What Actually Goes Through It
Start with the widest thing you will move. A 4-foot walk gate is the minimum we recommend for a riding mower path or a wheelbarrow, and 5 feet is better if you also roll a snowblower or garbage cart through. A 3-foot gate is fine for people only. Gates wider than about 5 feet as a single leaf put too much load on one hinge post, so we switch to a double gate.
Double drive gates come in two equal leaves that meet in the middle and lock with a drop rod into a ground sleeve. A 10 to 12 foot pair clears a car or a small trailer, and 14 to 16 feet handles a boat or RV. Each gate matches the panels around it, whether that is full-privacy vinyl or picket and semi-privacy. See every style on our vinyl fencing page.
VINYL GATE SPECS
Walk Gate
Double Drive
Opening Width
Finished clear width
3ft to 5ft
8ft to 16ft
Frame
Inside the vinyl
Aluminum
Heavy aluminum
Hardware
Standard package
Self-close, lockable
Drop rod, latch
Gate Posts
Hinge and latch side
Steel stiffened
Steel, wide footing
Installed Range
Gate and hardware
$500–$1,100
$1,800–$4,500
HOW WE HANG A GATE
Getting the Swing Right the First Time
Gates are planned before the fence line, because the gate post locations decide where everything else lands.
01
Step 1
Plan the Opening
We measure the clear width you need, check driveway slope and swing direction, and confirm the gate will clear grade, steps and snow pile areas.
Swing path checked
Slope under gate measured
Hardware chosen with you
STRUCTURE FIRST
02
Step 2
Posts, Permit & Miss Dig
With the permit filed and Miss Dig 811 utilities marked, we set steel-stiffened gate posts in oversized concrete footings below the frost line and let them cure.
Steel inserts in concrete
Footings below 42″
Cure before hanging
03
Step 3
Hang, Adjust & Demonstrate
Hinges and latches are mounted into the metal frame, tension and gaps are set, drop rod sleeves are cored into the driveway, and we show you how to adjust them.
Even latch-side gap
Drop rod sleeves set
Self-closer tension tuned
Already Have a Sagging Gate?
We can often re-hang it on a new steel-stiffened post. See gate realignment and latch repair.
GATE OPTIONS
Vinyl Gate Styles and Upgrades
Every gate is built from the same product line as your fence so boards, caps and color match exactly.
Privacy Walk Gate
Solid tongue-and-groove gate in 3 to 5 foot widths, matched to 6-foot privacy panels. The most common gate we install.
Lattice or Spindle-Top Gate
Matches lattice or spindle privacy fences, with the top accent carried across the gate.
Picket Walk Gate
Pointed, dog-ear or scalloped picket gate for front walks. A slight arch over the opening is a popular touch.
Double Drive Gate
Two matched leaves on heavy aluminum frames with drop rod and center latch. Openings from 8 to 16 feet.
Pool-Code Gate Hardware
Self-closing hinges and a magnetic latch mounted high on the pool side, for gates in a pool barrier. Local codes vary, so we confirm requirements.
Keyed & Lockable Latches
Two-sided keyed latches or padlockable gravity latches for side yards with valuable equipment or pets.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Vinyl Gate Questions
The answers that keep your gate swinging straight.
Why do vinyl gates sag?
Usually the hinge post is bending, not the gate. A plain hollow PVC post set in a shallow footing flexes under load and heaves in winter. We stiffen gate posts with steel, set them in oversized footings below the frost line and build the gate on an aluminum frame.
How wide can a vinyl gate be?
Single walk gates work well up to about 5 feet. Beyond that we build a double gate, and double drive gates go up to 16 feet of total opening.
Can you add a gate to my existing vinyl fence?
Usually yes. We cut in the opening, replace the adjacent posts with steel-stiffened gate posts in new footings and match the gate to your panels. If your style is discontinued we bring the closest match and show you samples first.
How much does a vinyl drive gate cost?
Most double drive gates land between $1,800 and $4,500 installed, depending on width, style, hardware and whether the driveway needs cores for drop rod sleeves. Walk gates generally run $500 to $1,100.
Will my gate freeze shut in winter?
Frost heave and snow piles are what jam gates. Deep posts stop heave, and we set bottom clearance and swing direction with snow in mind. Clear the latch side after a big storm and the gate will operate.
Do I need a permit for a gate?
A gate is normally part of the overall fence permit. Adding a gate to an already permitted fence often needs no separate permit, but we check with your city before we start.
FREE GATE QUOTE
Request Your Free Vinyl Gate Estimate
Tell us the opening, what needs to fit through it and the fence it attaches to. We will measure and quote the gate, posts and hardware in writing.
PREFER TO CALL DIRECTLY?
Speak directly with our estimating desk for quick questions or emergency repairs.
Steel-stiffened posts on every gate
Matched to your fence style and color
Final adjustment and demonstration on site
Get Your Free Estimate
Quick response guaranteed within 24 hours
Online Booking Open
🔒 Your contact info is strictly confidential. We never sell your data or spam you.