A DIY driveway gate can add security to your property and increase your home value. The gates can be automatic, or they can be manual. You can adapt almost every gate idea here for both settings. 

If you decide to build an automatic gate, there are plenty of solar-powered options that can save you money. Read on to find the perfect DIY driveway gate for your style and property.

What's In This Article

If you are looking for a beautiful gate that adds a unique flair to every house, wrought iron gates might achieve your desired result (1). These gates can be as straightforward or as intricate as you want them, all the way down to your gate post design.

Cedar is a beautiful option for a driveway gate. When you combine it with steel, you help reinforce the whole design for a little less money. It still has an elegant look, but it is easier to maintain.

You can use a wide range of gate materials for a dual swing gate. Take your pick from wood, metal, chainlink, or vinyl gates.

Just remember to keep in mind that the material you choose will likely have a large effect your automatic driveway gate’s cost. However, for those looking to create a more dramatic effect, a dual swing motion gate can do wonders.

Combining different materials when you build a driveway gate can allow you to create incredible one-of-a-kind designs. You can pick from premade gate layouts, or use your DIY skills to create unique decorations. It’s a fun way to make a gate that is all yours.

A DIY driveway gate with solar-powered automation is defined more by the automatic feature than the gate material. You can use any style of gate with this motor.

Solar power is a reliable and efficient way to keep your property secure and accessible to you and your visitors.

You can pick from any of these great solar gate openers to make this style work. 

With an archtop-style wooden gate, you combine wood panels to build a driveway gate that’s very intricate in appearance. The type of wood will dictate how weather-resistant your gate is, but the options with these gates are endless. When selecting wood for your gate, always keep in mind the species and decay resistance (2)

Some wood species have evolved to produce extractive compounds that can protect the wood; these are the principal source of decay resistance in all species.

On top of that, you can even alternate color and treatment so that you see the differences with your gate in a more pronounced way.

Chain link gates are lightweight, durable, and easy to install. They are very practical, but they are not always the best-looking options. If you are looking for utility, this material can be very versatile.

Aluminum is known for being a lightweight metal, so this makes it great for DIY driveway gates. They’re inexpensive, and they allow you to have the strength of a metal gate, but with much less weight to worry about.

PVC pipe is a very economical option when building a driveway gate. For the price, these gates are also extremely durable and the preferred choice of material for many products (3).

PVC is resistant to weathering, chemical rotting, corrosion, shock and abrasion. It is therefore the preferred choice for many different long-life and outdoor products.

In addition, maintenance on these gates is pretty easy as well. You can quickly replace broken pieces like gate posts, gate hardware, and hinges.

Cantilever sliding driveway gates can be made out of many different materials. It’s a style of gate that rolls on wheels in the corner. The opening motion can use a lot less space with this driveway gate if that’s a concern.

Plus, you can find alternative energy sources to power this type of gate, just like in the video below, here at Energy Center of the World.

This gate uses magnets and gravity to create a self-closing result. It will work with any gate design that uses metal. 

Self-closing driveway gates are a handy way to protect your privacy and enhance home security.

Though there are other options for self-closing driveway gates, these gates prove to be a useful and cost-effective solution.

Lattice can help a driveway gate look complex and elegant, and it is pretty easy to install for your project. Premade lattice makes this design much more manageable. However, if you want to, you can create the lattice yourself (4).

Composite wood puts together wood, plastic, and binding agents to form a product that’s marketed as being low-maintenance, and having high-durability (5). While these claims are still being contested years later, they still provide an inexpensive and stylish material option for a DIY driveway gate.

With this gate, you can automatically use your driveway gate when you are moving a big thing like your car, but if you are only walking out of your driveway, you have the option to use the much smaller pedestrian gate.

Double vinyl driveway gates are relatively inexpensive and usually quite easy to install. This type of gate is lightweight, but still able to hold up to most conditions.

Usually, your driveway gate should open towards your property.

However, that’s not a hard rule as every property has its unique challenges. Ultimately, driveway gates can open in both directions as long as it doesn’t disrupt traffic and it’s safe.

It takes approximately two to five hours for a professional to install a driveway gate.

If you put the gate in yourself and you’re not professionally trained, the time will hinge on how comfortable you are with the task, and if you have all your gate hardware and materials. For a step-by-step example of the process, check out our guide on how to install a solar-powered gate opener.

Building a driveway gate costs anywhere from $4,000-$8,000 in most cases (6). However, it will all depend on the materials you use. A PVC driveway gate, metal driveway gate, and wooden driveway gate will all vary significantly in price.

Dara Brant is the Managing Editor at Green Building Elements. Prior to joining us she covered alternative energy news and local developments at Your Energy Blog. Dara has a passion for sustainable living and wants to do more than her fair share to help build a better tomorrow for future generations. You can connect with Dara on LinkedIn.

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