Choice is good, but trying to figure out the best fence option to go with can be frustrating. Personal preferences, project budget and availability can all weigh down on the decision making process when buying a fence. I thought it may be beneficial to put together a list of pros and cons for choosing an aluminum fence and share them with you.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of elegant aluminum casting gate. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
Let’s start with the pros of going with an aluminum fence:
PRO #1 – LITTLE-TO-NO MAINTENANCE
I did not want to throw the ‘maintenance free’ terminology up there since that’s a bit untrue in my opinion. Aluminum still needs to be touched up when its scratched to bare metal. Otherwise, corrosion and pitting will allow more dirt behind the coating around the scratch and make the spot become larger over time. However, unlike iron and steel, you will not see aluminum degrade to the point of the structure being compromised or holes eaten into it.
PRO # 2 – A TIMELESS AND BEAUTIFUL LOOK
Aluminum fence and wrought iron fence share this trait. Aluminum fences have only been around for a few decades, but they were built to mimic the look of wrought iron and steel fences. That metal picket and rail style of fence has been around for well over 200 years at this point and have never really gone out of style. Even the most modern looking home can be accented with an aluminum fence in the proper style.
PRO #3 – A HIGHER END APPEARANCE
A quality aluminum fence and gate gives an air of sophistication and beauty that many other types of fence do not. While fence types like chain link, vinyl and wood do provide a barrier, they are more functional than nice looking. In some instances, those fences can give a lower end look to a home whereas an aluminum fence can compliment and make a house much more attractive with better curb appeal.
PRO #4 – ABILITY TO FOLLOW GRADE
Unlike an iron or steel fence that is welded together solid, the lighter nature of aluminum allows it to be screwed together at the picket and rail junction. That screwed together construction allows the pickets to pivot or rack in the rail so that the pickets remain upright while the horizontal railing racks. This racking action means you can cleanly have an aluminum fence follow the slope and grade of your yard. Different styles and makes of aluminum fence can rack varying amounts, so if you are dealing with a sloped or hilly yard, be sure to ask how far the panels can rack. Our Infinity Aluminum line racks 8-10 inches over each 6ft wide panel.
——-
As with anything in life, there is often a downside to every upside. Here are some of the cons to be aware of when choosing an aluminum fence:
CON #1 – STRENGTH
The lightweight and non-rusting attribute of aluminum is also a bit of a detractor when it comes to strength. While you can have a strong aluminum fence panel, aluminum pickets and rails are inherently easier to bend or mangle than their steel or iron counterparts. The screwed together construction of the aluminum fence that allows for racking also makes for a weaker connection point that allows the aluminum panels to flex more. Its much more important with aluminum that you look closely at the specs and buy your fence accordingly. A light-duty aluminum fence may look nice while new and be a bent and mangled mess after the first year if you have kids rocketing soccer balls into it.
CON #2 – SECURITY
The screwed together construction of an aluminum fence panel is its downfall in terms of high security too. Anyone with a screwdriver can walk up to the fence, undo the screws and lift out enough pickets to simply walk through the fence line. You can mitigate this some by facing the screws inward of the property line, but that still stands a con against the security of aluminum fence since it can be disassembled so easily when installed.
CON #3 – A FRUSTRATING ARRAY OF OPTIONS
While choice and competition is good in most instances, I find it frustrating with aluminum fences. There are so many different makers of aluminum fence on the market now that its very easy to find. However, the quality varies immensely between brands. There are lots of ways to cut corners when making an aluminum fence. Unfortunately, most folks are looking only at style and price when buying an aluminum fence instead of looking at specs and the company’s reputation. Any fence (even a bad one) will look nice when its brand new. The problems that ruin a fence (cheap construction, easily broken, poorly coated, etc) don’t show up until after you’ve ordered the fence and installed it. At that point, it is a little too late to do anything. Having so many different fence makers of aluminum fence makes it tough to cross-shop and determine the quality. The harder it is to find information on the specs, company reputation, ratings of the fence; or the harder it is to find someone knowledgeable to speak with at the company via email or phone; the more likely it is not a quality aluminum fence.
——
I hope these pros and cons of using aluminum fence and gates assists you in your search for a new fence. As always, if you have any other questions or concerns about using aluminum fence and gates, don’t hesitate to drop us an email or give us a call. We’re here to help!
Gates are usually the first thing people see when looking at a house.
This is true for current and prospective homeowners as well as intruders. So what do your gates say about you?
Iron gates give off a sense of security and elegance. Whereas, wooden gates have a lovely rustic feel to them. But these materials come with some big problems. And two of the biggest are maintenance and deterioration.
So join us after the jump for a quick guide about why aluminium gates are top dog.
For now, let’s start simple.
What are Aluminium Gates?
Aluminium gates can be:
Driveway gates
Pedestrian gates
Side entrance gates
Garden gates
made from slats of reinforced aluminium. Aluminium itself is a lightweight, highly functional material. It’s used in everything from cars to planes and even mobile phones!
And aluminium gates are in demand as an alternative to heavy metal and wooden gates. So what is it that’s so great about aluminium gates?
Why Choose Aluminium Gates?
At a glance, you should think about buying aluminium gates because:
Aluminium is
StrongAluminium Gates are
LightweightAluminium is
DurableAluminium Gates are
Reasonably PricedAluminium is
Low MaintenanceAluminium is
Weather-resistantAluminium Gates are Modern and Elegant
Aluminium can offer an attractive alternative to traditional gates. And it’s not just the price tag that’s encouraging consumers. There are a ton of positive aspects to aluminium gates that mean they’re a great long-term investment.
Let’s have a look in more depth at the 7 pros of aluminium gates.
1. Aluminium Gates are Strong
For a start, aluminium gates are deceptively strong. Despite being so lightweight, reinforced aluminium has a high strength to weight ratio.
This means that one of the main reasons for buying heavy wood or metal gates – i.e. strength, doesn’t really hold up. Granted, aluminium isn’t as strong as steel but paired with the other pros on this list, it’s a category killer!
2. Aluminium Gates are Lightweight
We said that it’s light, but just how light?
Well, aluminium is 2.5-3 times lighter than steel and iron! Ok, but what does that mean for your aluminium garden gate?
What is means is you’ll get all the security that an aluminium gate offers as well as it being:
Easier and cheaper
to installdue to handling
Easier and cheaper
to run on an electric motor(and it won’t need an expensive system)
Easier
to openAnd aside from the savings, these all make an aluminium gate safer to operate. This is especially good if you’ve got kids. If they’re jumping out to open driveway gates or retrieving wayward footballs, this is a real must.
Plus, you can pat yourself on the back as well as on the wallet. That’s because a light gate only requires a smaller motor to open it. And that makes for a more economical electronic opener and an eco-friendly solution.
3. Aluminium Gates are Durable
For more custom cast patio furniture china usinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
If you can maintain a garden gate without ever getting a scratch, more’s the power to you!
But for the rest of us, dings and scratches are part and parcel of owning a set of gates. The good news is that aluminium gates and fences are pre-treated with powder coating. This makes them exceptionally durable. And even small nicks and dents can be easily fixed.
Plus, their joints are more likely to perform better over time. Just think about it – with wooden gates you’ll have to treat the wood and the metal joints!
4. Aluminium Gates are Reasonably Priced
With us reeling off all these positives, aluminium gates are starting to sound pricey.
Luckily for you, though, they start at a similar price point to wooden gates. So there isn’t even much of an argument for wooden gates being cheaper.
For example, our BillyOh Nova powder-coated aluminium pedestrian gates start at just £249.
5. Aluminum Gates are Low Maintenance
In number 3, we said that aluminium was durable and easily fixed. But the real winner here is that you might not even have to fix your gates.
For example, you won’t need to re-stain or repaint aluminium gates like you’ll have to with iron and wood. That’s because powder-coating isn’t just for weather resistance. It’s also for style. Paint is fused into the aluminium so maintenance jobs like painting are off the cards!
All you need to do is wash and wipe it every so often. And if you want to learn more about maintaining and caring for your aluminium gates – check out this guide.
6. Aluminium Gates are Weather-resistant
Granted, aluminium isn’t quite as strong as steel. But the powder coating gives aluminium gates anti-corrosion properties. This means that they retain their finish.
Plus, aluminium metal doesn’t become brittle in cold weather. Wooden gates, though, can warp and rot in these kinds of conditions.
So, whether you’re going for a metal driveway gate or a pedestrian gate, you won’t have to do too much maintenance.
Bare aluminium will form a natural oxide layer. This gives it some resistance against corrosion. But by powder-coating an aluminium gate, we can prevent this low level of oxidisation. At the same time, powder-coating creates a seal against water and air exposure.
Powder-coating is where a coating of fine powder is applied to the metal by charging it with an electric current. This then forms into a protective cover that’s resistant to weather and corrosion.
7. Aluminium Gates are Modern and Elegant
And if you’re worried about compromising on design, then we’re here to put your mind at rest.
If you’re set on wooden gates you can even buy imitation wood-stain aluminium gates. But here at GBD, we think that our black powder-coating provides a sleek and modern touch to our gates.
Plus, designs like our Click A garden gate feature a useful see-through slat design. This is great for maintaining security and privacy whilst being able to see who you’re opening your door to.
So there you have it. 7 reasons off the top of our heads why aluminium gates are a great choice!
Aluminium gates come will the pros of iron and wood, like strength and durability. But they feature little to none of the downsides of those types of gates. If you want a modern look with a future proof garden or driveway gate then aluminium’s your best bet!
So before we leave you, let’s just look at why aluminium gates excel in all 7areas no matter where you put them.
Aluminium Driveway Gates
If you’re thinking about adding heavy driveway gates to your property, think again.
The two main reasons people want driveway gates are privacy and security. But you don’t have to have a two-tonne iron gate to keep people out!
Aluminium gates can provide privacy without putting pressure on hinges and electronic openers. Plus, their sleek powder-coated finish can add serious kerbside appeal to your property!
Aluminium Garden Gates
We all want our garden and pedestrian gates to keep our family in and the world out. That’s why you might think about opting for a metal garden gate with a heavy-duty hinge.
But a simple, black powder-coated side gate can still be imposing to intruders. And just think, what if your side entrance is out in the elements? Well, with an aluminium gate you can be sure that it won’t wear and rust in harsh weather.
So whether you want to update to aluminium gates for the price point or the elegant look, you’ll be happy.
Aluminium is a weather-resistant material that’s lightweight and durable. Pair that with powder-coating and you have a new garden gate that’s built for year-round use.
Find the fit for you with an aluminium double driveway gate or a single aluminium side gate. Whatever you pick, you can buy in the confidence that you’re getting a sturdy product. And a product that’s easy to install and maintain!
As for the cons of aluminium gates, we really can’t think of any. Their price point is competitive to that of wooden gates. They offer the strength and security of wrought iron gates. And yet, they’re much longer-lasting and easier to take care of.
So what’re you waiting for? We hope we’ve illuminated aluminium for you.
And if you’re buying aluminium gates to keep pets in check out our top tips for dog-proofing your garden.
Shop Aluminium Gates
FAQs
Want more information on custom cast patio furniture china usa? Feel free to contact us.