A sliding motor is an opener that uses a cog and teeth action attached to the gate to open it in the preferred direction. It needs to be combined with a guide track, roller guides, or a cantilever device to get it to open in the desired direction.
When choosing a sliding motor opener, you need to think amount the motor’s power. The bigger the gate the more power is needed on the motor to ensure it opens at the necessary distance, with heavier weight putting more strain on the opener.
PROS
- Compact installation – A big plus to a sliding gate is that it leaves more room on your drive for your car
- Sliding gates can be seen to offer more as they are harder to force open and they may also appear to be more secure so act as a deterrent.
- More suitable for wide openings
- Often give a more contemporary look
CONS
- Need space to the side of the gate. Sliding gates need space for the gate to slide open sideways either left or right, depending on the space available. The space that the gate will need to slide open is the same width of the gate plus a third. The gate will usually slide along the boundary fence or wall.
- You will need to fit a track across the ground which will need maintenance and to be kept clean. Unless you choose a cantilever gate which doesn’t require a ground track.
- Can be noisier than swing gates
