Excellent craftsmanship and very open communication. Will use again.
Why Gates Sag — and How We Build Ones That Don’t
A gate is the hardest-working element on your entire property. A fence panel just stands there. A gate swings, sometimes hundreds of times a month, and every swing hangs its full weight off two hinges bolted to a single post.
Add an automatic operator driving it open and closed on a motor, and the engineering demands climb again. Get the physics wrong and the gate sags, drags, binds, and eventually won’t latch. Get it right and it swings true for a deca at least.
Walker Custom Exteriors designs and builds custom walkthrough and automatic driveway gates for high-end homes across Dallas and North Texas.
The Real Problem: Leverage and Soil, Working Against You
A gate is a lever, and the hinge post is the fulcrum. A twelve-foot driveway gate
cantilevers enormous rotational force onto that post, constantly trying to pull it out of plumb. Now stack North Texas expansive clay underneath it. When that clay swells with
spring rain and shrinks in the summer drought, it heaves and drops the footing, and even a slight tilt at the base becomes a big drop at the latch.
This is exactly why so many driveway gates that look fine on install day are dragging the ground a year later.
The defense is footing engineering most fence crews simply don’t do:
• Oversized, deep hinge-post footings sized for the gate’s leverage, not just picket weight — typically far deeper and wider than a standard line post, poured in properly mixed concrete
• Steel gate posts that won’t twist or flex under the cyclic load the way wood does
• Proper diagonal bracing built into the gate frame itself so the gate stays square and doesn’t rack under its own weight
Automation Done to Spec:
An automatic gate is only as reliable as its weakest connection. We install the operator,
wiring, and safety systems to manufacturer spec so it opens smoothly and, more importantly, stops safely:
• Reliable gate operators matched to the gate’s weight and swing
• Safety sensors (photo-eyes and edge sensors) that reverse the gate if something’s in the path — critical if you have kids, pets, or vehicles
• Access controls — keypads, remotes, and
smartphone control
• Proper electrical run and terminated correctly, not spliced together
A cheap operator on a heavy gate burns out. An operator with no safety sensors is a liability. We size and install the whole system as one engineered unit.
What We Build
• Automatic driveway gates — swing and slide configurations
• Walkthrough and pedestrian gates matched to your fence and architecture
• Steel-framed gates clad in cedar for the look of wood with the backbone of steel
• Ornamental iron gates for a classic, permanent statement
• Gate automation retrofits on existing gates that are structurally sound
Matched to Your Entrance
Your gate is the first thing every guest and delivery sees, and it sets the tone for the
whole property. We design it to complement your fence line and your home’s architecture, not clash with it. Cedar cladding to match your fence, iron detailing to match your home, hardware and finish selected to last in the Texas sun rather than rust out in a season.
Built to Carry the Load
The through-line on everything we build is that we engineer for the actual forces involved. A gate concentrates more stress on fewer connection points than almost anything else we install, so the footings, the frame bracing, the post material, and the automation all have to be specified for that load.
That’s the work. It’s why our gates still latch cleanly years after install, and it’s backed by our 10-year workmanship warranty.
Get Started
Schedule a free consultation. We’ll assess your entrance, your soil, and how you’ll use
the gate day to day, then design an entry that’s secure, automatic, and built to stay
square.
Reviews
Take a look at what your neighbors are saying about us.
Areas We Serve
- Dallas, TX
- Allen, TX
- Plano, TX
- Frisco, TX
- Addison, TX
- Garland, TX
- McKinney, TX
- Prosper, TX
- Rowlett, TX
- Grapevine, TX
- Princeton, TX
- Carrollton, TX
- Lewisville, TX
- Highland Park, TX
- Richardson, TX
- The Colony, TX
- Farmers Branch, TX
- University Park, TX
- Lake Highlands, TX
- Irving, TX