When there is no side room and no room for a track either
The leaf rotates up and out of the drive instead of sliding sideways, so the only space the gate needs is the air above it.
- Typical opening
- 10–30 ft
- Side room
- None required
- Cycle speed
- Fast
How it works on a commercial site
Vertical pivot is the gate for the site that has no good options. A loading dock hemmed in by building on both sides. A yard where the fence line turns a corner immediately past the opening. Anywhere a cantilever tail simply will not fit.
It is also fast. Because the leaf is counterbalanced and travels through an arc rather than a long horizontal run, cycle times are short, which matters when the gate sees heavy traffic. The cost is overhead clearance: the open leaf stands roughly as tall as the opening is wide, so we check for power lines, canopies, and building overhang before we recommend it.
- Needs no side room at all — the only gate that does not
- No ground track to clear of snow, sand, or debris
- Fast cycle times for high-traffic openings
- Works on grades that defeat swing and roller gates
- Overhead clearance checked at survey
Typical working range
| Clear opening | 10 ft to 30 ft |
|---|---|
| Side room required | None |
| Overhead clearance | Approximately equal to the clear opening width |
| Grade tolerance | Tolerant — the leaf leaves the drive immediately |
| Infill | Welded mesh, ornamental picket, or crash-rated panel |
| Operator class | UL 325 Class III or Class IV |
| Typical cycle rate | High — suited to heavy daily traffic |
| Frost footings | Below 48 in. in most of our service area |
Overhead clearance is the constraint that decides this gate. Power lines, canopies, low branches, and building overhang all need checking before the type is confirmed.
Common questions
How much overhead room does a vertical pivot gate need?
Roughly as much height as the opening is wide, because the leaf stands close to vertical when open. A 16 ft opening wants about 16 ft of clear air. We check for power lines and canopies at the survey.
Is a vertical pivot gate more expensive than a slide gate?
Usually yes on hardware, and often less on civils, because there is no long run of footings for a counterbalance tail. On a tight site it can come out cheaper overall. We price both where the site allows a choice.
Can it be crash rated?
Vertical pivot is available in crash-rated configurations for sites that need certified vehicle mitigation. That is a different specification and a different budget, so tell us up front if a rating is required.
Need a gate that holds up to commercial duty?
We survey the opening, size the operator to the leaf, and hand you a written scope you can put out to bid.
Request a site survey
Send the opening width, the traffic it sees, and what the site has to do. Prefer to talk now? Ring (617) 501-7139 and you’ll reach a person, not a phone tree.
- No cost, no obligation, no pressure
- Written scope you can put out to bid or hand to a GC
- Most replies inside one business day