Chain Link Gates: Man Gates, Swing and Rolling Gates, With Sizes and Cost

A chain link gate can be built several ways, and each choice changes the price. A man gate is usually 3 to 4 feet wide, swing gates can be built with one or two leaves, and a rolling gate can run on a track mounted to the fence or on a track set in concrete. The leaf can carry slats or barbed wire, and its fabric can have a vinyl coating to match the fence beside it. The frame and gate posts are sized to the leaf and the height of the fence. This post explains each of those options, how an existing gate can be modified, and what a chain link gate costs.

How wide is a chain link man gate?

A chain link man gate is usually 3 to 4 feet wide and as tall as the fence it sits in. We hang the gate on hinges and fit a fork latch that accepts a padlock supplied by the owner.

Self-closing hinges can be welded onto any man gate, allowing it to close by itself. We prefer the Locinox Mammoth 180, which combines a hydraulic gate closer and hinge in one unit. We use this type of hardware on projects such as schools and government facilities.

A man gate that serves as an exit can also carry a panic bar.

What does an accessible chain link man gate require?

A man gate that is part of an accessible route must meet the applicable requirements of California Building Code Chapter 11B.

The gate opening must provide at least 32 inches of clear width, measured between the face of the gate and the stop with the gate open 90 degrees. An opening more than 24 inches deep must provide 36 inches of clear width. On a double swing gate, at least one active leaf must provide the required clear opening.

The ground beside the gate must provide the required maneuvering clearance for the direction of approach and the direction the gate opens. The required clearance includes space across the full width of the opening and additional space at the latch or hinge side. The dimensions depend on how a person approaches and operates the gate. The ground in this area cannot have changes in level or slopes steeper than 1:48.

The latch and other operating hardware must be 34 to 44 inches above the ground. A person must be able to operate the hardware with one hand, without tight grasping, pinching or twisting the wrist.

When a gate has a hydraulic closer, it must take at least 5 seconds to move from 90 degrees open to 12 degrees from the latch. Spring hinges must take at least 1.5 seconds to close from 70 degrees.

The push side of a swinging gate must have a smooth surface across its full width within the bottom 10 inches above the ground. We can attach a metal plate to the chain link in this area to provide the smooth surface. The plate and its joints must be flush, and its edges must be free of sharp or abrasive surfaces.

How are single and double swing gates built?

We build single swing gates with one leaf and double swing gates with two leaves. Each leaf hangs on hinges attached to a gate post.

A double swing gate is typically 12 to 24 feet wide. A drop rod or cane bolt at the center holds the leaves in place, and a fork latch locks the gate. We can also use Locinox Mammoth hinges on swing gates.

What does a rolling gate roll on?

A chain link rolling gate can run on a pipe track mounted to the fence or on a V-track anchored in concrete.

The pipe track mounts on the fence, so the gate rolls along the fence. The gate rides on V-groove wheels along the track. Concrete can be poured along the path where the gate rolls back. The rolling gate also gets guide rollers and a latch.

Can the gate have slats, barbed wire or a vinyl coating?

Yes. We build the gate leaf to match the fence beside it. On a slatted chain link fence, the leaf gets the same slats. When the fence carries barbed wire, the wire can also run across the top of the gate leaf.

On a vinyl-coated chain link fence, the gate gets fabric in the same color as the fence. On a black fence, that means black vinyl-coated fabric on a black powder-coated frame.

What size are the frame and the gate posts?

We usually build chain link gate frames from 1-5/8 inch Schedule 40 galvanized pipe.

A gate post carries the full weight of the leaf, so it is larger than the line posts in the fence. Its size depends on the width of the leaf and the height of the fence.

The Chain Link Fence Manufacturers Institute guide for specifying chain link fence and gates sizes swing gate posts under ASTM F900. Our chain link swing gate posts follow these sizes, given as the outside diameter of the pipe.

Each gate post is set in a concrete footing. In asphalt or concrete, we break out the surface before setting the post. On an existing slab, we can also mount the post on a base plate bolted to the slab.

Can an existing chain link gate be modified?

Yes. We can modify an existing gate to fit a different opening when its parts can be reused.

A damaged leaf can be replaced with a new leaf built to match the original, using the same fabric and the same slats or barbed wire when the old leaf has them.

A bent or broken gate post can also be replaced, and we can rehang the existing leaf on the new post.

We can widen an opening by cutting down the existing leaf, rehanging it, and adding a second leaf to make a double swing gate.

What does a chain link gate cost?

The width, gate type, hardware and what the leaf carries set the price.

What do we need to price it?

Send us the following information about the new gate:

• The opening width and fence height.
• If the gate needs to be single swing, double swing or rolling.
• The ground at the gate: dirt, asphalt or concrete.
• If the fence has slats, barbed wire or a vinyl coating.
• If the gate needs a padlock latch, self-closing hinges or a panic bar.
• Photos of the opening.