Cantilever Gates

Cantilever gates can be engineered for very wide openings. In standard commercial applications, widths of 6–10 metres are common. For heavy industrial sites — truck depots, port facilities, and mining operations — we have engineered and installed cantilever gates spanning up to 20 metres clear. The key constraint is not the opening width itself, but the available post-side space for the counter-balance tail, which needs to be approximately 30–40% of the clear opening width. A site assessment will confirm whether your property has sufficient tail space.

The general rule for cantilever gate design is that the total gate length — including the counter-balance tail — is approximately 1.3 to 1.4 times the clear opening width. So for a 6-metre clear opening, you would need a total gate run of approximately 8–8.5 metres, meaning around 2–2.5 metres of space is required behind the support post for the counter-balance section. This space must be clear of other structures, vehicles, or fencing. Our site assessment confirms available tail space before we design your gate.

Yes — this is one of the primary reasons cantilever gates are specified over tracked sliding gates. Because the gate does not run on a floor track, the ground slope in the driveway opening is completely irrelevant to the gate’s operation. The roller carriages are mounted at a consistent height on the support post, and the gate travels horizontally regardless of what the ground surface beneath it does. For severe or irregular slopes, we may specify an additional guide post to keep the gate bottom from swinging in wind, but the slope itself presents no issue for the gate mechanism.

Manual cantilever gates require very little maintenance — periodic lubrication of the roller carriage bearings and an annual check of the post fasteners and gate frame is typically sufficient. Automated cantilever gates require more attention: we recommend an annual service covering motor lubrication, rack-and-pinion gear inspection, control board diagnostics, remote and access credential verification, photocell alignment, safety edge testing, and battery backup testing if fitted. Pentagon Fencing & Gates offers annual maintenance contracts for all automated gate installations across Melbourne.

AS/NZS 5007 — the Australian and New Zealand Standard for the installation of powered vehicle access gates — is the primary standard governing automated gate installation in Australia. It covers force limitations to prevent entrapment injuries, mandatory safety device requirements (photocells, safety edges), warning device specifications, and operational requirements. All automated gate installations carried out by Pentagon Fencing & Gates comply with AS/NZS 5007, and we provide a signed certificate of compliance with every automated gate project.

For a standard commercial cantilever gate installation — gate, post, and manual operation — most projects are completed in one day on site. Automated installations with access control integration typically take one to two days, depending on the complexity of the access control system and any associated civil or electrical works. Custom fabricated gates require a lead time of 7–14 business days from order confirmation to site installation. We confirm a specific timeline with every project so you can plan around the installation.

In many cases, yes. We assess existing cantilever gates for automation suitability by checking the gate weight, structural integrity, post condition, and available space for motor mounting and rack installation. If the existing gate structure is sound and the opening geometry is suitable, retrofitting a rack-and-pinion motor system is often straightforward and significantly cheaper than replacing the entire gate. We will advise honestly if a gate replacement is the better long-term option.