Automation & Access
Push a button, drive on through. No hopping out in the rain on 635.
An automatic gate is two things bolted together: a gate that's built square and heavy enough to last, and an operator sized right for the job. Get one wrong and you'll be calling somebody out every spring. We build both sides of it in-house across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex — Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, Arlington and everywhere in between.
Most of the automatic gates we get called out to replace didn't fail because the motor was cheap. They failed because the posts moved. North Texas clay swells and shrinks with every drought and every gully washer, and a gate post that isn't set deep in concrete will rack the frame until the operator can't hold alignment. We set steel posts in concrete footings, weld square frames, and only then talk about automation.
A 16-foot double-drive gate in cedar with a steel frame moves a lot more mass than a 10-foot ornamental panel, and wind load in an open North Texas field is no joke. We spec the operator to actual gate weight, leaf length, and duty cycle — a house with two cars is a different animal than a shop with thirty trucks a day.
Every automated gate we install gets safety devices — photo eyes across the opening, reversing edges where they belong, and exit detection so it doesn't close on your bumper. It's how the standards read, and it's how we'd want it at our own house.
We trench and run conduit clean, ground everything properly, and add battery backup so a Texas thunderstorm doesn't leave you parked on the street. No line power out to the drive? Solar is a real option here — we get enough sun for it.
We run this service in every one of these cities and the towns between them.
Automatic gate installation combines a properly supported swing or slide gate with a matched operator, power supply, access controls, and entrapment protection. For a Dallas–Fort Worth property, the right setup depends on driveway clearance, gate weight and length, daily use, and available power—not just the opener’s advertised capacity.
Home > Automatic Gate Installation
Start with the space the gate needs to move. A swing gate needs a clear arc inside the property. A sliding gate needs sufficient space beside the opening for the gate and its support arrangement.
| Open, relatively level space behind the entrance | Swing gate | Full swing arc, hinge condition, operator mounting geometry |Driveway rises behind the entrance | Sliding gate | Side clearance, drainage, and support layout |Limited space beside the driveway | Swing gate | Vehicle waiting space and clearance throughout travel
Neither style is automatically the right choice. Measure the opening and available travel area before selecting equipment.
An existing gate may be suitable if its frame, posts, hinges, or rollers are sound and it moves freely by hand. Automation should not be used to force a dragging or sagging gate through its travel.
Check for loose anchors, cracked welds, leaning posts, worn bearings, and contact with the ground. On a slide gate, inspect the guide rollers, track where fitted, and protection against derailment.
Material matters too. Solid wood panels create a different weight and wind profile than an open metal gate. A lightweight frame with extensive privacy infill may still place substantial wind load on an operator.
Match the operator to the complete installation, not gate weight alone. Gate length, infill, mounting geometry, wind exposure, and expected cycles all affect suitability.
A residential driveway used a few times daily has different demands from an entrance serving frequent deliveries or shared access. The operator’s published weight and length limits, duty rating, and installation instructions should guide selection.
For double swing gates, evaluate each leaf and the controls needed to coordinate movement. For slide gates, check the drive arrangement, rollers, and travel resistance.
A larger motor does not correct a binding gate or weak support posts. Address those problems first.
Entrapment protection must address the hazards around the actual gate. These may include the leading edge, hinge area, spaces between a moving gate and fixed objects, and exposed slide-gate rollers.
Specify an operator listed to UL 325 and evaluate gate construction against ASTM F2200. The operator manufacturer’s instructions determine compatible monitored safety devices and their required placement.
Common components include:
Vehicle detection loops serve functions such as exit requests and vehicle presence detection; they are not a substitute for required entrapment protection. Provide a separate pedestrian route rather than directing people through an automated vehicular gate.
Wired power is worth evaluating when a suitable electrical supply is accessible. Confirm the operator’s electrical requirements and account for trenching, conduit, grounding, and surge protection in the installation scope.
Solar may suit a remote entrance, but panel placement and energy demand matter. Shade, gate cycles, battery capacity, and accessories that draw power continuously all affect whether the system can keep up.
| Wired supply | Does not rely on daily solar charging | Electrical access and installation work |Solar with batteries | Can avoid a long utility power run | Sun exposure and charging capacity
Backup capability varies by operator; it is not an unlimited power supply.
A fault does not automatically mean the entire system needs replacement. Diagnosis should separate gate hardware problems from operator, accessory, wiring, and power faults.
| Gate binds or sags, but the operator remains suitable | Repair the gate hardware before reassessing automation |Isolated sensor, battery, or wiring fault | Repair the affected component and test the system |Operator is unsuitable for gate size or usage | Evaluate a correctly matched replacement
For symptom-specific checks, read the guide to a Mighty Mule opener beeping three times or a LiftMaster opener that clicks but will not open.
If the gate moves without a command, review possible causes of a gate opening by itself at night. Keep people and vehicles clear during unexplained operation, and do not bypass safety devices to restore movement.
An estimate should distinguish the gate structure from the automation equipment and site work. Ask for a written scope covering:
Also clarify who handles electrical work and any required approvals. These are site-specific questions, not details to assume. For an initial discussion with Morrison Gate & Fence, have the approximate opening width, gate material, photographs, and preferred access method available.
Installation cost depends on the gate’s condition, operator type, power access, safety equipment, and entry controls. New posts, foundations, trenching, or structural repairs can change the scope substantially. Request an itemized estimate that separates necessary installation work from optional accessories so you can compare proposals on the same basis.
Some systems can operate on compatible battery backup, but available cycles depend on battery condition, gate demand, and connected accessories. Other systems require manual release during an outage. Ask for the specific outage behavior of the proposed operator and a demonstration of its manual release before handover.
Yes, a double swing gate can use a coordinated automation system designed for two leaves. Each leaf needs suitable supports, hardware, and operator capacity. The installation must also account for opening sequence, meeting-edge clearance, safety protection, and any cable route needed between the two sides of the driveway.
Follow the operator and gate hardware manufacturers’ maintenance schedules, adjusting inspection frequency for usage and site conditions. Check for loose hardware, dragging, damaged wiring, obstructed sensors, and changes in movement. Keep the travel area clear, and arrange service if the gate behaves unpredictably or a safety device fails a test.
For an automatic gate installation estimate in Dallas–Fort Worth, call Morrison Gate & Fence at [(469) 654-7729](tel:+14696547729). Discuss your existing gate, driveway layout, and access needs to establish an appropriate scope.