How to Specify Gates for 3D, 358 and Double-Wire Fence Systems

A complete procurement guide to clear openings, leaves, mesh infill, gate posts, hardware, automation interfaces and packing

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A gate is the moving part of a perimeter and should not be specified as a panel with hinges. The buyer must define the clear opening, leaf arrangement, operation, frame, mesh infill, gate posts, foundations, hinges, latch or lock interface, stops, ground clearance and connection to adjoining fence panels. The more demanding the perimeter, the more important the gate interfaces become.

MaiFa's supplied product scope includes matching posts, gates and accessories for fencing systems, and its website maintains Gate, 3D Fence, 358 Anti-Climb Fence and Double Wire Fence categories. The public category pages confirm product families, but a project-specific 3D, 358 or twin-wire gate must still be drawn and itemized in the quotation.

Buyer rule: specify the required clear opening and operating condition first. Select the leaf type and hardware second. Design gate posts, foundations and adjacent-panel connections as one assembly. Never assume line posts, generic hinges or the panel name define a complete gate.

1. Quick comparison

The table is a procurement map, not a substitute for project design. Every final selection should be repeated in the quotation and approved drawing, with unresolved decisions and excluded evidence clearly marked.

2. Start with clear opening, not nominal leaf width

State the finished clear width between obstructions and the required clear height. Nominal leaf width, frame width and overall post-to-post dimension are not the same. Provide a plan and elevation showing gate ID, single or double leaf, swing or slide direction, public and secure sides, approach path, ground slope and available open position.

For double gates, identify active and passive leaves, meeting detail, centre stop and drop-bolt condition. For sliding gates, provide run-back length, ground or cantilever concept, guide positions and maintenance clearance. The project team should confirm emergency, accessibility and local requirements.

• Dimension the clear opening separately from leaf and overall assembly.
• State handedness and opening direction.
• Show finished ground levels and permitted clearance.
• Give each pedestrian and vehicle gate a location ID.

3. Match frame and mesh infill to the fence system

A 3D gate may use V-mesh infill, but the bend position and frame attachment must be drawn. A 358 gate should control infill opening, frame attachment and clearances so the gate does not create a substantially different access condition from the fence line. A 656 or 868 gate should identify the twin-wire infill and how its thicker horizontal rows fit the frame.

The gate frame is a separate structural assembly. State outer frame, internal bracing, infill attachment, weld and edge finishing, selected coating and any drainage or vent provisions required by the design. Do not infer frame section from adjoining panel wires.

• Show the infill orientation and attachment on a section drawing.
• Coordinate mesh edges, frame gaps and latch/hinge zones.
• State whether gate and fence finishes use the same process and color reference.
• Request a factory assembly check using production leaves and posts.

4. Specify gate posts, foundations and adjacent panels

Gate posts carry leaf and operating loads that line posts do not normally experience. State the post section and wall, cap, hinge preparation, base plate or embedment, post spacing and foundation interface. Supply leaf size, expected use, operator loads where applicable, wind and site inputs to the responsible designer. Do not approve line posts as gate posts merely because their outside dimensions look similar.

Show how the first fence panel connects to each gate post, including post face, clip or cover bar, bolt positions and any change in bay width. Corners or slopes beside a gate need their own detail. The quotation should distinguish gate posts, adjacent line posts and any support posts.

• Itemize hinge and latch posts separately.
• Coordinate anchor or embedment with finished ground and drainage.
• Show adjacent panel connection on both sides of the opening.
• State civil, anchor and grout scope as included or by others.

5. Itemize hinges, locks, stops and automation interfaces

The hardware schedule should include hinge type, quantity, adjustment, pins or bearings, latch, lock preparation, handles, closer if required, drop bolts, ground sockets, centre and open stops, hold-open devices, wheels or guides and every fastener. Identify which parts are factory-fitted, loose-supplied or by others. Terms such as complete hardware are too broad for a controlled quotation.

If automation is planned, state operator type and mounting zone, leaf geometry and mass inputs, conduits, cables, safety devices and access-control interfaces through the responsible specialists. The fence manufacturer should show the metalwork interface; the project team should confirm machine safety, controls and commissioning requirements.

• Use manufacturer and part references only after approval.
• Define adjustment and maintenance access.
• Provide spare keys, fasteners or wear parts only when itemized.
• Do not present an automated gate as complete without specialist safety and control scope.

6. Pack, label and inspect each gate as a kit

Gate leaves, posts and hardware are often separated in a container. Pack every opening under one gate ID and create a kit list that maps leaf or leaves, hinge post, latch post, mesh infill, hinges, latch, drop bolts, stops, fasteners and special tools. Protect finished edges and pre-fitted hardware from contact and impact.

Before release, inspect clear-opening geometry, leaf dimensions and squareness, post and hinge positions, mesh attachment, hardware quantities and a representative operating check under factory conditions. Record limitations: the factory check does not validate the final foundation, site alignment, automation or installed safety system.

• Place duplicate kit lists inside protected hardware packages.
• Use the same gate ID on drawings, parts, cartons and packing list.
• Provide package dimensions and measured weights.
• Photograph the complete kit and trial assembly before loading.

7. A defensible selection workflow

• Define gate use, clear opening, operating type, frequency, site levels and access requirements.
• Approve leaf, frame, mesh infill, clearances and finish.
• Design gate posts, foundations and adjacent-panel interfaces from project inputs.
• Approve the complete hardware and by-others schedule.
• Coordinate automation and safety interfaces with competent specialists where applicable.
• Trial-check, label, kit-pack and inspect each gate before shipment.

8. What the quotation should include

9. Copy-ready inquiry template

Please quote gate [ID] for a [3D/358/656/868] fence system. Use: [pedestrian/vehicle]; finished clear opening: [W x H]; operation: [single/double swing/sliding/manual/automated interface]; ground and exposure: [details]. State leaf frame and bracing, mesh infill and attachment, hinge and latch posts, foundation interface, hinges, latch/lock preparation, handles, closer, drop bolts, stops, guides or wheels, every fastener, adjacent-panel connections, finish and tolerances. Separate supplied, factory-fitted and by-others items. Provide drawings, factory assembly/operation check, gate-ID packing, package dimensions and weights, spares and [Incoterm] to [named place].

Frequently asked questions

What gate is used with 358 fence?

A gate with project-defined frame, tight-mesh infill, controlled clearances, gate posts and hardware coordinated with the 358 perimeter.

Can line posts be used as gate posts?

Do not assume so. Gate posts require design for leaf and operating loads plus the foundation interface.

What is the difference between clear opening and gate width?

Clear opening is the usable passage between obstructions; leaf and overall assembly dimensions are different.

What hardware should be in the quotation?

Hinges, latch/lock interface, handles, closer where required, drop bolts, sockets, stops, guides/wheels, fasteners and tools.

Does the gate supplier design the complete automation system?

Only if expressly contracted. Operator safety, controls and commissioning usually require specialist project scope.

What should be checked before shipment?

Dimensions, squareness, post and hinge positions, infill, all hardware, a representative factory operation check and gate-ID packing.

Request a configuration-based quotation from MaiFa

Send MaiFa the application, location, layout, quantities, selected product direction, gates, special conditions, finish, evidence needs, inspection scope, packing and delivery destination. A useful response should be an itemized system offer tied to controlled drawings, not a panel-only price or an unsupported performance statement.

Browse MaiFa Gate products. Browse MaiFa 3D Fence. Browse MaiFa 358 Anti-Climb Fence. Browse MaiFa Double Wire Fence.