Every One of America’s Fence Store’s Gates are a Success

America’s Fence Store ensures that every single one of its gates is a success. All cantilever gates longer than 65’ with a mechanical splice are fully tested in-house before approval. This isn’t an easy task. As shown in the video below, each gate is supported with a series of lifts and blocks to simulate what would happen in the field once the gate is installed. At the start of testing, a lift is placed at the nose of the gate and then the lift slowly lowers the nose of the gate until it is fully supported by its own structure. At this point, the gate is being cantilevered. The gate in the video is almost 100’ long and 8’ tall.

This is where the rubber meets the road—or rather where the truck meets the track. Once the gate is fully cantilevered, it is checked for level throughout its length. The unique splice detail is meticulously inspected for any lips or separation that may have occurred. Our engineering and fabrication recognize that even the slightest blemish will cause considerable disruption in the gate’s operation while the supporting trucks travel over the splice once the gate is hung.

The unique engineering lies in the splice. Using over 32 of our ½” grade A hex bolts and almost 16’ of ½” plate, the splice detail pulls the 2 halves of the gate together and holds them firmly, even when they are under immense pressure. America’s Fence Store’s use of 5/16” cable for trussing also makes them unique. This heavy-weight cable does not allow the gate to flex or bounce when completely cantilevered.

America’s Fence Store builds over a thousand gates each year, every one engineered with a combination of proven design concepts and materials.