Our Approach to Gate Installation & Service

A gate system is a mechanical and electrical installation that has to perform reliably for years under variable weather conditions, daily use cycles, and changing access needs. Getting that right requires more than showing up with hardware — it requires careful planning before anything is ordered or installed.

Every project at Wynstone Gate Services follows a defined process: site assessment, system selection, installation, testing, and client walkthrough. We don't skip steps, and we don't rush through them to move on to the next job. This structure is what separates installations that last from ones that start failing within a year.

Before recommending any system, we conduct a thorough on-site evaluation. For new installations, this means measuring gate opening width, assessing available run room for cantilever or swing clearance, evaluating slope and drainage, and documenting power supply proximity. For repairs and retrofits, we evaluate the existing structure for integrity before designing around it.

For commercial projects, we also document vehicle types using the entry, peak traffic hours, and any ADA or code compliance requirements that affect system design.

With site data in hand, we match your requirements to the right drive system, operator, and access control platform. We're not brand-exclusive — we work with multiple manufacturers and select based on fit, not vendor relationship. The goal is a system rated appropriately for the application, sourced from a manufacturer with good parts availability, and one we know how to service if something goes wrong.

For residential swing gates, we typically specify linear actuators or articulated arm operators in the 500–1,000 lb. capacity range. Commercial slide gates with high daily cycle counts require industrial-rated operators with NEMA-rated enclosures, thermal overload protection, and 24VDC or AC motor configurations depending on three-phase availability.

• Operator class (Class I–IV per UL 325 designation)
• Drive type — linear actuator, electromechanical arm, underground hydraulic, rack & pinion
• Motor rating and duty cycle (percentage of on-time per hour)
• Safety entrapment protection — secondary sensor type and placement
• Access control devices — keypad, card reader, intercom, loop
• Battery backup capacity and runtime requirement
• Conduit routing and wire type for low-voltage and line-voltage runs

Installation begins with structural work: post setting, concrete footings, and conduit runs. Posts must be set at the correct depth for the soil conditions and gate weight — undersize footings are one of the most common causes of gate misalignment over time, especially in the wet winters common to the Bellevue and Puget Sound region. We set posts in 36–48" deep footings with structural concrete on all but the lightest residential installations.

After structural work cures, we mount the gate panels, install the operator and access control hardware, route wiring, and make all electrical connections. We follow NEC standards for low-voltage and line-voltage wiring and use weatherproof conduit and fittings on all exterior runs.

Before we call a job complete, every system goes through a commissioning checklist. This covers mechanical function, electrical performance, safety sensor compliance, and access control programming. We don't leave until everything operates correctly and the client has had a full walkthrough of system operation, access device programming, and what to watch for between maintenance visits.

• Full open and close travel tested at normal operating speed
• Limit switches verified at correct stop positions
• Safety edge and photoelectric sensor auto-reverse function tested per UL 325
• Obstruction force measurement verified within allowable limits
• Battery backup operation confirmed under load
• All access control devices programmed and tested
• Remote transmitters paired and operating at rated range
• Vehicle loop detector sensitivity calibrated for site traffic
• Client walkthrough completed — operation, safety, maintenance schedule

All gate operators installed in residential and commercial applications are required to comply with UL 325, the ANSI standard for door, drapery, gate, louver, and window operators. UL 325 requires secondary entrapment protection on every automatically powered gate — this means either a safety edge, a photoelectric beam sensor, or a non-contact sensor must be present and properly calibrated in addition to the operator's primary auto-reverse mechanism.

Wynstone Gate Services installs and tests entrapment protection on every automated system we commission. We document sensor testing results and provide clients with a record of compliance. For Bellevue and King County commercial installations, we verify against local permit requirements when applicable.