Tracked vs cantilever sliding gates in Ireland
A tracked sliding gate (€3,000 to €5,000 in electric steel) rolls on two steel wheels along a galvanised V-rail cast into a concrete beam across your driveway. A trackless cantilever sliding gate (€3,800 to €6,800 in steel, €4,800 to €8,500 in aluminium) suspends the gate 70mm–90mm in the air using twin roller carriages bolted behind one pier — leaving nothing on the driveway surface.
How both systems work, how much side run-back each needs, and which one to pick for tarmac, cobblelock or loose gravel.
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Calculate your sliding gate and groundworks cost
Pick your gate specification, whether you need a concrete ground beam or trackless cantilever setup, and your access control.
Estimated fitted price
€4,300 to €8,400 fitted
Gate & automation: €3,800–€6,800 · Groundworks/beam: +€500–€1,600
Guide price for an electric steel trackless cantilever sliding gate, with remote fobs, dual photocells and safety edges included. Allow clear side run-back space along the boundary wall of at least 1.35× the opening width for the counterbalance tail. All automated sliding gates in Ireland must include EN 12453 force limitation, resistive safety edges on leading and rear trapping points, and inner/outer photocells.
Book a local site survey & quoteGround-track V-rail vs trackless cantilever side by side
| Feature | Tracked Sliding Gate (Ground Rail) | Cantilever Sliding Gate (Trackless) |
|---|---|---|
| What crosses the driveway opening? | 16mm–20mm galvanised steel V-rail or round bar flush in concrete | Nothing — driveway surface is completely clear and unbroken |
| Total gate length (for a 4.0m opening) | 4.5 metres (opening + 0.5m tail) | 5.4 metres (opening + 35%–40% counterbalance tail) |
| Side run-back space required | 4.5m to 4.6m behind one pier | 5.5m to 5.6m behind one pier |
| Concrete foundation needed | Full-length 300×300mm concrete beam across opening + run-back | Heavy reinforced concrete counterbalance pad behind one pier only |
| Suitability for loose gravel / stones | Gravel on the rail will jam wheels unless swept or kerbed | Ideal for gravel, tar-and-chip, camber & snow/leaves |
| Typical electric steel fitted cost | €3,000 to €5,000 | €3,800 to €6,800 |
| Typical electric aluminium fitted cost | €4,200 to €7,500+ | €4,800 to €8,500 |
When to choose a tracked V-rail sliding gate
- Tight side run-back behind your pier. If your entrance is 3.8m wide and you only have 4.4m before the front wall hits the side boundary hedge, a cantilever gate (which would need ~5.2m of run-back) simply will not fit. A tracked sliding gate only needs 400mm to 500mm of extra tail beyond the opening.
- Clean tarmac, concrete or imprinted concrete driveways. Where the entrance apron is hard-surfaced and relatively flat, nothing washes onto the V-groove rail, and the tracked system saves €800 to €1,800 on steel and carriage hardware.
- Very wide openings with limited side space. On 5m to 7m wide entrances where side space is restricted, a tracked system keeps the overall gate frame shorter.
When to pay extra for a trackless cantilever gate
If your driveway is surfaced in loose pea gravel, Ballylusk stone, tar-and-chip, or has a pronounced drainage crown/camber in the middle of the entrance, a ground rail becomes a constant chore to sweep. A trackless cantilever gate (€3,800 to €6,800) carries a heavy enclosed steel or aluminium monorail channel welded along the bottom of the gate leaf, running over two 8-wheel sealed bearing carriages bolted to a concrete pad behind the pier. Cars, tractors and oil lorries never drive over a steel rail.
What a sliding driveway gate costs in Ireland
Our price guide for manual and electric tracked and cantilever sliding gates, motors, ground beams and intercoms.
| Job | Typical cost | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Manual steel or timber-infill sliding gate, fitted | €2,200 to €3,500 | Hot-dip galvanised steel frame with steel bars, hardwood or composite boards on a V-groove ground track |
| Electric tracked steel sliding gate, fitted | €3,000 to €5,000 | Includes gate leaf, ground track, 24V/230V rack motor, dual photocells, safety edges & 2 remotes |
| Manual powder-coated aluminium sliding gate, fitted | €3,200 to €4,200 | Marine-grade rust-proof welded aluminium in RAL 7016 anthracite, black or woodgrain finish |
| Electric aluminium sliding gate, fitted | €4,200 to €7,500+ | Lightweight corrosion-free leaf, motor, toothed nylon/steel rack, safety edges, photo beams & remotes |
| Trackless cantilever sliding gate, fitted | €3,800 to €6,800 (steel) · €4,800 to €8,500 (alu) | Suspended on twin roller carriages with a 35% counterbalance tail — no ground rail across the driveway |
| Sliding gate motor & rack retrofit (existing gate) | €1,200 to €3,500+ | Gearmotor, steel or nylon-coated toothed rack, EN 12453 resistive safety edges, dual photo beams & fobs |
| GSM phone opener, wireless keypad or video intercom | €400 to €1,500 | Ring-to-open SIM unit, backlit PIN keypad at the pier, or smartphone app video intercom |
| Concrete ground-track beam & foundations | €500 to €2,000 | 300mm × 300mm reinforced concrete runner beam across opening + run-back, plus armoured power duct |
Real examples and installation detail
Get a sliding gate price for your entrance
Pick the gate type, track setup and your county. Your enquiry goes to one vetted sliding gate installer covering your county so they can measure your opening and side run-back.
Questions homeowners ask
Does driving over a sliding gate ground track damage tyres?
No. Domestic sliding gate ground track uses a smooth rounded 16mm or 20mm solid steel bead (V-profile or O-profile) set nearly flush into the concrete threshold beam, rising only 15mm to 18mm above the finished tarmac or cobblelock.
Can a tracked sliding gate be converted to a cantilever gate later?
Not easily, because a cantilever gate must be fabricated 35% to 40% longer than the clear opening to form the counterbalance tail. It is important to choose between tracked and cantilever before the gate frame is built.
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