A beautiful aluminium gate that sags, rattles or will not latch is a daily frustration. The difference between a gate that swings sweetly and locks with a click for years, and one that annoys you within months, is almost always the hardware. This guide walks through the parts every aluminium gate needs, the choices that matter, and how to match the hardware to your gate.
The quick answer
Swing gates need hinges plus a latch or lock: and, if you like, a swing-gate motor.
Sliding gates run on a ground track with a guide and a stopper: and can take a sliding-gate motor.
Self-closing hinges shut the gate behind you; a good latch or lock secures it, ideally from both sides.
Match the hardware to the gate’s weight and how you use it: the heavier the gate, the stronger the hinges and posts need to be.
Gate hinges: fixed vs self-closing
Hinges carry the entire weight of a swing gate, so they are the first thing to get right. If the gate in question is a side gate, our guide to aluminium pedestrian gates covers the sizes, the posts and what comes in the kit. There are two broad types. Fixed hinges simply let the gate swing. Self-closing hinges have a spring or tension mechanism that pulls the gate shut on its own: handy for keeping kids and pets in the yard and for never having to remember to close the gate behind you.
The number that matters most is the weight rating: the hinge has to be rated for your gate. FY stocks self-closing hinges to suit both light and heavy gates:
Self-Closing Gate Hinges: self-close gates up to 30 kg, with closing tension you can adjust from either end. Made from polymer and stainless steel, so they will not rust, bind, sag or stain.
Heavy Duty Self-Closing Gate Hinges: built for high-traffic openings and gates up to 70 kg, with adjustable tension from either end. Australian made and backed by a lifetime warranty.
Latches & locks: securing the gate
A latch holds the gate closed; a lock keeps it that way. The best pedestrian-gate hardware does both, and ideally works from both sides of the gate so you can come and go without walking around. FY carries two proven options from the D&D range:
D&D Magnetic Push/Pull Gate Lock: latches automatically as the gate swings shut, using D&D’s patented magnetic latching, and locks from both sides. Keyed-alike or keyed-different, and rekeyable, with no visible fasteners for a clean look.
DD Technologies Gate Latch Lock: operates and locks from both sides, with a NATA-tested mechanism built to the highest AS 4145.2 grade. Dual 6-pin locks can be rekeyed to match your house keys.
A magnetic latch is the easy-living choice: it catches by itself every time the gate closes, so it never sits ajar. If keying the gate to match your front door matters to you, both locks above can be rekeyed to suit.
Hardware for swing gates vs sliding gates
The gate type decides the hardware list. In short:
| Swing gate | Sliding gate |
|---|---|
| Hinges (fixed or self-closing) | Ground track (the rail it rolls on) |
| Latch or lock | Guide channel or roller to keep it straight |
| Strong hinge-side post | End stopper for a controlled stop |
| Optional: swing-gate motor | Optional: sliding-gate motor |
Not sure which way to go? Our guide to sliding vs swing driveway gates weighs up both for your driveway.
Sliding-gate track & guides
A sliding gate lives or dies on its running gear. Get these three parts right and the gate glides; get them wrong and it drags, jams or rattles:
Aluminium Ground Track (6.0 m): the rail the gate’s wheel runs along. Being aluminium, it will not rust or corrode.
Guide Channel or Nylon Guide Block: steadies the top of the gate so it tracks straight and travels quietly.
Bolt-down Gate Stopper: bolts to the ground and brings the gate to a firm, controlled stop at the end of its travel.
Automating your gate
Both gate types can be automated so they open from your car with a remote. FY supplies Ditec motors for each:
Swing Gate Motor: a Ditec PWR electromechanical motor, available in models to suit different leaf lengths, for single or double gates.
Sliding Gate Motor: a Ditec ION motor supplied with two remotes, with flat-ground and slope-ground versions and a self-learning setup.
If automation is on your list, plan for it early: it affects the gate build and the hardware. Our buyer’s guide to automatic gate motors covers what to look for.
Posts: the anchor for the whole gate
A swing gate is only as steady as the post it hangs from. A gate hung on an undersized post will sag over time no matter how good the hinges are. For gates and the end of a fence run, a Heavy Duty 100 x 100 mm Post gives the gate a solid, square anchor: and, being aluminium, it will not rust or rot.
How to choose the right hardware
Run through this short checklist and the hardware list almost writes itself:
Swing or slide? This sets the whole hardware list: hinges and a latch, or a track and guides.
How heavy is the gate? Choose hinges and posts rated above the gate’s weight, not just up to it.
Single or double? A double (two-leaf) gate usually needs a drop bolt to pin the inactive leaf while the other one latches: ask us for the right hardware to suit your opening.
How secure does it need to be? A key-lockable latch that works from both sides suits most front and side gates.
Self-closing and automated? Decide up front, because both affect the gate and the hardware you fit.
One more advantage worth noting: quality gate hardware is made from aluminium and stainless steel, so like the fence itself it holds up in the Queensland climate. FY’s self-closing hinges are built so they “will not rust, bind, sag or stain”: more on why in our guide to whether aluminium fences rust.
Frequently asked questions
What hardware does an aluminium gate need?
A swing gate needs hinges, a latch or lock, and a strong hinge-side post: plus an optional swing-gate motor. A sliding gate needs a ground track, a guide channel or roller to keep it straight, and an end stopper: plus an optional sliding-gate motor.
What are self-closing gate hinges?
Self-closing hinges use a spring or tension mechanism to pull the gate shut on its own after you walk through, so it never sits open. The closing tension is adjustable, and the hinge must be rated for your gate’s weight: FY stocks models for gates up to 30 kg and heavy-duty ones up to 70 kg.
Can a gate latch and lock from both sides?
Yes. Both the D&D Magnetic Push/Pull Gate Lock and the DD Technologies Gate Latch Lock operate and lock from either side of the gate, so you do not have to reach over or walk around. Both can be rekeyed, including to match your existing house keys.
What hardware does a sliding gate need?
A sliding gate runs on a ground track (the rail its wheel follows), uses a guide channel or nylon guide block to keep it tracking straight, and needs a bolt-down stopper to bring it to a firm stop. It can also be fitted with a sliding-gate motor for remote operation.
Can I automate an existing aluminium gate?
Usually yes: a swing gate can take a swing-gate motor and a sliding gate a sliding-gate motor. It is easiest when planned with the gate, because the motor affects the build and hardware, but existing gates can often be automated. See our automatic gate motors buyer’s guide for the details.
Will gate hardware rust in the Queensland climate?
Quality gate hardware is made from aluminium and stainless steel, which resist rust far better than plain steel. FY’s self-closing hinges are built so they will not rust, bind, sag or stain, and the aluminium track and posts will not rust or corrode: a real advantage in a humid, coastal climate.
Working out what your fence line needs? Tell us the run and the height and we will quote it, supply-only or installed.
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