Metal or Composite? Choosing Gates and Garden Fencing

Gates and garden fencing are among the most visible parts of a home, and among the hardest working. They have to keep children and pets in, look right from the road and stand up to years of weather. For most homeowners the choice comes down to three families of material: composite, metal and timber. Each has its strengths, and the right answer often depends on where the gate or fence is going.

Composite gates

Composite boards are made from a mix of wood fibres and recycled plastic. They look like timber from a distance but do not rot, warp or need staining, and a wash with soap and water is usually all the maintenance they need. For gates, the boards are normally set into a welded steel frame, which keeps the gate straight and gives a solid fixing for hinges and locks.

Composite works well for driveway gates and side gates where privacy matters, as the boards can be closed up with no gaps. Many firms offering composite gates in Derby and elsewhere can add trellis or laser-cut panels on top, or make a sliding version for a narrow drive.

Metal fencing

Steel fencing suits gardens where you want a secure boundary without blocking the view. Railing-style fencing, with vertical bars and ball, spear or bow tops, lets light and air through and is popular for front gardens. Estate fencing, with horizontal bars between upright posts, suits rural gardens, paddocks and driveways.

Modern steel fencing is usually primed and then powder coated, which gives a hard, even finish that lasts for many years. Black is the most common colour at the front of a house, with dark green popular in back gardens where it blends into planting. If you are comparing quotes for metal garden fencing, ask how the posts will be fixed, as concrete footings are usually needed in soft ground.

Traditional iron gates

For older houses, nothing quite matches a traditional iron gate with scrolls, collars and spear or fleur de lis heads. Almost all new gates in this style are made from mild steel rather than true wrought iron, which is no longer made commercially, but once primed and painted the look is the same.

A fabricator making bespoke wrought iron gates can match the design to existing railings and add automation for a driveway gate, opened by remote control or keypad.

How the materials compare

• Privacy: composite gives full privacy, while metal railings keep views open
• Maintenance: composite needs washing, powder-coated steel needs occasional checks for chips, timber needs regular treatment
• Security: steel is the strongest, and composite gates with steel frames are close behind
• Look: iron-style gates suit period homes, composite and slatted metal suit modern ones

Questions to ask a fencing contractor

1. Do you make the gates yourselves? Made-to-measure gates fit openings that stock sizes do not.
2. How will the posts be fixed? Existing piers, new steel posts or concrete footings.
3. What finish do you use? Primer and powder coating lasts longer than paint alone.
4. Will you survey first? Slopes and uneven ground affect how a gate hangs and opens.
5. Is planning needed? Boundaries next to a road are usually limited to 1 metre without permission.

Matching the material to the job gives you a gate and fence that look right and last. For more on fencing and gates, see our fencing services category.