02/04/2024
What is the difference between a door and a gate?
We all use gates and doors daily in our lives; they are everywhere, when we are at work, out in public, shopping, travelling and also at home.
Doors and gates have been the most common form of entry and exit points for thousands of years and together with a lock make the most basic form of access control, whoever has the key has control of access.
On the surface it seems like a simple question with an obvious answer, at our factory we make both gates and doors and sometimes the lines do cross and we more often than not these days have a door and a gate at the same opening. Sometimes we have a door where a gate should be and a gate where a door should be.
So we have doors and gates but we also have doorways and gateways.
I have been doing some research to try get a clear understanding of the definition of what constitutes a door and what constitutes a gate.
This is what I have come up with:
Gate
- Is a moveable barrier that serves as a point of entry within a fence, wall or other structure
- Are often seen in gardens, driveways, parks or external boundaries like on farms
- Are typically made of steel or wrought iron but can be made from other materials
- They can swing on hinges or slide on rails
- They are usually equipped with latches, locks and security features
- Gates are mostly made like a grill, and are not sealed off, but sometimes can be solid
- Gates are also used to control traffic flow and may sometimes just be a pole
- Gates can be large and close off large openings
Doors
- Is a moveable barrier that serves as a point of entry into buildings and inside buildings
- They are mostly seen on buildings like houses, offices and factories
- Traditionally doors are made of wood, however these days steel, aluminium, fiberglass, composites, PVC and glass are also common materials used for doors
- They can swing on hinges or slide on rails
- Doors are usually fitted with locks and handles
- Doors are typically closed off, have frames and are sealed when closed to keep out the elements and provide privacy
- Doors are usually used on smaller openings
Conclusion
As can be seen by the descriptions gates and doors have a lot of
similarities and uses, even in their basic construction, they both can use
hinges or rails amongst other things.
It is most common for doors to be on or in a building and gates to be external, but not always the case.
From my experience in making both doors and gates I can add that typically doors are far more intricate, refined and precise when compared to gates which are typically bulky and robust.
Answer
The main difference that defines a door as a door and a gate as a gate is that doors are sealed off when closed and gates are not.
Article by Mike Laubscher of Blue
Engineering 02/04/2024
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