Studio Matrx Monthly · Volume 1 · Issue 2 · July 2026
Amogh N P
 In loving memory of Amogh N P — Architect · Designer · Visionary 
← The Compound Walls & Gates Hub

Gate Swing & Clearance Calculator

The gate type you can use often comes down to space. Enter your clear opening, and this shows how much room each type needs — the swing arc, the sliding runback, or the cantilever tail — so you can pick the one that fits.

3.6 m

The clear gap between the gate posts. Not sure? The Gate Width Calculator sizes it from your vehicle.

Single swing
3.6 m clear arc
A quarter-circle in front of or behind the gate, radius = the full leaf. No slope or obstruction in it.
Double swing
1.8 m clear arc
Half the arc of a single — each leaf is half the width. The usual choice for a home.
Sliding (tracked)
3.9 m side runback
Clear, level space beside the opening the whole gate slides into. Needs a clean ground rail.
Cantilever
5.7 m side space
Gate plus a counterbalance tail run to one side — no ground track to jam, but the most side space.
Bi-fold
~0.9 m shallow stack
Leaves fold concertina-style into a small stack — least space, more mechanism to maintain.

Indicative only. These are planning rules of thumb — a swing arc equal to the leaf, a sliding runback equal to the opening, and a cantilever tail of roughly half again. Your fabricator confirms the exact geometry for the specific gate, and a heavy or automated gate has its own clearances and safety zones (automation is covered in the Security hub).