Cast iron has a cracking Christmas...

Cast iron looks solid and is very heavy and you may think it is very, very strong. The problem starts with where it was made, and how well was it put together. Cast iron can be very brittle and prone to snap when impacted by something substantial.

Recent imports have not been as strong as they look and this gate was found to have many faults in its material. Bubbles of air, pocketed within the main structures, led to weakness that became critical and snapped right through, rendering the whole gate as a right off.

A great looking gate that is not easy to replace, smashed by a fairly minor vehicular impact. Rust was found on hairline cracks that also became evident, when the gate fell down, shattering on the ground.

Beware of cheap alternatives, if they seem like a too-good-to-believe bargain, they probably are!

Wrought iron or solid forged replacement gates, will cost at least five times as much and take weeks to produce, which is probably why these gates were shipped in, in the first place.

The same can be true of the many hundreds of parts that make up gate automation in general, and our advice, is only use known brands from reputable suppliers and skilled labour from approved installers.

Good products from good suppliers start by making good enquiries and gaining sound advice from people with a track record and allied support.

Gates are for life, not just for Christmas.