Folding gates suit shophouse fronts, homes and garages where you want the full width open during the day and the gate tucked neatly to the side, with no swing space needed. Café and shop owners like them because the front can be wide open for business and locked up tight at night.
The problems that show up after a while are gates that drag, panels that sag, wheels jumping out of the track and locks that no longer line up. Most of that comes from top and bottom tracks that weren't level, or were fixed to something too weak.
On site Rong checks whether the beam or head of the opening is strong enough to carry the top track, whether the floor is flat or sloping, whether rainwater or sand runs into the track, whether there is enough space at the side for the folded gate, and how many times a day it will be opened. A shop gate used daily needs tougher wheels and tracks.
Common mistakes: a raised bottom track that people trip over and trolleys catch on, a thin track under a big heavy gate, and no lock point in the middle. Send a wide photo of the opening, the top edge, the floor, the side where the gate will fold, rough sizes and a location pin on LINE. Full contract or labour-only, your choice.
- Jobs start from
- 10,000 THB
- Team experience
- 30+ years
- Site survey
- Free
- Steel grade
- Your choice
Designs and options
Collapsible trellis gate (expanding criss-cross)
Criss-cross steel that concertinas open and closed. You can see through and air flows, and it's easy on the budget. Good for locking a shop after hours or getting a breeze through a house. It gives no privacy and keeps no rain out, so look at another type if you want it closed in.
Solid or semi-open bi-fold panels
Hinged panels that fold against each other. They can be solid, look tidier than a trellis gate and suit shops, garages or dividing a space. They are heavier, so tracks and hinges must carry the weight, and you need room for the stacked panels when open.
With a bottom track
The gate stays steady in the wind and locks firmly. The bottom track collects sand and soil and needs sweeping. If rainwater regularly runs across the opening, Rong talks through drainage before placing the track.
Top-hung only (no bottom track)
A flat floor with nothing to trip on, which suits shop fronts with foot traffic or trolleys. The head of the opening has to be very strong, the gate can swing in strong wind, and it only works for lighter gates. Rong checks on site whether it is possible.
Materials: the honest pros and cons
Painted flat bar or box-section steel
Near the sea: depends on specPros
- Affordable and made to fit your opening
- Easy to touch up
Worth knowing
- Lots of rivets and pivot points that are hard to paint fully
- Rusty pivots make the gate stiff long before the steel fails
You choose the steel grade, section size and rust-protection system. Rong explains the pros and cons first and writes your choice into the quotation.
Galvanised steel
Near the sea: depends on specPros
- Factory zinc coating against rust
- Suits shop fronts that take driving rain
Worth knowing
- Costs more than black steel
- Drilled, cut or welded spots need touching up
Worth considering for shops near the sea in places like Ao Nang or Ko Lanta, but you still need to rinse off salt and oil the pivots regularly.
Tracks and wheels
Not recommended near the seaPros
- Can be matched to the gate weight and how often it is used
- Wheels can be replaced when worn
Worth knowing
- The bottom track collects sand and water
- Cheap wheels wear fast on a gate opened every day
Tracks and wheels get the most water and sand. Near the sea, ask Rong about wheel and track types, and budget for ongoing maintenance.
How the price is worked out
Folding gates start from 10,000 THB, but there is no fixed price and we can't give a real figure in advance. It depends on the opening size, trellis or bi-fold, how solid the panels are, track and wheel type, locks, the condition of the head and floor, and steel prices at the time. Rong does a free site survey first, then writes an itemised quotation based on material prices at that time. Remote or boat-access areas such as Ko Lanta and Ko Phi Phi carry a travel fee, which is shown in the quotation before you agree to anything.
There is no fixed price. It depends on your site and on steel and material prices at the time. The site survey is free.
Included
- Site survey measuring the opening, head, floor and stacking space
- Itemised written quotation
- Fabricating the gate with primer and top coat
- Fitting top and bottom tracks, wheels and locks as agreed
- Adjusting so it slides smoothly and locks true before handover
- Advice on cleaning the track and oiling the pivots
Not included
- Materials, if you choose a labour-only contract
- Motors or electric operation, unless listed in the quotation
- Removing an existing gate or door, unless listed in the quotation
- Strengthening the beam, concrete repairs or levelling the floor, unless listed in the quotation
How a job with us runs
- 1
Send photos on LINE
Photos plus a location pin. Rong tells you early if the idea is realistic.
- 2
Free site survey
He checks the walls, the ground and where the rain will go — the things photos can’t show.
- 3
Written, itemised quote
Full contract (labour + materials) or labour-only. Nothing hidden in a lump sum.
- 4
30% deposit, then work starts
Only once you have agreed the design and price. Payment is by cash bill, no VAT invoice.
- 5
Walk-through before handover
We check every point with you. 1-year warranty under the conditions in the quote.
How long it takes
It depends on the opening size, gate type and the state of the head and floor. Most gates are made first and then fitted on site. For a shop that is trading, Rong agrees installation times and temporary closing of the opening with you first. He gives a timeline after the survey and it goes in the quote.
1-year warranty: what it covers
One year, under the site-specific conditions written into your quotation.
Covered
- Installation of tracks, wheels and locks (workmanship)
- 1-year warranty under the site-specific conditions written in your quotation
Not covered
- Damage from vehicles, impact, or dragging the gate over objects in the track
- Anything the quotation does not list as covered
Folding Gates: questions we get asked
Collapsible trellis gate or bi-fold: which should I choose?
A trellis gate is open criss-cross steel, lets air through and is easier on the budget, but gives no privacy or rain cover. Bi-fold panels can be solid and look tidier, but are heavier and need stronger tracks. To stop people walking in after hours, a trellis gate is usually enough.
Folding gate or roller shutter for my café or shop front?
A roller shutter closes solid and rolls up overhead, but needs headroom above the opening. A folding gate stacks at the side and stays see-through, which shops like for showing stock after closing. Rong checks the space above and beside the opening and tells you which fits.
My old folding gate drags and won't slide. Can it be fixed?
Ask on LINE with close-up photos of the track, wheels and pivots. Sand in the track, worn wheels and rusty pivots are the usual causes, and cleaning plus new wheels sometimes does it. If the track is twisted or the frame has sagged, repair may not be worth it.
How do I keep a folding gate running well?
Sweep sand out of the bottom track often, oil the pivots and wheels from time to time, and never force the gate over something in the track. Near the sea, rinse off salt with fresh water and touch up chipped paint before rust spreads.
Can it be motorised?
Ask on LINE with photos, as motors and electrics need confirming for each site. If you might add one later, tell Rong when the gate is being made so fixing points and tracks can be discussed first.
How does payment work? Do you issue a tax invoice?
We take a 30% deposit before work starts, and the balance is paid as set out in the quotation. You get a cash bill; we do not charge VAT and cannot issue a tax invoice, so if your company needs one, tell us at the start.
Read this before you build
Stopping Rust on Steel Near the Sea in Ao Nang, Klong Muang and Ko LantaWhy steel rusts fast in Ao Nang, Klong Muang and Ko Lanta, and how to choose steel, coatings and details that stop it. Plus a simple maintenance routine.
Hiring a Contractor in Krabi as a Foreigner: A Practical GuideA practical guide for foreigners hiring a contractor in Krabi: comparable quotes, deposits, cash bills vs VAT invoices, warranties and working in English.
Labour-Only vs Full Contract for Home Projects in ThailandLabour-only or full contract for a home project in Thailand? Who buys materials, where the savings are real, the risks, and how we handle both options.
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