Most homes in Malaysia can fit a trackless autogate on the pillars they already have.
A standard gate needs a pillar of about 1 ft by 1 ft (12 by 12 inches). For gates wider than 15 ft, the pillar should be reinforced concrete (RC). For gates wider than 18 ft, the pillar goes up to 1.5 ft by 1.5 ft.
Even if your pillar falls short, you usually do not need to demolish anything. Adding one RC pillar of the right size solves it, and a sales consultant will check your entrance and handle the details with your contractor.
Key Takeaways
- Most existing pillars can take a trackless autogate, and gates up to 15 ft generally need a pillar of about 1 ft by 1 ft.
- Gates wider than 15 ft need an RC pillar; gates wider than 18 ft need an RC pillar of 1.5 ft by 1.5 ft.
- The gate is installed last, after the pillar is plastered and painted, so new pillar work never damages the finished gate.
- If a pillar is too small, the usual fix is to add one RC pillar beside it rather than tearing anything down.
- A wall can often be used instead of a pillar, after a site check.
- With Delux, the sales consultant talks to the contractor directly, so homeowners only choose the specification and design.
Table of Contents
- Why Is the Pillar Checked Before Installation?
- Pillar Size Chart by Gate Width
- What Is the Difference Between an RC Pillar and a Brick Pillar?
- What If Your Pillar Is Too Small?
- Signs an Existing Pillar Needs a Closer Look
- Can a Trackless Autogate Be Mounted on a Wall?
- Who Measures and Talks to the Contractor?
- Why the Pillar Comes First and the Gate Comes Last
- What to Photograph Before Your Site Visit
- Why Delux Can Install Up to 40 ft
- FAQs
Why Is the Pillar Checked Before Installation?
The biggest advantage of a trackless autogate is that there is no track on the ground. Nothing for leaves to clog, no water collecting in a groove, and no gate drifting out of line when the driveway settles.
Without a track, the gate’s weight hangs from the pillar and hinges instead. That is why a sales consultant looks at your pillars before anything is ordered. In most homes they are fine as they are. In the rest, one extra pillar sorts it out.
Pillar Size Chart by Gate Width
| Gate width | Pillar |
|---|---|
| Up to 15 ft | About 1 ft by 1 ft; most existing pillars work |
| 15 to 18 ft | 1 ft by 1 ft RC pillar |
| Above 18 ft | 1.5 ft by 1.5 ft RC pillar |
These are the standard guidelines. The final call also depends on the gate height, the system you choose and what the pillar is connected to, such as a wall, fence or porch roof. Details such as where the lock and stopper sit also vary between single and double gates. Your sales consultant confirms all of this on site, so you do not need to work it out yourself.
What Is the Difference Between an RC Pillar and a Brick Pillar?
An RC pillar is reinforced concrete: steel bars set inside poured concrete. It is built to carry weight and to take the push and pull of a gate opening and closing every day for years.
A brick pillar is built from bricks and mortar. Many are mainly decorative. Plenty of them can carry a smaller gate, but they are not designed for the load of a wide one.
Not sure which you have? Check the house plans, ask the original builder, or let the sales consultant look during the site visit.
What If Your Pillar Is Too Small?
Many homeowners assume a small pillar means rebuilding the whole entrance. It usually does not.
The common fix is to build one RC pillar of the required size beside the existing one and hang the gate from that. The original pillar can stay, and the look of your entrance barely changes.
For gates up to 15 ft, many existing pillars, including some brick pillars, can be used directly. It depends on two things: how big the pillar is overall, and what it is connected to. A pillar tied into a wall or fence is often steadier than one standing alone. A quick site visit settles it.
Here is a typical example. A terrace house with a 20 ft entrance has two older brick pillars of about 1 ft each. Because the gate is wider than 18 ft, the consultant recommends one new 1.5 ft by 1.5 ft RC pillar on the hinge side. The brick pillars stay, the entrance looks almost the same, and the gate goes up once the new pillar is plastered and painted.
Datuk Manibalan’s pillars were uneven, but his DELUX trackless autogate still went in smoothly.
Signs an Existing Pillar Needs a Closer Look
- Cracks around the current hinges or lock bracket.
- A pillar that leans, or moves when the existing gate is pushed.
- Loose or crumbling plaster near the base.
- An old gate that sags, drags or no longer closes cleanly.
None of these rule out a trackless autogate. They simply tell the consultant to look more closely, and they often point to adding one RC pillar rather than any major work.
Can a Trackless Autogate Be Mounted on a Wall?
In many cases, yes. If there is a wall where a pillar would normally be, the gate can often be fixed to it directly. The sales consultant checks the wall during the site visit, and anything unusual is planned for separately.
Who Measures and Talks to the Contractor?
The hardest part of installing an autogate is often not the gate itself. It is getting the pillar size, the measurements and the contractor all lined up. When something is measured wrong or built too small, the homeowner is usually the one left sorting it out.
Delux handles this differently:
- The sales consultant speaks to the contractor directly about pillar sizes and requirements.
- You do not need to take measurements or read drawings yourself.
- You can use a contractor Delux regularly works with, or your own.
- You choose the specification and design, and Delux handles the rest.
Because the requirements go from the consultant straight to the contractor, there is no back-and-forth over drawings, and far less chance of a pillar ending up a few inches too small.
For how pillar work and other site factors affect the total cost, see our guide to autogate prices in Malaysia.
Why the Pillar Comes First and the Gate Comes Last
Every Delux gate leaves the factory with its finish complete, including the paint. On site, it is simply installed.
That means the order is always the same: build the pillar, finish the plaster and paint, and install the gate last.
- The pillar has fully cured by the time the gate goes up.
- Plastering and painting cannot stain or scratch the new gate.
What to Photograph Before Your Site Visit
Sending a few photos ahead makes the visit quicker:
- The full entrance, pillar to pillar, with the width if you know it.
- Each pillar from the front and the side.
- What each pillar connects to, such as a wall, fence or roof.
- The ground just outside the gate, flat or sloped.
- Your current gate and its hinges.
If you are still deciding which system suits your entrance, our guide on how to choose a trackless autogate walks through gate width, ground condition and space.
Why Delux Can Install Up to 40 ft
- D-Trinology system: a patented turning point arm lock, anti-force latch and secure stopper keep the gate firm without a track.
- Malaysia Book of Records for the highest load-bearing trackless autogate, at 4,588 kg.
- Tested to 50,000 open-and-close cycles.
- UniGate Pro covers entrances up to 40 ft wide and 10 ft high.
Not Sure If Your Pillar Is Ready?
Book a site visit and a sales consultant will check your pillars and take measurements, or visit a Delux showroom to see the gates and hinges in person.
FAQs
1. What size pillar does a trackless autogate need?
For gates up to 15 ft, a pillar of about 1 ft by 1 ft is usually enough, and most existing pillars can be used. Gates wider than 15 ft need an RC pillar, and gates wider than 18 ft need an RC pillar of 1.5 ft by 1.5 ft.
2. Can a trackless autogate be installed on a brick pillar?
For gates up to 15 ft, many brick pillars can be used directly. For wider gates, an RC pillar is usually added beside the existing one.
3. Do I need to demolish my existing pillar?
Usually not. If more support is needed, one RC pillar of the right size is built beside it, and the original pillar can stay.
4. Can the autogate be mounted on a wall instead of a pillar?
In many cases, yes. The sales consultant checks the wall during the site visit.
5. How much does a new pillar and an autogate cost in Malaysia?
Pillar work is quoted by the contractor based on size and site conditions. For what goes into the autogate price itself, see our full breakdown of autogate prices in Malaysia.
6. How long after building the pillar can the gate be installed?
The gate is installed last, after the pillar has been plastered and painted, so the pillar has fully cured by then. Delux gates arrive with their finish already complete.
