Fence Gate

[Puckdropper]

My aunt has a wooden gate on a wooden fence about 4-5' wide. It's dragging on the ground and the pickets are coming off. I can cut off a couple of inches from the pickets so it won't drag any longer, but I'd like to make sure the gate will stay in good condition.

I'm not impressed with the way the gate was built, it looks almost as if they cut the fence, added a diagonal brace and hinges. (No pictures, the gate and I are in two different states.)

If I rebuild the gate, how should I go about it? I've found only a little bit on the Internet about building a wood gate.

Puckdropper

[Bill]

I seem to recall wooden gates addressed in Paul Hasluck's treatise on woodworking (ala 1904, or so). Maybe you already have it on one of your shelves?

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------------------------------------------- First build the post so it will support the cantilever load presented by the gate.

Make sure it extends to the bottom of the frost line.

These days, guess it is gravel not concrete that is used to hold the post in place.

As far as the gate is concerned, equip it with a turnbuckle that runs from lower outer corner to upper inner corner and pivots at the post where it is secured.

An eyebolt mounted thru the post will work.

Have fun.

Lew

[Leon]

HD sells a "gate kit". It consists of 4 corner angle brackets and two of them have hinges. You build a 2x4 frame around the brackets and then attach the pickets to the assembly. These simply do not sag.

[John McCoy]

Puckdropper wrote in news:5414dcc1$0$44714$c3e8da3$ [e-mail]:

As Lew suggested, make sure the post the gate is mounted to is solid. In my experience, most gates that drag do so because the post is leaning - it doesn't take much tilt in the post to drop the far end of the gate an inch.

Personally I prefer gates that are framed with a Z to using a wire & turnbuckle for the diagonal (a wood diagonal won't stretch), but that's more asthetics than a functional difference.

John

[jloomis]

Gate fence post is important....Is it sturdy? Hinges next....are they secure? Cross bracing, and some small through bolts....carriage type.

1/4 " or 3/8" will stop sagging. Some can use a wire and a turn buckle....... Plywood on one side..... all some ideas...... Corner angles.....another thought. they come in all sizes and shapes... john

My aunt has a wooden gate on a wooden fence about 4-5' wide. It's dragging on the ground and the pickets are coming off. I can cut off a couple of inches from the pickets so it won't drag any longer, but I'd like to make sure the gate will stay in good condition.

I'm not impressed with the way the gate was built, it looks almost as if they cut the fence, added a diagonal brace and hinges. (No pictures, the gate and I are in two different states.)

If I rebuild the gate, how should I go about it? I've found only a little bit on the Internet about building a wood gate.

Puckdropper

[Puckdropper]

Leon wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I think I found the one you were talking about. Reviews on Home Depot's site have been less than stellar. Have you used many of these gate kits?

Puckdropper

[Leon]

This one

And this is an excellent HD latch

Yes, I have installed probably 8~10 of these. The instructions are less that stellar and sometimes the 2x4's are a tight fit at the hinges but once assembled and installed I have never seen one of these gates sag again.

[Puckdropper]

Leon wrote in news: [e-mail]:

That was the one. I'll just have to be careful assembling it.

Do you recommend replacing the screws like many of the others did?

Puckdropper

[Leon]

Your 2x4 may be too wide to fit between the bracket and the hinge. Simply plane off some of the 2x4 to fit.

Either predrill for the screws and or use a better grade. IIRC I always used long washer head pocket hole screws, coarse thread. I was always trying to use square drive to guard against stripping the heads.

AND one more thing, if you go with the latch that I mentioned above keep in mind that if gits between the end/side of the gate and the post. Don't fit the gate to fit too snugly to the latch post.

[stockbrokers]

You project seems to be good.Wooden gates are more beautiful as compare to aluminum or other materials. I am always interested in the use of wooden products as compare to others.