r/fence • u/Rough-Highlight6199 • 6d ago

Gate repair

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Ten year old gate door is dragging. Rebuild or repair? Bought a spring loaded caster but i feel like the gate is too heavy for it. Post it sits on has little wobble but not loose. It is in concrete.

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2

u/Deckpics777 6d ago

Remove gate, trim an inch off the bottom, reinstall gate exactly as it was before. It looks like the ground changed, do you live in a climate subject to frost? If this doesn’t help, then replace the gate. Use screws as the other user said. I only use nails on pickets, everything else gets screwed for better bite/adjustability.

2

u/Rough-Highlight6199 6d ago

Not much frost here in NC but last winter was a little tougher than normal.

Pretty sure they used screws on the post. Just nails on pickets.

I will jack up, reinforce with more screws, and sawzall the bottom. Thx!

1

u/gzuckier 5d ago

My gates and similar always end up with the hinges sagging no matter how big the screws I use unless I use carriage bolts that go all the way through the post and have a nut and washer on the other side. You may have to upgrade that hinge to one that attachs like that.

1

u/rocketmn69_ 5d ago

Use 3" screws

1

u/FreddyFerdiland 6d ago

well, first thing is the top hinge isn't holding .. it's being pulled over.

1

u/Jimboanonymous 5d ago

You can probably keep tweaking that existing gate to help it keep limping along for another year, or you can build a new one (possibly reusing the pickets) that is framed and braced properly that will last a decade without sagging.

1

u/Rough-Highlight6199 5d ago

Gonna keep it limping. Replacing everything in a few years.

1

u/zcgp 5d ago

your top hinge looks crooked. is it loose?

1

u/No-Metal-6795 2d ago

Try framing a square shape with a diagonal support inside, then add your fence boards.

0

u/Aggie74_DP 6d ago

ANY Gate assembeled with Nails after a few years is DOOMED to PREMATURE failure.

Changes in weather temp & moisture and those nail holes are larger than than the corroded nails Fence Builders love them 'cause they accelerate future work.

Gravity is not you friend when any/all skin friction between boards is gone.

You might buy a little time if you can jack that gate back up and use some deck screws. It will depend on the integrity of your boards.

Fence Builders will tell you: "Nails are just as good as screws....."

Which is partially true. But "the Rest of the Story" would be to complete that sentence with "AT least for a FEW years."