There are a number of different reasons why you might find yourself needing to repair a gate. Troubleshooting what is actually going on with the gate is typically going to let you know what needs to be done in order to repair the problem. If you have a sagging gate, then the culprit may be loose hinges, wobbly posts or a gate frame that is out of square. Sometimes gates begin to stick as they retain moisture, allowing the gate to have alignment problems and this will cause the gate's hinges to become loosened. Once the moisture is gone, the gate will be left sagging. Many metal gates end up sagging because their posts have become wobbly or because the pins holding the gate into the post have become bent.

Check the Stability of the Posts

The first step is to check the post stability for whatever post is supporting the gate as well as the ones that are simply nearby. You should make sure that they are plumb and free of any wobbling. The fence posts may begin to wobble with time if made using untreated wood, or if the post setting has been allowed to become unstable.

Often, all you will have to do to fix your problems with the gate is to repair your posts. Wobbly posts can be secured using splints or stakes, but this is only going to work if the post is still in a suitable condition. You can drive the stakes into the ground on both sides of the post. Choose stakes pre-treated with a preservative in order to prevent any rotting. Secure everything together using bolts that run from the stake to the post and into the other stake.

If the posts are not in good condition any longer, then you are going to need to replace them. This repair is one that takes significantly more work as the posts will have to be disassembled and reassembled to repair or replace the part of the fence that is giving you issues. Remove the problem posts and reinstall new posts, ensuring that you are using good that has been pressure treated or a cedar or redwood variety.

Check the Hinge Quality

If your posts are not wobbling then the problem may be with your hinges. Check your hinges to determine whether or not they are loose, old, bent or simply too light-weight for the gate that you are using. Replacing your hinges is a relatively simple procedure. You may also be able to fix the problem you are facing simply by replacing the screws that attach your posts and your gate together.

Worn hinges can be replaced with larger hinges. Make sure that you use brand new holes to suit the screws. You can make strap hinges stronger by bending their tips around the corners of the posts.

Photo Credits: 96dpi

Related Posts

• How to Fix an Interior Door Interior doors are usually not made of the best materials, and even the nicest homes may have simple hollow core doors. Since these doors are in high use areas, they can frequently have issues, such as hinge wear, and even in many cases, holes where something fell against it. If......
• Mastering the Art of Stair Repair Broken or loose stairs are not only unsightly, but they can also be incredibly dangerous. Repairing stairs doesn’t have to be difficult and unless they need a total replacement, you should be able to take care of it with just some basic tools. To get started, you’ll need to have......
• It Might Be Time to Consider DIY for Home Improvement When insurance deductibles become so high that it becomes impossible to make claims to repair blown down fences and make routine home improvements, or when the waiting list for contractor help becomes impossibly long, it might be time to consider getting things done yourself. In the age of big box......
• Why Bother with Basement Renovations? For some people, basement renovations are something complicated by problems with water or because their basements are little more than dirt cellars. For homes that have the potential, however, basement renovations can greatly improve a house. Adding a room to your home is a significant expense. But renovating the basement,......
• 5 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring A Contractor There are times when even the best of us may not have the qualifications needed to fix something around the house. Every year, there are thousands of disaster stories where homeowners thought they could do the job on their own, only to end up causing costly damage to their property.......

Related Websites

• Upcoming Posts Just wanted to give everyone a hint of the posts to be posted this weekend. The plans are for posts on the Fair Debt Collection Act, a post on the awards that I have received in the last 2 weeks, a post on Helpful Tip Saturday, and a post on......
• Carnivals, Link and More! Another week another bunch of blog carnival submissions!Carnivals this weekBible Money Matters was included in several carnivals this week. The 14th Money Hacks Carnival - Weird Golf Facts Edition @ PTMoney.com: Prime Time Money hosts the Money Hacks Carnival (one of may faves), and includes my post Drive Free Cars......
• Reader e-mail response about van air-conditioning I received a very thoughtful e-mail from Ben, a visitor to the blog, about the problems that our van was having with the air conditioning.  His letter is in bold:Hi,Just read your post about the AC problems your van was having.  I drove a 95 Chevy Lumina for years with......
• Twitter Hashtags Twitter Hashtags are a way to add searchable tags to your posts. How? just add a hash (or pound sign) in from a word. In most twitter interfaces this results in a link to search twitter for other posts with the same tag. Using a hash is also a way......
• Living, Whether in Debt or Debt-Free (Guest Post) This is a guest post from Remodeling This Life. She blogs about her life living in and remodeling an old house, and frequently touches on issues of personal finance. If you enjoyed her post today, check out her blog. And consider subscribing to her feed too! I know a lot......

If you liked this article, vote for it on del.icio.us and stumbleupon.


Categories:

Curb Appeal, Fix, Handy Man, Repair, fence

Tags:

alignment problems, bolts, culprit, different reasons, fence posts, hinge, hinges, metal gates, pins, preservative, stake, suitable condition