Overheard a guy at the lumber yard talking about gate sag

I was picking up some 4x4s yesterday and this older fella was telling the guy behind the counter that he replaced his gate hinges with a heavier strap hinge and a spring-loaded latch. Said it fixed a gate that had been dragging for two years. That got me thinking about how I always just add a wheel or dig out the post when I'm dealing with sag. Has anyone else tried swapping hinges first before doing all that extra work?

3 comments

3 Comments

blairtaylor29d ago

And the thing is, most people go straight to putting a wheel on it or digging up the post, but that's way more work than it needs to be. I've fixed three gates on my property just by swapping the hinges out for those heavy duty strap hinges they sell at Tractor Supply. Usually the problem is the old hinges are just too thin and they bend over time, letting the gate drop. A spring loaded latch is a good add too because it pulls the gate tight against the post when you close it. Before you go digging or adding wheels, try the hinges first, you might save yourself a whole Saturday.

thompson.nathan29d ago

Man, that spring loaded latch detail just blew my mind a little bit. I've been fighting with a sagging gate in my backyard for two years now, and every time I close it I have to lift up on the handle to get it to catch. Never once thought about the latch pulling it tight, that's pure genius. I've been eyeballing those wheels at Home Depot for months, feeling stupid now. Heading to Tractor Supply this weekend for sure.

terry_carter1519d ago

I gotta push back a little on this one... and I know I'm in the minority here. The thing is, a good hinge swap can definitely help, but if your gate is dragging for two years like that guy said, the problem might be deeper than just the hardware. Usually that long of a sag means the gate frame itself has twisted or the wood has warped from moisture. I've seen guys put heavy strap hinges on a warped frame and it just transfers the stress somewhere else, like to the latch or the post. Not saying it never works, but I'd rather spend a weekend digging and resetting the post once instead of swapping parts two or three times down the road. A spring loaded latch is a band-aid if the gate isn't square anymore, you know?

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