Troubleshooting Sagging In Wooden Gates
One of the materials popular for rustic looking fencing and gates is timber. However, wood also has a propensity of succumbing to damage over time. With gates, the constant usage by opening and closing them can also accelerate the wear and tear. A sign to look out for that would indicate developing damage to your wooden gates is sagging. Leaving this sagging to go unchecked can lead to your gates misaligning or completely coming off the fence. The following are some of the things you can do to troubleshoot the sagging of your wooden gates.
Inspect the screws on the gate
The first place to start would be to examine the screws that secure the gate into place. For your gate to begin to exhibit signs of sinking or sagging, chances are some screws have loosened. Therefore, the gate is not getting sufficient support for it to stay upright. Loosened screws are easy to deal with, as all you would have to do is tighten them to remedy the problem.
If there are some screws missing, ensure you replace them post haste as the lack of support increases the pressure on the remaining screws. This, in turn, would increase the chances of them also coming loose and making your gate sag. When putting the screws in place, you could consider the addition of a nut on each screw so as to help keep the screws in place for longer.
Inspect the hinges of the gate
The next component to examine when troubleshooting the reasons why your gate could be sagging is the hinges. Over time, hinges may also succumb to damage either due to exposure to the elements or simply becoming old. Alternatively, weak hinges will not be able to withstand the weight of the gate hence leading to loosing of the screws as the hinge bends. Additionally, as screws come off, it means the hinge is not secured in place correctly. This could lead it to come right off due to the weight of the gate, which exacerbates the sagging of the gate.
Inspect the hinges to check for any acquired damage or broken hinges. These should be replaced with new hinges. When purchasing new hinged opt for robust, industrial hinges that will be able to support the weight of your gate for an extended period of time. You should also switch out the old screws with new, heavy duty screws that will be able to secure the hinges in place for the long term.
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