Lee Wallender / The Spruce
After enough time, a sagginggateon your property is inevitable.
A sagginggatemakes your yard look tired and unattractive.
Worse, a sagging gate will not close properlya hazard for children and pets.
Lee Wallender / The Spruce
The good thing is that saggingwood gatescan be fixed easily and inexpensively.
You’ll first tighten up the hinges or replace them.
Gate hinges are strong but sometimes they can bend, especially under extreme weight.
In some cases, the gate hinges may rust or bend.
Replacing the hinges will fix this problem.
The gate must form a nearly perfect square or rectangle to fit in its gate opening.
Enough openings and closings will cause this square or rectangle to distort into a parallelogram.
Tightening screwsdoes help, but often it is not enough.
These kits work for gates up to 6 feet high and 4 feet wide.
When to Fix a Sagging Gate
It’s best to fix your sagging gate in dry weather.
Wet wood expands, making it more difficult to calculate the right size and shape of the gate.
Unscrew the hinges from the post and remove the gate.
Unscrew the old hinges from the gate and replace them with the new hinges.
Remove the screw, measure its length, then purchase screws of the same diameter but 1/2 inch longer.
Replace any faulty screws with these longer screws.
Test Gate for Square
Use the tape measure to determine whether the gate is square.
Measure the diagonal in one direction, then measure diagonal in the other direction.
If the two measurements do not match, the gate is out of square.
It can be squared up with an anti-sag kit.
Work on the gate on the inside; that is, the side where the support pieces are visible.
The brace should start at the top hinge and continue diagonally down the gate to its lower right corner.
Add the screws to attach the braces.
Add Turnbuckle
Screw out the turnbuckle until it is fully extended.
Attach it to the lower brace.
What Is a Turnbuckle?
A turnbuckle is a metal tensioning equipment with two threaded bolts that draw together when turned with a wrench.
Attach Cable to Turnbuckle
Insert the steel cable through the turnbuckle and through the lower right brace.
Attach Cable Clamps
Pull the cable tight by hand.
Adjust Turnbuckle
Use the wrench to turn the turnbuckle, further tightening it.
As you tighten, the sag should disappear, with the gate becoming level again.
Open and shut the gate to test.
