Gate Replacement: A New Gate and New Posts Where the Old One Failed

Gates wear out ahead of the fence they belong to. They carry their own weight on two hinges, they get slammed, leaned on and driven into, and the posts they hang from take a sideways load that no other post in the fence sees. It is common to replace a gate in a fence that has years left in it.

QC Fence Contractors replaces gates across the Charlotte metro on wood, vinyl, aluminum, steel and chain link fences, for homes and for commercial properties.

• The latch side has dropped so far that the latch no longer meets the keeper, and adjusting the hinges has run out of travel.
• The frame is racked out of square or the joints have opened.
• Wood rails or stiles are rotted where the hinges and latch are screwed in, so fasteners will not hold.
• A metal gate is bent or its welds have cracked after an impact.
• The hinge post leans toward the opening. Check it with a level: the gate is only as plumb as the post.
• The gate is the wrong size for how it is used now, such as a narrow gate that a new mower or trailer cannot clear.
• An operator has been added to a gate that was never built to be pushed, and the frame is flexing.

1. 1. Find the cause. We check the gate, the hinges and both posts to see what actually failed. Replacing a gate on a leaning post only repeats the problem.
2. 2. Measure and decide. The opening is measured, and we agree on the width, material, swing and hardware for the new gate.
3. 3. Remove the old gate. The old gate and hardware come off. Failed posts are pulled with their concrete.
4. 4. Set new posts. Replacement gate posts go in new concrete, deeper than fence posts, and the adjoining fence is tied back in.
5. 5. Build and hang. The new gate is built or fitted to the opening, hung, and adjusted so it swings level and latches cleanly.
6. 6. Haul away. The old gate, posts and concrete leave with the crew.

Most failed gates were underbuilt. The fix is to change what failed. A wood gate that sagged can be rebuilt on a welded steel frame with the pickets attached to it, so it looks the same and cannot rack. Wood gate posts that rotted can be replaced with steel posts sleeved or faced to match the fence. Light strap hinges can be replaced with heavy adjustable ones.

If the opening is wrong, change it. Widening a gate means moving one post and reworking a short piece of fence, which is a small job while the gate is already out. If a swing gate has always fought the slope of the driveway, a sliding or cantilever gate may be the right replacement.

Matching an older fence takes some care. New wood is lighter than weathered wood and will take time to blend. Vinyl and aluminum gates have to match the profile and color of the fence, and older product lines are not always available. We check what can be matched before you commit.

When the gate is not the only thing failing, say so during the estimate. If the fence posts near the gate are soft too, it may make sense to replace that side of the fence at the same visit. See residential fence replacement and commercial fence replacement.