How to fix a gate that is sagging due to weight?

[thisren]

 
Our front gate that is main entry to our house has been sagging since (and before) we moved here. Drags so much it doesnt stay closed and it scrapes on the floor. 

The wood itself is quite heavy which I assume is the main cause. I am renting so minimal money spent would be the goal, but we are still wanting some sort of functional entrance. This is an old photo (we have since tried different things) and we were mid yard work so mind the mess. In the photo you can see wire that we were using to sort of pull the bottom right from the top left into place that worked for about 2 months and then eventually the wire started popping out. We have also tried brackets in the corners which didn’t do a lot. Any suggestions are welcome and if worst comes to worst I will just make a new one with lighter wood. 

[EricL]

Hello @thisren 

Thank you for sharing your question about your wooden gate. I suggest removing the gate from the post and laying it flat on your worktable. Look closely at the corners and see if the screws holding the gate square have come loose. If they have, I suggest tightening them, if nails were used, I recommend removing them and using Zenith 10 - 8 x 75mm Treated Pine Countersunk Head Screws instead to reinforce the corners. Make sure that the frame is square before you tighten the screws. 

Next, I suggest adding corner support s by using 1200 x 596mm 18mm Plywood Pine BC Grade or similar. If you have some spare off cut timber that can be cut into 200mm squares that will work as well. Please note that the panel must at least be 15mm thick and is strong enough not to flex when under pressure. If you decide to use the plywood, use a handsaw to cut two 200mm x 200mm squares. Draw a line across one corner of the square to give you a cutting guide that will turn them into triangles. Cut the squares into two turning them into triangles. 

Making sure that the gate frame is square attach one triangle in each corner using Zenith 8G x 50mm Gold Passivated Countersunk Rib Head Chipboard Screws. I suggest a minimum of six screws for each triangle evenly spaced. The plywood support should now keep the gate square, reattach the gate to the post and test to see if it is still dragging on the ground. Looking at the photo, it appears that the gate post is still in good condition, therefore the gate should work properly.

However, if the gate structure is no longer viable, then building a new one may be your only choice. Please make sure to notify your property manager of your intent before you begin your project.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Jewelleryrescue for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Dave-1]

Good Morning @thisren 

Having a scrapping gate is pain, a fixable pain but we all let it scrape for awhile (yes I have one as well lol)

I would check to see if the hinges are ok, no warping or pulling out of the timber posts.

There should be a large diagonal brace from (looking at your picture) the top right down to bottom left. This would stop the gate sagging so much as the weight pushes down on that diagonal. 

I would remove that horizontal mid section, install in the diagonal brace and even go as far as what @EricL has ex suggested with the re-enforcing squares. 

For the period of time you have refered and I suspect that the frame the hunges screw in you may need to move the hinges a little or as you said rebuild the gate with a diabonal frame. Normally you have a solid frame that you then attach the fence palings to but the gate as is looks like the palins and frame are one. 

Dave