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The house fence line is a Colourbond fence and at the side of the house pathway has a Colourbond gate fitted.
The gate is attached to a 50mm Colourbond tube, the tube is cemented in the ground and attached the the Colourbond fence by a long screw, the screw goes through the centre of that tube. 2 hinges are also attached between the gate and tubing.
The position of the tubing is between the supports of the fence and at the weakest point.
The fence has sagged and the post and gate lean at the top which causes the gate latch to be out of level and making a adjustment to the latching system is only good for a while and then the gate has to be lifted to close.
The latch is 2 parts, one half on the gate and the other attached to another Colourbond 50mm tube which is attached to the corner of the house which has a 3mm metal corner piece that seems sturdy enough.
The latches are showing rust so I would like to remove and replace the hinges and removed the long screws at the top of both posts so there is no obstruction inside the tubes.
Getting a 45mm anything to fit inside the tube is impossible so I thought about a 3mtr 90x45mm length of hardwood cut in half would give me 2 3mtr 45x45mm lengths minus the cut that could go inside the 50mm Colourbond tube which is 1600mm high on both sides to the bottom of the tube and then a further 400mm up over the Colourbond tube of a overhaul height for 3 braces to be placed between which would be 1200mm minus 100mm to be the same as the gate width.
As both Colourbond posts are in concrete the brace at the top would then make a self supporting posts and with new latches screwed into the the post and the inner timber would make a strong frame for the gate to swing on.
I would later extend that new frame to make a tunnel down the pathway for the vines on the fence to climb on with netting. The post would be painted green before being pushed into the Colourbond posts.
My question is can I have the timber cut at Bunnings and which is the best timber to use and the standard I should use for the height of the new posts and anything I may have missed.
I feel the fix to stable this fence is to make the gate self supporting.
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Kvic. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about fixing a gate.
If the fence and post are sagging under the weight of the gate, then I don't believe the post and timber alone will resolve the issues. It sounds like the best solution here would be to remove the gate, prop the fence back into the correct position and concrete in another post to support the fence. Currently, the fence is needed to support the post, as the post alone won't support the gate, and I'm concerned 45 x 45mm timber potentially isn't enough to create a solid frame. Perhaps you could remove the current metal post and concrete in an 88 x88mm timber post. Even then, I'd recommend you screw it back into the fence. A timber post of that size would likely be strong enough to support the fence and the gate.
Unfortunately, our saws don't have the ability to rip 90 x 45mm timber down the middle to create two 45 x 45mm lengths; we can only cut timber to length. Instead, I'd propose you leave the gate as it is, create a frame on the exterior of the posts, and screw it to them. Just remember, for the top horizontal piece that, you'll need to make it slightly too long so you can wedge it into the gap. I've created a rendering below to illustrate. Screw or bolt the two verticle lengths of H3-treated 70 x 45mm Pine to the face of the posts. Then cut another length of Pine slightly longer than the desired width. Have a helper lever up on the bottom of the gate, which will, in turn, push the fence back into position. You can use a stick of timber under the gate to assist in creating this leverage. Next, insert the horizontal top brace and screw it into position.
To fancy the brace up a bit, you could cut yourself some fretwork into a timber board and mount it above the gate.
Please let me know if you have further questions.
Mitchell
Thank you for the rendering and time spent and agreed the pine frame and headboard would work but I had more plans for the pathway as it is 6m long, on a sloping block, fence on one-side and the house wall on the other.
The vines are always pushing into this space as it has nowhere else to go.
I fell in love with this archway and think I could reproduce this with many different galvanized pipes and fittings.
First I would place a treated pine timber board on the house wall some 2m high one end 2.5 the other. The existing screws that hold on the mental sheeting could be removed and replaced with longer screws to hold the board and the sheet?
On the timber board I would place galvanized round flanges with holes in the timber board behind the flanges so the galvanized pipe that is screwed into the flange with be an adjustment by turning the flange.
The width of the pathway from wall to fence is 1.2m.
By using a combination of the available pipe lengths and connectors I can create a stylish pipe framework.
The Top
Timber Board ???
20mm Flange = 12mm
20 x 300mm = 300mm * 2
20 x 400mm = 400mm * 1
20mm Galvanized Tee = 66mm * 2
20mm Galvanized Elbow = 70mm * 1
This would give me around the 1.2m distance from the wall with many points of adjustment to press up against the fence to correct the gate height.
The Side would be duplicated and adjusted with the slope of the pathway which is around 500mm.
Finished off with some metal mesh for the plants to climb and maybe some wisteria.
Hi @Kvic
Will you be using galvanized pipe for the posts near the fence or will you be using timber and attaching the galvanized pipes to that? I have a bit of an idea of how you'll be doing the timber sheets on the house side, but I'm not so sure about the fence side. Would it be possible for you to do a quick sketch on paper?
Eric
Hello @Kvic
My only worry is that the vegetation pushing against your Colorbond fence will eventually be too much and push the fence right into your property. Have you considered speaking to your neighbour and perhaps finding a solution to this situation? Perhaps a rebuilding of the fence with the archway build included? My only other suggestion is to make sure that the framework of the archway is independent of the fence.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
On closer inspection of the sagging gate post I took a closer look.
It seems to me that the concrete maybe the problem so I will need to dig out the post and put a new post and concrete. As for the vines they are the neighbors and the fence will be the problem when it falls down.
Hi @Kvic,
To answer your questions above, yes, you'll be able to screw the galvanised fittings together to create your structure. Just match up the sizes, 15, 20, 25mm etc.
You could use the existing screw holes to mount your timber. Just be careful, though, as they might have a rubber sealing washer to prevent water ingress through the screw hole. You'll still need to use this washer between the timber board and the sheeting. This will stop water from running behind the timber and into the screw hole.
Please keep us updated and reach out if you need further assistance.
Mitchell
I have finally started to make changes to the sagging gate as it has come difficult to operate.
As I want to create a tunnel down the side path for the vegetation to grow over I have started with the gate to extend from which is pictured above.
I have made the gate self supported by pushing water piping down the centre of the main fence gate post and crossing over the path to be supported by the house. The angle on the corner of the house is quiet strong and I have placed several connections with that support where I can extend the tunnel from in the future but first I what to see the gate settle and support correctly.
Many of the visitors, and they have to use that gate to get to the front door have commented about the gate. It seems that most have a gate at their home that gives them difficulty from sagging and state how easy and great the gate is to open.
The gate has had several superficial repairs before and I found the latches have been redrilled many times so I found the original holes and drilled the water pipe to place the hinges in the original holes but into the water pipe for new support.
The flange of the pipe against the angle corner is screwed all the way on and can be adjusted out when the fence sages and if needed a spacer between the house and flange which I would like to do by placing a board along the house wall for the other tunnel supports, in the future.
The pipe has the t-piece's already to extend from at a later date when I know the fence has settle as the t-piece can also be adjusted which I am sure I don't need all these adjustments as if I did then there must be something really wrong with the foundation.
The main problem of the gate support is the rain damage to the ground and I will be digging the backyard this week to add drainage into the rainwater pipe that runs underground at the gate to the street detention tank.
My water problem https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Outdoor/How-to-improve-drainage/td-p/142122
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