Notice the one, long joint on this gate's T-hinge.
Fence gates serve as portals into yards, gardens and patios and allow you keep children and pets from escaping out into the street. Unfortunately, rain, wind and several other factors can cause structural damage to fence gates -- damage that is often aesthetically displeasing. If you have a gate that is sagging, dragging on the underlying ground or is otherwise dysfunctional, several types of hardware can help you fix the problem. Does this Spark an idea?
Hinges
The main hardware elements comprising fence gates are hinges or joints that hold two sections of material together, allowing one to swing. According to the construction and home improvement resource This Old House, when moisture, rot, insects and other factors cause gate hinges to "turn creaky," meaning the hinges become rusty and difficult to swing, the best solution is to replace the posts with fresh lumber and to replace the old hinges with new ones. Always predrill holes for the new hinges, and use lag screws for installing them.
As the consumer resource website Wise 4 Living notes, hinges for fence gates are available in several different materials with the majority consisting of wrought iron, black iron, rust-resistant steel, brass, copper or bronze. In addition, the hinges come in a variety of designs or styles, including strap hinges, which have two long, fastening surfaces; T-hinges, which have one strap-style joint for the gate and one standard butt joint for the post; and butterfly hinges, which have large plates that flare out like butterfly wings at the end of their joints. To optimize the safety and practicality of your fence gate, use hinges that have built-in spring mechanisms that automatically close the gate if someone forgets to.
Latch
As with gate hinges, when gate latches become stubborn and rusty --- and WD40 and other lubricants are ineffective --- replace them with new ones. Top optimize the appearance of your gate, coordinate your new latch with any existing gate hardware. For example, if you have wrought iron hinges on the gate, using a wrought iron latch will complement the hinges well. Latches for fence gates come in a variety of different styles, including Cott latches, which have flat locking mechanisms that pivot down on top of receivers; thumb latches, which have small buttons at the tops of their handles for lifting their locks; and bolt latches, which use long, cylindrical bolts that slide back and forth into corresponding receivers. Of course, you can also use a simple hook and eyelet latch assembly, which features a maneuverable lock piece that you hook into an eyelet receiver.
Handle
If the handle hardware on your fence gate becomes damaged, you can replace it with a new handle or with a simple knob. Remain consistent with the materials that you use on your gate's hardware.
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