The old one was about had it. I guess it was not too bad for 20ish years old…. it sagged and was a pain to open since it was dragging on the ground so much.
Not only, but also, it opened into the yard. This made it hard to get the rubbish (trash) bins (cans) in and out since it opened into them.
As you can see, even with the braces someone had put on there, it was not enough to pull the gate off the ground.
Also whats with the non-level top? Who thought that was a good idea?
This is what the three of us built in a few hours.
Freddy has painted the other side so it keeps the HOA “happy” (You can never keep them happy, so we just do our best and hope).
Anyway, swung it on the house side so it folds back on the house, giving much more room to get the wheely bins in and out.
Leveled the top for no reason other than it looks oh so much better.
Notice the top rail. The HOA demands that all fences and gates have a top rail. Why? Because HOA.
OK. If the brace can be under tension – by being tied at the ends –
Then you are good to go.
The brace is now acting like the wire in the original gate, and that worked.
With orders coming in, you can start up a bit of a business.
Bob
Well, the “old” gate looks like something I would make and Leanne wants to know when you can make some for us. We need 3!
Great job on the gate – well almost.
The brace should go between the bottom hinge and the top left.
That way the wood is under compression.
Since your wood is under tension – which is OK – you need “tie” the
end to the frame with a strap of light metal/tin.
Bob
Good catch Dad.
We originally built the gate to swing from the other side like the original, then Freddy came up with the idea to flip sides and have it swing against the wall and away from the bins.
So yeah, it was braced ‘right’, but ended up wrong.
The brace is tied to the steel brackets first, then tied to the corners, so I suspect that we are good for along while.