How to Correct a Sagging Fence Gate with a Caster

By JOE TRUINI

No matter how well you build a wooden fence gate, they all share a common problem over time — the tendency to sag over time. 

A sagging gate doesn’t just make your fence look old and unattractive — it’s also a hazard for children and pets.

Wide gates are no exception, and possibly are more susceptible to sagging. For example, this fence gate is five and a half feet wide, and I’ve tried everything over the years. I replaced the hinges with larger hinges. I installed the steel braces in each corner. Still, it didn’t work. 

Instead of fighting gravity, prop the sagging gate up when it’s closed or open with a caster.

The caster is made from a simple two-by-four pressure-treated block. Here’s how to build it:

Hand using a wood scraper to smooth a notch out of a two-by-four pressure-treated board
A wood scraper smooths the edges of the two-by-four so it rests neatly against the horizontal fence gate support board. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Cut a notch in the back of the two-by-four pressure-treated board to create a shoulder so it rests under the horizontal rail of the gate.

A caster wheel made from a pressure-treated two-by-four to correct a sagging fence gate
Cut the notch wide enough for the caster wheel to roll without any blockage. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Then, cut another notch in the bottom to hold the caster. Drill a hole through the notch for a coverage bolt to go through to secure the caster to the block.  

Ridgid drill drilling galvanized screws into a caster wheel on a fence gate
The notch on the back of the two-by-four keeps the caster wheel from sticking too far out from the gate. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Finally, secure the caster block to the horizontal support board with four two-inch long galvanized screws.

Now when the gate is open or closed, the caster, not the hinges, completely supports it.

Watch the video, and check out more Simple Solutions.


Further Reading

Source: todayshomeowner.com

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