Inspired by a helpful YouTube guide. We based this walk-through on the video "Easily Fix That Sagging Gate!", which walks through the diagnosis process and shows how the hinge screw approach sorts out most sagging gate problems without needing to rehang the whole thing. Worth a watch before you get the screwdriver out.
1. Diagnose the cause first
Before reaching for tools, work out what is actually wrong. Open the gate slowly and watch where it binds or drags. Is the bottom of the gate catching the ground near the latch side? That suggests the hinge side is dropping. Does it stick at the top of the frame? That is also usually a hinge issue.
Check whether the post itself is leaning. Stand back and look. A post that has moved will need more serious work - possibly resetting in concrete. But most of the time it is the hinges, and those are easy enough to sort.
2. Check the hinge screws - try tightening them first
This fixes more gates than anything else. Over years of use, the screws in the hinge plates work slightly loose, the hinge shifts, and the gate drops. Get a screwdriver and work round every screw in both hinges.
If the screws tighten up properly and feel solid, that may be all you need. Close the gate, check the swing, and see whether the drag has gone. It often has.
3. Fix stripped screw holes
If a screw turns without biting - just spins in the hole - the timber has stripped. The easiest fix is to plug the hole with wooden matchsticks and wood glue.
Push three or four matchsticks into the hole, snap them off flush, let the glue dry for an hour, then drive the original screw back in. The matchsticks give the screw something to grip. It works better than it sounds. Alternatively, move up to a longer screw that reaches into fresh timber.
4. Switch to longer screws for a more solid fix
The screws originally used to hang a gate are often quite short - 40 or 50mm. Replacing them with longer ones, 75 to 100mm, means the screw reaches further into the post and gets a proper grip on solid timber.
Use a sharp bit and drill a pilot hole before driving the longer screws in. This stops the timber splitting. Stainless steel or galvanised screws only outdoors - the ordinary bright zinc ones rust out in a season or two in Kent weather.
5. Add a diagonal cross-brace if the gate is racking
Some gates sag because the frame itself is racking - twisting under its own weight. A wooden gate without a diagonal brace has nothing stopping the corners from pulling out of square over time.
Fit a length of timber or a steel turnbuckle rod diagonally from the bottom hinge corner to the top latch corner. The timber option is simple to fit with coach bolts; the turnbuckle is adjustable and can be tensioned to pull the gate back square. Either method works well.
6. Replace old worn hinges if needed
If the hinges are visibly bent, corroded, or the barrel is worn oval, no amount of screw-tightening will sort it. Replace them with heavier galvanised T-hinges or strap hinges sized appropriately for the gate's weight.
Heavier gates need bigger hinges. A light garden gate on a standard post is fine with standard T-hinges. A heavy solid-timber driveway gate needs proper heavy-duty hinges - do not try to use light hardware on a gate that is going to stress it constantly.
7. Rehang and adjust the latch
Once the hinges are solid and the gate is hanging square again, check the latch. It may need repositioning slightly to line up correctly. Latches on timber gates are easy to unscrew and move up or down by a centimetre or two.
Test the gate a few times. It should swing freely, close without lifting, and latch without forcing. If it is nearly right but not quite, small adjustments at the latch are quicker than going back to the hinges.
8. Touch up bare timber with preservative paint
Any drilling or planing you have done will have exposed bare timber. Leaving it unprotected means moisture gets in and the rot process starts sooner than it should. Apply a timber preservative or fence paint to any bare patches before you pack up.
A coat of paint or stain over the whole gate while you are at it will add years to its life. Kent weather is damp enough that untreated timber outdoors does not last long.
When to call a handyman
If the post has moved, the concrete base is failing, or the gate is beyond saving and needs replacing, it is worth getting someone in. Richard can help with gate repairs, post resetting, and new gate hanging across Sandwich and East Kent.
Not your kind of job?
The Sandwich Handyman can help with gate repairs, post work, and general property upkeep across Sandwich, Deal, and nearby East Kent villages.
Contact Richard