Fix a sagging gate that drags or unlatches
A gate that drags or won't latch is usually a hinge-side post that moved or a racked frame. Here's how to diagnose it and rehang the gate so it swings clean.
What you'll learn
- Why gates sag (post movement, racked frame, loose hinges)
- How to install an anti-sag cable kit in 30 minutes
- When to rebuild the gate frame vs. adjust hinges
- Why stainless hardware on coastal gates matters
Step by step
- Check whether the hinge post has moved, use a 4-foot level.
- Tighten hinge screws. If screw holes are stripped, use longer screws.
- Install an anti-sag kit: cable from top-hinge corner to bottom-latch corner.
- Tighten the turnbuckle until the gate squares up.
- Adjust latch strike so the gate closes with a clean click.
If the hinge-side post is rotted at grade, no anti-sag kit will hold. The post needs a steel insert or replacement. That's a pro-level repair, though usually a short one.
Rather have a pro handle it?
Fence installation and repair across San Diego County. Leave a message and we match you with a local pro.
Keep learning.
Stain and seal a wood fence
Unsealed cedar turns gray in six months. A proper stain job doubles fence life. Here's how to clean, dry, and seal a wood fence in San Diego's climate.
Straighten a leaning fence post
A leaning fence is almost always a post problem, not a panel problem. Often DIY-fixable. Here is how to find the bad post and straighten the fence yourself.
Replace broken fence pickets
Wind, impact, or rot, a few broken pickets don't need a full panel replacement. Here is how to match the wood and swap broken fence pickets in an afternoon.