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I recently built a large double wood gate using 6x6x8 posts. Each post was set with concrete in a 26" hole. After some settling, one of the posts is now leaning about 1/4 inch toward the middle. This is causing the gate to not open/close easily. What is the best way to adjust the leaning post? Or do I need to redo the post setting entirely?

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2 Answers

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Why not stick a 1/4" shim behind the gate's lower hinge? Or planing off 1/4" behind the upper hinge?

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up vote 6 down vote

My first thought is a guy wire from the top corner of the post, with a turnbuckle in the middle to tension it up and pull out that lean in the post. It seems that if you don't do something like this, the only alternative IS to reset the posts, which is a lot of work. Hope this helps.

This is what a turnbuckle looks like:

enter image description here

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you beat me to it while I was trying to figure out what a turnbuckle was actually called! I have something similar on my backyard gate. The screw eye attaches to the top corner of the leaning post, and runs a cable with a turnbuckle to the bottom of the adjacent post, also attached with a screw eye. That way the moment arm from the base is maximized for the leaning post and minimized for the stabilizing post, resulting in less of a chance for them both to start leaning towards each other. – Doresoom Apr 7 '11 at 21:24
What would you do if the leaning post is in a corner? i.e., the gate is at a 90 degree angle from the fence. My guess is you'd have to turnbuckle it to the ground then...not ideal, since that's the neighbor's yard :P – morganpdx Apr 7 '11 at 22:51

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