I have a gate latch that is attached with a thick screw to a stucco pony wall. It appears it was screwed to wood inside the stucco and the wood is stripped or rotted since it will not hold the bolt. My HOA has "repaired" this 3 times with results that never last. The bolt is 4.5 inches and 3/8" thick. Since the latch post is 1.5" and there is unknown thickness to the stucco - maybe 1", the bolt may only extend into the wood 2".

Shall I try a longer bolt? Is there some type of substance I could spray into the wood hole to solidify the wood first? I could use a thicker bolt, but I would have to drill the latch post to accommodate a bigger hole (which I can do). Given the geometry of the stucco, I don't think a bolt will work.
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I have a gate latch that is attached with a thick screw to a stucco pony wall. It appears it was screwed to wood inside the stucco and the wood is stripped or rotted since it will not hold the bolt. My HOA has "repaired" this 3 times with results that never last. The bolt is 4.5 inches and 3/8" thick. Since the latch post is 1.5" and there is unknown thickness to the stucco - maybe 1", the bolt may only extend into the wood 2".

Shall I try a longer bolt? Is there some type of substance I could spray into the wood hole to solidify the wood first? I could use a thicker bolt, but I would have to drill the latch post to accommodate a bigger hole (which I can do). Given the geometry of the stucco, I don't think a bolt will work.

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