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Had a gate hinge shear clean off on a windy day in Denver
I was finishing up a 6-foot cedar fence job last Tuesday, and the wind really picked up out of nowhere. I had just hung the double gate, maybe 30 minutes before, and a big gust caught it. Next thing I know, there's a loud crack and the whole thing is hanging by one hinge. The top hinge on the left side just sheared right through the screw heads. I mean, I used 3-inch exterior screws into the 4x4 post, but I guess the force was just too much. I had to take it all down, drill out the broken screws, and switch to through-bolts with washers. Added about an hour and a half to my day, easy. Has anyone else had to switch up their hardware for super windy spots? I'm thinking of just using bolts on gates as a rule now.
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the_thea2mo ago
Yeah, switching to through-bolts is the only way to go for gates, especially out here. I learned that the hard way too, after having to fix a few. I don't even bother with lag bolts anymore, I just go straight for a 5/16" carriage bolt with a big washer and lock nut right from the start.
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the_grace2mo agoTop Commenter
Totally agree, and adding a second washer between the wood and the nut helps stop it from digging in over time.
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the_emery2mo ago
Wait, you were using lag bolts on a gate before? That's wild, I mean those things are basically just fancy screws. No wonder it fell apart.
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