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16 foot wide opening on fence (keeps sagging)

RyanEricW

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Jan 14, 2012
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85
Trying to figure out a way to make my 2 x 8' wide fence panels not sag

I'd like to fabricate a steel frame if possible then just bolt the wood to the steel frame, anyone have any suggestions for blueprints or materials?

Thanks
 
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The Cobbler

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use 2x2 square tube , weld ears onto the inside corners to fasten 2x to. then nail or screw your fence boards to them.
btw, your guy wires should run from the bottom (center) to the top corner. the way you have them is not dong any supporting from falling

edit, I see you have them criss crossed. well I shut up now
 

tjdux

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Or even just better wheels on the current gate will help the sagging a bunch. Harbor freight has several airless wheel/tire options that should work well with little maintenance.

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tjdux

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Also if you make a heavy metal gate you will beed much better posts at each end or the posts will bow or bend. Changing out the 2x4s with 2x6 or 8 will also help the sagging i bet.

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zendriver

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To keep the gate from sagging by itself, it should help, to have a wood cross brace, that fastens to each upright board.

Looks like your gate posts, have no lateral support. If the gate sags, at the opening ends Are the gate post staying totally square, or tiling inward, from the weight of the gate?

images
 

rayra

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For starters your gate panels are braced wrong. The illustration in the preceding post for a cable stay on a gate is correct, the cable helps lift the foot of the gate / support its weight. The way you've done it with an 'X' of cable stays, the cables that peak at the middle of your gate are contributing to the droop / pulling the gate downward.

Fix it by putting a proper wood 'Z' brace oriented correctly to keep the noses of the gate panel up. And retain your cable braces that are oriented to pull up on the foot of the gate.

/if you are talking about your gate panels sagging
 

ducksface

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II would (but this is just me)
A yard of concrete in a four foot deep hole basing each four inch square tubing gate post, a tractor supply gate covered with your existing wood, anchors eight feet back from the posts and cables to the top of the post.


I am NEVER about taking the harshest and most labor intensive route. Except on gates. Given a chance, they will jack with me every time I take less than a stupid amount of overkill.

Or, if you don't use it and the floppy nature and the Malalingment and lifting and trying to latch, of what you have and the inevitable post failure is farther out than you care:

That wheel will have to roll Somewhere and it sure won't like high grass or snow or mud or you leveraging the top of that gate while it's fighting you from the bottom. And the entire track of that wheel has to be within an inch of level or it will wobble your gate post so loose it will render the gate unusable in just a few openings. 8feet of gate puts a lot of footpounds of torque and lift on a post when the gate is trying to lift itself 6 inches to compensate for a grade.
Your wheel is a major part of your problem. If you put 20pounds of pull/wheel resistance on that gate...
20 pounds times eight feet is 160ftlbs of torque going somewhere(actually it might be the eight foot length added to the height of your push for a squat load more). Real posts and no wheel eliminate that.
 
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DIC

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A wood framed gate with wood post like yours shouldn't be more than about 12 foot wide. Plus the gate is not braced right and the tension cable or rod is going the wrong direction
 

koditten

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I have the exact same fence and gate. I made 2" x 2" square tube frame and bolted the panels to it. It does not sag. The 2 gates "lean" against each other when closed. Been fine for 6 years.

The hinges are attached to the tube frame, not the fence panel.
 
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kbs2244

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Do they have to swing?

Think about a sliding gate.

Or a vertical pivoting (Think RR gate) with the pivot at the bottom corner.
The only problem is the vertical will need an opener and counter weight.
 

Ign

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I'm wondering if some people actually looked at the pic.

He's got two 8' gates is all (which he states).

From reading the comments first then opening the pic it sounds like some people are thinking he's got a single 16' gate.
 

Ign

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But OP I'm not sure why you need blueprints. You could just mimic your current framework on your gates. I might be tempted to use 1x3x16ga, commonly available at most steel yards for handrails.

Use trailer decking screws to anchor the wood, although you may have to shorten them if only going into 1" steel tube. Maybe not though....just see what lengths your local trailer supply carries
 

LB-1911

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I'm wondering if some people actually looked at the pic.

He's got two 8' gates is all (which he states).

From reading the comments first then opening the pic it sounds like some people are thinking he's got a single 16' gate.

^ Thank You

Trying to figure out a way to make my 2 x 8' wide fence panels not sag

I'd like to fabricate a steel frame if possible then just bolt the wood to the steel frame, anyone have any suggestions for blueprints or materials?

Thanks
 
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davetulk

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Feb 2, 2009
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101
Location
Mid Florida
Are you referring to it sagging vertically or bowing out at the top of the fence?

If you are referring to the bowing out, I would put a removable post where the two gates meet. This way you can leave it there when you only need to open one side and remove if you need the full 16'. Of course only a solution if it's a occasional use gate.
 

JRC3

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Southwestern OH
If privacy isn't an issues a wire filled farm gate with a proper supporting latch.

3610993


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ddurrett896

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Mar 29, 2015
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VA
Trying to figure out a way to make my 2 x 8' wide fence panels not sag

I'd like to fabricate a steel frame if possible then just bolt the wood to the steel frame, anyone have any suggestions for blueprints or materials?

Thanks

Go to tractor supply and buy two 8' cattle gates. Lag a 2x4 horizontal on the top
And bottom and screw the pickets to it. Mount the gates to the posts and be done with it. I did two 10' gates that way and they are 100% and cost less than $200 total.
 

jhelrey

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MN
I used to install fences... You need 6x6 posts, not 4x4. Dig them in has far as your auger/post hole digger will let you. You need to make the hole big as well.
 
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