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Just finished a cedar fence in Portland and the gate latch was off by a full inch.
I was setting the posts on a slope and misjudged the drop, so when I hung the gate it wouldn't close. I had to pull the hinge post, pack the hole with extra gravel, and reset it at the right angle. What's your go-to trick for getting gate posts perfect on uneven ground?
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mila_craig45mo ago
Feel your pain, that's the worst. I always run a tight string line between the posts and use a long level to check plumb in both directions before the concrete sets. On a slope, I'll sometimes set the latch post a hair higher to account for the drop.
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skyler_white955mo ago
Setting the latch post higher on a slope can actually cause the gate to swing open on its own if it's a hinged design. Gravity will pull it toward the lower hinge side. For a slope, you need to keep the posts plumb but set the entire gate frame to follow the grade, which means custom cutting the hinge brackets or using adjustable ones. That string line trick is solid for alignment, but have you tried using a water level for long runs? It's dead accurate over distance.
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taylor.phoenix5mo ago
My uncle's farm gate taught me that lesson the hard way. He set the latch post high on a slope and that thing would never stay closed. Skyler is right, you have to follow the grade with the whole gate frame. I still use a string line, but I double check with a four foot level on all sides of the post before I walk away. It saves a huge headache later.
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