Fences
Finishing the Backyard Fence Project at House 173
A year later, it's finally time to finish the story of the backyard fence replacement at House 173.
It's been almost a year since the last post on the great fence replacement of 2022. I think this has been one of the most eventful years of my life, filled with both joy and sadness. Both of these extremes happened in the middle of the fence project. I don't know why, but I just never got back to writing about the last bits of the project, but I guess it's time to wrap that up. Let's get into it!
Picking Up Where We Left Off
In our last conversation, the back fence had been replaced and the new potting bench had been built. That left just the south fence and the driveway gate. And can I just say - I was not looking forward to rebuilding the gates, I remember how difficult it was the first time around!
Pale Death beats equally at the poor man's gate and at the palaces of kings. - Horace
Replacing the Broken Gate Post
But even more concerning was the post from which one of the gates swung. As it turns out, time and moisture had taken its toll on one of the posts, which snapped when I was attempting to straighten it up...
So, it was off to Home Depot to rent a jack hammer, which of course I was not loathe to do! I only had one previous opportunity to use a jack hammer at 173 - when I removed the old walkway in the back yard in 2011, and it was a blast!
The only problem is, these days I have back and neck issues, so I had to take turns with my neighbor on the jack hammer. Nonetheless, it made pretty quick work of cleaning out the post hole! And within the hour, the new post was in and curing!
Building the New Driveway Gates
Then it was on to the gates, which I had stressed about for some time. But really, using the EasyGate brackets saved the day once again!
And in really no time at all, the framing was made and both gates were hung...
Reusing What Still Worked
And I reused the old barrel lock and the hooks that hold my handmade copper gate bolts.
The nice thing was that they were already stained! Of course things would have been a little easier had we stained the frames before installing the slats. But nonetheless...
This angle makes it look like a long driveway!
But, in what took no more than a few hours, not counting concrete curing time, the new gates were up. It really turned out to be not nearly as onerous as I anticipated!
My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, 'You're tearing up the grass'; 'We're not raising grass,' Dad would reply. 'We're raising boys.' - Harmon Killebrew
Refreshing the Hardware
After the driveway gates were up, all that really was left was the hardware for the gates and minor finishing touches. I decided to stay with all the old hardware, which really consisted of just a few handles. All they needed was a good cleaning and some paint.
On close inspection, you may notice that the roughest area on the handle was wear water pooled...
So, using a little common sense - or flight of fancy, I drilled a little drain hole in each handle. Not sure if that will work, but there's really nothing to lose!
Then a quick spritz of Krylon and all the handles were ready for another dozen or so years!
Done!
And just like that (a year ago) the fences at 173 were done!
Sorry it took so long to put a bow in this one, but there we have it. Thanks so much for stopping by and we'll see ya next time!
I spent nearly forty years building and repairing fences, decks, and outbuildings, so I always enjoy seeing how someone else approaches a project like this. What struck me wasn't the workmanship, though everything looks solid, it was your decision-making.
You replaced only what had actually failed. You reused hardware that still had plenty of life left. You even drilled drain holes because you noticed where the water was collecting. That's the sort of practical thinking that usually comes from experience rather than from a YouTube video.
The line that made me smile most wasn't about lumber or gates. It was admitting you'd been worrying about the gate build for months, only to discover it wasn't nearly as bad as you'd imagined. That's DIY in a nutshell. Half the battle happens before the first board is cut.
I hope younger homeowners read posts like this. They don't just teach people how to build a fence, they teach people how to think through a project. - The Retired Carpenter
Frequently Asked Questions
Why replace only one fence post instead of rebuilding that entire section?
The fence itself was still structurally sound, but one gate post had deteriorated enough that it snapped while I was trying to straighten it. Replacing only the failed post allowed me to preserve the rest of the work while restoring the strength needed to support the driveway gates. It's a good reminder that sometimes a targeted repair is more practical than starting over.
Are EasyGate brackets worth using when building wooden gates?
For this project, absolutely. One of the things I'd been dreading most was rebuilding the gates because I remembered how challenging they were the first time. The EasyGate brackets simplified the framing, helped keep everything square, and removed much of the guesswork. They turned what I expected to be the hardest part of the project into one of the easiest.
Why reuse the old gate hardware instead of buying new?
There was simply no reason to replace it. The barrel latch, handles, and handmade copper gate bolts were all still in good working condition. After cleaning and repainting the hardware, it looked right at home on the new gates. Reusing quality materials not only saves money, but it also preserves a little continuity with the original fence.
Why drill drain holes in the gate handles?
While cleaning the handles, I noticed that the worst rust had developed where water naturally collected. Drilling a small drain hole seemed like a simple experiment to let moisture escape instead of sitting inside the handle. Whether it adds five years or fifteen years to the hardware's life remains to be seen, but it's one of those small improvements that's easy to make before everything goes back together.
Keywords
backyard fence replacement, wooden driveway gates, EasyGate brackets, replacing fence posts, DIY fence project, fence gate hardware, backyard improvements, House 173, wooden fence construction, gate restoration
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