4x4 post bowing into gate

[soparklion11]

Slim to none and Slim just left town.

I miss Slim.

My buddy thinks that I should push it to where it is near vertical and then drill a hole down the center, and insert a metal pipe that wouldn't bend. I think that drilling that far just wouldn't work. What do you think?

 

[Jeff Handy]

Drilling out the center will let water in, it will rot.
And the wood will still bend the rod, if it decides to get highly warped again.

Best bet is to put at least two long lag screws or better yet timber screws into the bricks, at the mortar joints.

If you drill the brick, they might crack.

I would use 1.5 inch long blue ribbed plastic anchors, they hold really well.

I used to be able to find them in two inch length, but not lately.

Timber screws are what is used to screw 4x4’s to each other, like in a retaining wall.
Long, fairly thin, very strong, hex head to be driven by a drill or driver or socket wrench.

You can drill a hole through the wood slightly bigger than the plastic anchor, so you can tap the anchor through it.
Then drill through that hole with the correct size masonry bit, usually 5/16 inch for blue ribbed anchors.
Drill a little deeper than two inches.
And blow out the dust from the hole afterwards.
Hole needs to be precise or plastic anchors won’t grab properly.

Then add a stainless or galv washer to keep the hex head from crushing into the drilled hole in the 4x4.

 

[Jeff Handy]

 

[bud16415]

Cut the pole off and add 4" to the gate.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Cut the pole off and add 4" to the gate.

Hah, great idea!, I like it!

 

[mabloodhound]

Like Eddie said on the previous page, this is just a filler and does not need to be in the ground. Pull it out and just lag it or a new filler piece to the wall to fill the gap.

 

[soparklion11]

View attachment 26055

I was thinking of something more substantial, like a redhead. I've never used that type of anchor on concrete.

 

[Jeff Handy]

I have used them before, for this exact purpose in that exact way.
Still holding up a fence section against a brick house, about ten years later.

 

[zannej]

I'm still wondering what is under the ground. Sometimes posts are set with concrete and if it's put directly against the wood-- even pressure treated-- it can start to rot due to the moisture.

There is a method of installing a post without concrete. Something involving keying. Can't remember the exact term. The idea is that you dig the hole just big enough for the post, you set the post, and then you take a pressure treated board- 2x4, 2x6 or whatever and you put it up against the post at a very slight angle so that the bottom is closer to the post. You notch the ground so this board will fit very snugly and then pound the board in. This will lock the post in so it will be less likely to tip in the direction of the keyed part.

 

[Jeff Handy]

I have set posts in crushed gravel.
A mix of small crushed stone, the type used for gravel driveways.
It goes all the way down to the size of sand and dust.
Sometimes it is called road mix.
You can also just buy bagged crushed stone and bagged stone dust, and mix it into the hole around the post.
It compacts very well, but still drains enough to not rot the post the way concrete does.
And you can jack the post out someday, if need be.
You can tamp it firm with a heavy metal digging bar.

 

[zannej]

That's a very good idea, Jeff.