fixing a gate post to a wall

Poppycat

Recently moved house and noticed the back gate is loose from the wall which result in gate dropping onto floor when opened out.

The gate is quite heavy and appears to be fastened to the wall with two large nails either side, one of them has come out of the mortar.

Whats easiest way to fix it back without taking post out and getting some large screws/plugs. We tried some no nails stuff the sealant stuff but despite it giving it time to go off and fastening tight to wall it didnt work.

Is there a way I can plug it to wall with screws that have plugs already on.

Thanks for any help.

rizla01

Hi Poppy.

OH. So you tried no-nails then - Wot, and it didn't work? Most suprised. :):) (sorry)

The way to do this is to drill through the wood and then drill through into brickwork with a separate masonry drill of the same size.

You can buy what is known in the trade as a fisher fixing which is a long tubed rawlplug with 6" screw inserted(ususally grey) Hammer this in as far as you can and then screw it. Check the length that you need before you buy. These cost between 20pence and a pound depending where you go.

Or you can use a normall rawlplug if you take a bit of care. Place rawlplug into wood post and hammer it home till flush and then push, by hand, the screw (probably 6" - 4" for the post and 2" into the masonry) into rawlplug and hammer this through the timber and into the brickwork, pushing the rawlplug with it. Some lube wouldn't go amiss here. (Hand soap would do) and then screw in for the last inch or so. Hope that makes sense. (Screwing is always more pleasant with a bit of lubricant, don't you think?)

BIG mistake a lot of people make is that if the post breaches the dampcourse level then you need some DPM in between the wood and the brick so that the damp from below DPC doesn't travel up the timber to above the DPC.

Poppycat

Thanks for the help.

No problem with dmap course, both posts are attached to garages mine and next doors, its just worked loose, shame previous owners didnt repair it before they went.

I just been searching net for help and even bough a diy book but can I hell find it since we moved, lol

I did see other day some longs screws with plugs already on them, I am sure they use them for fixing windows to houses in Double glazing, wonder if that would have done but they sold them in large packs at B&Q and no doubt rip off prices.

Thanks, just need a good study screw I got some of them rawplugs that thay DIY fellow promotes on tv who use to do those garden programs.

cajef

You need something like >>these<<, you can get them at hardware shops or B&Q in different lengths and sizes.

ormus

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=100058&ts=23896&id=13317

this is the product you want. itll never move again.

weekendwarrior

masonry screws are easy to use and do a good job.

tomstickland

Some big long screws that come with the grey wall plugs. The big ones. Don't remove the post. Just drill hole through it with wood drill. Then drill the masonry and hammer the whole lot through the wood into the wall and do up tight.

navig8r

These are the fittings my son uses for posts and fixing down Metpost sockets for clients ...to hide the head and to take up some of the thickness of the post he drills a hole part way with a flat bit before drilling the rest of the way with a normal bit.. if you sink the head ,you need a socket spanner to tighten it.. http://www.fwb.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/fwbgroup/433MMA/55050

Edit : These tend to give a more solid fixing than the frame ones with the plastic sleeve.