Wooden gates bent plates - fitter won't fix

cakey

Hi, when we moved into our property it has just had 2 large 6ft wide/6ft high wooden gates installed (not by us).


they have used metal plates to attach to very thick metal posts.

however the metal plates are only held on by 4 small 1.5inch screws in each corner.

This has resulted in all 4 plates bending outwards and the screws hanging out.

I'm petrified the gates are going to fall off on top of someone, but they are so heavy i can't lift them off.

The wooden posts have also split in line with the screws from top to bottom.

i had the people out who fitted them and they basically told me the screws are fine for the job and its not their fault. they said its because the gates weren't pinned back in the wind.

Everyone i spoke to said it should have coach bolts in for a gate that size.

has anyone had any experience of this?

spoke to trading standards and I'm stuck as we are not the buyers of the gate.
the gates 2 years old

Billy_Bullocks

Get someone into fix them or remove them. Now you know they're potentially dangerous you'll be liable if the cause injury or damage.

cakey

Hi I'm already in the process of doing this, however i was looking to see if anyone has any experience of gates doing this? is it the norm for gates this weight and size to only have 4 small screws holding it on

Rotor

From the way you describe it the screws haven't failed , the wood has split where the screws were. This would also have happened if bolts had been used.
It was the force of the slamming open of the gate in the wind that has caused it