Handyman Fix To Make Gate Self Closing
Here is a handyman fix when you want to make a gate self closing. If you line everything up, the gate should also be self latching. You will need a few dollars in parts and under an hour to perform the job.
This works best for small side yard gates, such as those you would walk through to get to the back yard from the front yard…typically about 3 feet wide. This will not work for the larger gates that open to allow an RV or a boat to pull through.
You can buy a self closing spring that attaches to the gate on one side and the wall on the other. The instructions that come with the springs are good and you shouldn’t need to do a whole lot of thinking about it.
Typically, the most challenging part of the job is mounting the ends of the spring. If you have a wood gate, you can obviously use wood screws. For wrought iron gates, use self-tapping screws. For the wall, you will most likely need some type of a masonry fastener. I like tapcon screws for this. Follow the instructions on the package and secure each side of the spring to the appropriate surface.
The last step is to place the spring under tension so that it forces the gate to close once it is opened. You will insert a pin into one of the holes at the top of the spring after you tension it. Use a wrench and turn the spring in the direction that makes the gate close. When you run out of space, insert the pin to hold the tension. Again turn the top of the spring with a wrench (after removing the pin), add tension, and replace the pin. You will follow this pattern until you have the desired amount of tension.