Gate Disasters: Tales of Poor Design and Costly Repairs

Have you ever noticed just how many gate exist within a typical community – they’re practically everywhere you look! Residential driveways, apartment parking lots, businesses of all types, and even public parks and walking paths.

Gates perform an important function by providing security, keeping unwanted people and animals out, and clearly marking boundaries. People take gates for granted, they don’t realize their usefulness of something goes wrong.

That’s what this blog is all about installation practices, and lack of proper maintenance. Hopefully, these stories will serve as cautionary examples and highlight the factors that lead to costly gate failures and repairs.

From oversized gates straining underspend hinges and posts to rusted-out latches that fail to latch securely – we’ll be sharing real-life examples of gate disasters that cost their unlucky owners thousands to fix properly.

Common Gate Problems

When gates fail, it’s usually due to one or more of the following issues:

Hinges and hardware failure – The number one cause of gate problems is worn out or faulty hinges, latches, and other hardware. Over time, moving parts like hinges can become loose, misaligned, or obstructed by debris. Eventually, nuts and bolts become stripped or rust and corrode, causing hardware failure. This leads to sagging gates and detachment from posts or frames.

Sagging poles and posts due to improper installation or undersized materials – Poles and posts that support gates should be made from dense, rot-resistant wood or metal like cedar and steel. They must be of sufficient size and depth in the ground to bear the weight they’re designed for. Gates that are too heavy for their supports will lean inward or outward over time, making them hard to operate and requiring costly repairs or replacement of posts.

Latches and locking mechanisms not functioning properly – Latches, locks, and bolts sustain a lot of wear and tear from repeated use. Over time, strike plates bend, locking bolts break, latches become misaligned, and locks fail to engage fully. These issues render gates unable to secure properly, compromising safety and access control.

Rust, corrosion, and rot – Water, weather exposure, and lack of protective coatings lead to rusting metal hardware, corroded latches, and rotting wood in gate components. Once started, these problems accelerate and can leave gates unable to operate or at high risk of failure.

Specific Gate Failure Stories

Story #1: Undersize posts lead to lobby gate collapse

Wei’s HDB apartment building has an interior wrought gate to control access to the mail room and laundry facilities. One morning Mark arrived to find the lobby gate had fallen over, taking out a small plant and decorations. The metal posts holding the gate were twisted, and the gate itself was dented and scratched.

An engineer determined the posts used were 3 inches too narrow for the weight of the gate. Resetting the posts in concrete, replacing the damaged gate and hardware cost the building $1,000.

Story #2: Hinges rust, and gate falls in a condo

Janet lives in a condo in Singapore with an interior gate separating the front lobby from the residential floors. The gate is left open most of the time & closed at night for security.

One morning, Janet arrived to find the lobby gate lying on the floor. The hinges had completely rusted through, causing the gate to detach from the frame.

As the gate was made of metal, regular maintenance and oiling of the hinges should have prevented this problem. The hinges hadn’t been lubricated in years to oversight.

Getting a locksmith to replace all 4 hinges with stainless steel ones that wouldn’t rust cost nearly SG$800. The condo management association covered half the cost as a goodwill gesture, but Janet still paid SG$400 for this easily preventable gate failure.

Common design flaws causing gate disasters:

9 common design flaws that can cause interior gate disasters in Singapore:

1)Undersized metal posts – Many interior gates in Singapore use metal posts that bend or fail under the weight of wooden gates.

2)Poorly mounted posts – People frequently screw metal posts to the flooring rather than fitting them into wall channels for stability.

3)Untreated wood – The tropical climate means wood gate components rot quickly without proper treatment and coating.

4)Inadequate hinges and latches – Smaller hinges and latches designed for exterior gates are employed on heavy interior wooden gates.

5)Unmatched materials – Combining light metal frames with heavy wood gates causes strain and failure points.

6)Rubbing against doorframes – People often neglect to leave space between interior gates and doorframes, resulting in gates that rub and warp out of shape.

7)Lack of roofing (only for sliding type gates)- Many interior gates in Singapore lack overhead roofing, exposing metal and wood parts to heavy rains that corrode and rot them.

8)Missing drainage – Tropical downpours mean interior gates require channels and slopes to drain water and prevent the wood from rotting.

9)Flimsy metal construction – Thin metal sheets for interior gate construction bend and warp easily under normal use.

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Final words:

Gates serve an important purpose, many gate disasters happening of poor design, improper installation, and lack of maintenance.

The tales shared here highlight common gate problems – from undersized posts giving way to heavy gates, rusty hinges failing, and gates falling over.

Many interior gates in Singapore need help with design flaws like untreated timber, undersized hardware, and lack of drainage. 

With the right materials, secure installation, and regular upkeep, gates should provide reliable service for years.

Ensure gate components are high quality, check for issues early, and replace worn parts promptly to avoid a gate disaster of your own.

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