We show you how to refinish a garden gate by removing it from the post, sanding and refinishing it, then hanging it again.
“The finish on this gate has seen better days but it’s good and strong, with a bit of TLC we’ll get a bit of use out of it yet.
First things first, we need to get it off of its hinges. Take the spring off the gate first. Make sure the gate is shut while you do this so there’s no tension on the spring.
Second you want to take the gate off the hinge not the hinge off the post. So it’s easier to sand and you’ll save time when you’re reattaching it.
Now we’ve got the gate down we’re ready to start sanding it. We’ve got a belt sander for the main bits and a block sander for the little tricky bits in between.
Now the paper you want to be using should be one with an 80 to 100 grit coarse paper. As we work it down, we want to make it finer, so we want to use about a 180 grit paper. Remember to go with the grain.
Before you star, remember to throw on your safety gear.
To finish off the gate, I could have painted it, I could have stained it, but I’ve chosen to put a coating of oil on it. The oil helps protect it from the weather and best of all two years down the track when you need to do it again, you just need to give it a light sand, and throw another coat on.
Here’s a tip for when you’re hanging a gate by yourself. Use a screwdriver and a block of wood to create a lever. Put your foot on the screwdriver and line it up with the holes.”