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Replacing a Damaged Gate Picket

One bent picket can make an otherwise handsome gate look neglected. A car bumper nudged it, a branch landed on it or a rusted base finally gave way. The temptation is to bend it back and hope. Sometimes that works. When the metal has kinked, cracked or thinned, the better repair is to cut the picket out and put in a new one, and the job is well within reach of someone comfortable with a grinder and a welder.

Deciding between straightening and replacing

Gentle bow with no kink: often straightened with clamps and slow pressure.
Sharp kink or crease: the metal has work hardened and weakened at the fold. Replace.
Cracks at the weld or along the bend: replace.
Rust through or heavy pitting: replace.
Several neighboring pickets bent: the frame may be out of square, so check the frame first.

A bar bent back and forth cracks, so the second attempt at straightening is rarely as successful as the first.

Identify the stock

Look at the cross-section of the old picket. It may be solid square bar, solid round bar, flat bar or hollow tube, in a particular size. Measure the width with calipers, and measure the wall thickness at the cut if it is hollow. Take note of any decorative features, such as twists, collars or spear points, and whether the picket passes through the rails or sits on them. Matching size and shape matters, since a slightly different picket stands out in a regular row.

Source steel from a metal supplier in the same size. Mild steel is the usual choice for gates made of steel or wrought iron look-alikes. Real old wrought iron is rarely available new, so a modern steel bar is accepted as a substitute, though it will not match the aged surface exactly.

Tools and preparation

You will need safety glasses, a welding helmet, gloves, an angle grinder with cutting and flap discs, a tape measure, a square, clamps, a welder suited to the metal thickness and a primer and paint to finish. Remove the gate from its posts if possible and lay it flat, since welding in place can warp the frame and spatter on vehicles or siding. Clear flammable materials from the work area, and keep a fire extinguisher close by.

Clean the area around the picket with a wire brush, down to bright metal where the welds will go. Welding over rust and paint creates porous, weak joints and fumes.

Cutting out the damaged picket

Mark the picket with chalk at the point where it meets each rail, and note its spacing relative to its neighbors.
Cut the picket close to the top rail and close to the bottom rail with a cutoff wheel, leaving short stubs.
Grind away the stubs and the old weld beads until the surface of the rail is flat and clean.
If the picket passes through holes in the rails, drive out or cut the remaining pieces from the holes without enlarging them.

Be careful not to cut into the rail. A nick weakens the rail, and filling it later requires more welding and grinding.

Measuring and cutting the new picket

Measure the opening between the rails at the exact position where the new picket will go, since the gap can vary slightly along a gate. Measure at both ends of the picket location, then cut the bar a hair short for a flat-sitting weld, or to length for a press fit. If the picket has a decorative top, cut the shaft to length first, then add the ornament, or buy a bar already finished. Check the cut ends with a square and file or grind them flat so the picket meets the rail cleanly.

Fitting and tacking

Place the new picket in position and check its spacing with a straightedge laid across the row. Use a level to confirm it is plumb, and compare its height against the neighbors. Clamp it in place, then tack weld at the top and bottom on opposite sides. Check again. If the alignment is off, a tap with a hammer on the tack weld can reposition the picket, or the tack can be ground out and redone.

The gaps between pickets matter for safety and appearance. Keep them even and match the existing gaps, since many local rules limit how wide gaps can be around pools and play areas, in particular when small children are present.

Welding in the picket

With the picket tacked, run the final welds. Work in short sections, alternating top and bottom or one side then the other, so heat spreads and the rail does not warp. A continuous bead around the picket at each joint gives the strongest and cleanest result. Allow the metal to cool naturally between passes if the material is thin. Hollow tube is particularly prone to burn-through, so use lower heat and move steadily.

Grind the welds flush if the gate has a smooth finished look, or leave a clean, even bead where the original welds were visible. Aim to blend with the others.

Finishing the repair

New steel and fresh welds have no protection. Brush off spatter, wipe away dust and apply primer the same day. Coat all surfaces, including the ends and the underside of the weld, then paint with a topcoat that matches the gate. For a seamless result, feather the new paint into the old finish so the repair blends. If the gate is powder coated, touch-up paint will not match the baked finish exactly, but a careful color match keeps the repair modest.

Seal the open ends of hollow pickets with caps or weld plates so water does not collect inside. Rehang the gate, check that it swings and latches, and walk along the row once more to confirm that the new picket sits in line with the rest.

When the picket slides through the rails

Some gates have pickets that pass through punched holes in the rails, rather than butting against them. Replacing one of these takes a slightly different approach. The new bar can often be threaded through the holes from the top once the top rail is free to lift, or the bar can be cut into two pieces that are joined in the middle with a sleeve or a tidy weld. If the holes are rusted oval, a small collar welded around the picket at each rail restores a tight fit and hides the damage. Take care to keep the lower end clear of the ground, so water does not wick up into the bar.

Spacing is easier to hold if a scrap piece of bar, cut to the exact gap between pickets, serves as a spacer while clamping. A slim offcut moved down the row works as a quick gauge for every picket.