EZ Brace - Anti Sag Gate Brace

The name pretty much sums it up. Pretty easy to install! Definitely helps to have a second person, especially if you have a double gate like I do. I'm giving these ez braces a 4 star and not a 5 because my braces were scuffed up through the powder coat in a few places. Enough to show the bare metal. So now I will be needing to do some touch up paint so they don't rust and become an eye sore. I had expected this however as soon as I saw the packaging was very minimal. Metal on metal contact in a package truck it was bound to happen. Other than that, product does exactly as stated. Had to redrill my center self tapping screws to get my gates to match up.

Take it from a professional fence contractor. This is the easiest, most reliable and least expensive way to build a a gate of any size or shape. I have used EZ Braces for gates from three feet to six feet in all imaginable styles of wooden fences, and I always recommend them to my customers. They are light weight and adjustable, too. I can build a strong gate that will last without one, but the additional time and material (both of which cost $$) as well as the added weight of extra wood... Well, you get the picture. Just save yourself the headache and buy EZ Braces.

As a weekend DIY gal I read the reviews first and bought 3! So far I've installed one on a 8'gate I made from prefab fencing (cedar). Was a breeze to install myself, and worked like a charm to lift and leveled out the end as described!

A previous owner of my house inexplicably had someone build a heavy solid wood shadowbox walk-through gate without strong enough posts or hardware. As a result the gate sagged and bent the main 4 by 4 support post away from the attached fence section. I am good at learning basic carpentry, but it does not come naturally to me. I am also a tightwad. Having replaced an entire fence the previous year after it was damaged beyond repair in Hurricane Isaac, I had no desire to rip out the gate and that fence section and start over. By the time the gate repair project was over with I ended up wishing I had done that, but that is not the fault of the EZ Brace. I began by disassembling the old gate, except for the frame. Then I replaced the fence pickets and installed the EZ Brace. Unless you are really strong and handy, this is not actually a one-person job. You have to use the tap-in screws, and I don't know how anyone except a very tall person with a long arm reach and/or an experienced carpenter does that while holding the fence up to the desired height with the shovel. But with two people, it's pretty easy. Here's the problem: The gate still dragged on the ground because of the bent post. My son and I were able to straighten the post and bring it flush to the fence by using two sets of carriage bolts and nuts. It was a lot of tiring work over a couple of hours. In addition, once the gate was off the ground, it would not close with the higher angle. I spent the better part of another Spring afternoon scraping down the edges of the gate and the fence post with a block planer and finishing it off with a sander. The result is great, especially after I painted the fence. However, considering the time involved, it would have been better had I just knocked it down and started over with a new fence section and gate. Even with prying out 4 fence posts, aligning them and setting them, and rebuilding that fence section it would have been less work. I'd still have used the EZ Brace. It's lightweight, strong, and I enthusiastically recommend it!

Do not get suckered into buying this product. I feel so ripped off. The item I received was mismanufactured and I was told that correct ones would not be available until late June. To return it I have to cover shipping, which is more than the item. Please do not get yourself into the same situation I am now trying to figure out how to dispose of a piece of junk that will not fit in my garbage can.

I bought this after looking at several different gate braces. It was inexpensive and perfect for my needs. I needed to build a privacy fence and I just don't like the shadow box style. After watching the video on their website, I learned that I could build the entire fence without a gate, then install the braces and hinges where the gate doors were the to go. Finally cut the three horizontal rails behind the hinges and my solid fence suddenly had double doors. It was so easy. I didn't have to make boxed gate doors. Because of this the gate doors are light and seamless. I highly recommend this to anyone building a privacy fence. My fence looks so good that my neighbors just built an identical fence after seeing mine. Of course if you already have a fence and need to keep the gate from sagging then this will work perfectly for you.

I used this for 2 new 5' gates I built. I skipped the framing braces and built my own frame (see pictures). The key is to find the most straight 2x4's at the hardware store and screw them together the same day you purchase before they warp. I joined them using 3" screws and L brackets. Using a jack I attached the gate hinges and EZ Brace with the gate level (use the same level as you do for T posts), before attaching the final 2 screws that tap the square tubing together jack it up 0.75" past level (instructions suggest 1" but this was too much for my gate to still be level after lowering the jack).

This brace is so nice that I ordered two more for a couple of light-duty gates I am making. The metal in these is light-weight, yet it really tied my new wooden picket gate together solidly. Sure, it is overkill for the other two gates, but it will make them last longer.The brace is easy to install, and everything fits together perfectly, unlike other gate kits I have attempted to use. I do think that it is best installed with the gate flat on the ground and squared. This is the easiest installation when building a new gate, but it also is more exact than the method suggested for a sagging gate. You could have a problem if you misjudged the anti-sag adjustment the first time, as you are drilling a hole in the metal to tie the top and bottom parts of the brace together properly. Still this is the perfect gate brace.