6" Fence Post Repair

[sinisterclown]

I have double wooden gates that are hinged off two 6" square wooden fence posts. About 1 year ago electric gate openers were installed

The fence posts are now splitting due to the extra loads associated with the electric openers. Could anyone give tips on how to save them please ?. The gates work fine - but the splits are slowly growing so I wonder about putting steel plates on and slowly tightening over time so as to close up the splits and get a few more years lief out of the posts

Can you just buy kits to do this ? Or perhaps apply steel belts and again tighten over time with a long handled spanner ?

Many thanks for your thoughts

 

[ratman123]

Are you use the splits are caused by the load, as it's quite common for timber to split as it dries, which is normally nothing much to worry about.

 

[sinisterclown]

thanks for the response. the posts had been hapily there for about ten years, it is the extra load of the motors that is causing the splits.

 

[gregers]

perhaps you could put some coach screws or bolts through them?