Mejia and Sons - Hamilton's Best Fencing Company

In the Hamilton area, the main culprits are moisture from humidity and sudden temperature swings, which accelerate rust. Also, many older latches are made from thin sheet metal that warps or cracks under the weight of wooden or heavy pipe gates. The constant wind off the open fields can also loosen screws and misalign the latch.

Look for flaking red-orange rust that pits the metal, especially around welds and bolt holes. If your gate sags or drags on the ground, the hinges or latch bracket may have rusted thin. Another clear sign is when the latch no longer catches the post because the strike plate has corroded away.

We don't just replace rusty parts with the same thin store-bought latches. As metal fabricators, we measure your gate and custom-cut, weld, and install a latch from thicker steel. We also replace hinge brackets that have rusted through and set new screws into solid wood or use expansion anchors for metal pipe posts. This stops the problem from coming back in a few months.