Mike installed a new gate on the backyard fence. He salvaged the face boards and attached them to an essentially rebuilt frame with two by fours. The gate now has a new center lock and release, avoiding the need to reach over the top to slide the bar into place. The new ground spike will prevent wind opening the gate doors during the winter. A work of beauty, including matching the trim pieces as they successively step down the slope from the house.
I applied two coats of primer to be followed by two coats of paint. The trim pieces were new unfinished wood, and I sanded down the old face boards almost to bare wood. Primer seems appropriate for the extreme heat and winter rains the fence endures. That process on the rest of the fence has worn well. I will paint the fence the same house colors that I used before. The directions on the paint can warn against painting at higher than 90 degrees. I will need to stop at noon and start the finish coat tomorrow, and the trim pieces most likely on Saturday.
A Year at the Snake 