When attaching a diagonal brace to a wood gate, where should the lower end be anchored?

• A. Diagonally with the bottom at the hinge side
• B. Horizontally
• C. In a crisscross pattern
• D. Diagonally with the top at the hinge side

Answer: (A)

A diagonal brace stops a gate from sagging by acting as a lever that transfers the gate’s weight into the post. Placing the lower end on the hinge side lets the brace run upward toward the latch side, so when the gate tries to drop at the hinges the brace takes load in compression and pushes the latch side up. That anti-sag action is what keeps the gate square and functioning. Anchoring the brace differently wouldn’t provide the same effect: horizontal anchoring doesn’t resist the hinge-side droop, top-at-hinge changes the direction of the load, and a crisscross pattern adds unnecessary complexity for a single brace.