10/15/2026
Getting a call in April about an unlatched gate installed in October stings. The panels usually look fine. The real culprit is cheap mild steel hinges that bent under frozen ground pressure, leaving the latch a quarter-inch misaligned.
Grade 304 stainless steel holds its line against frost push and salt slush. The hardware moves clean all winter. You keep the full profit on the build instead of burning crew hours on unpaid spring tune-ups.
How much time does your team usually write off on cold-weather adjustments after winter clears out?