Do It Yourself Wood Fence Gate Construction

Some towns might require this plan for an approved building permit.

Do it yourself wood fence gate construction.

I live in a fairly dry climate so wood fences like this turn gray in a few years and then just last until they re deemed too ugly and someone tears them down. Step 2 the posts if new posts are needed you ll need to bury them at least a foot into the ground maybe as much as two feet if the posts are big and the door will be heavy. Since you are building the fence and the gate you control the opening and the dimensions so think ahead. To strengthen your gate cut a piece of wood to be placed diagonally from the top of the hinge side of the gate to the bottom of the latch side of the gate.

Prop up the gate and screw the hinges into the gate and attach the hinges to the post. Add some wire mesh to make the enclosure more secure. Step 3 add screening to gate frame. For a more modern take fence posts are drilled all the way through so that the rails can be inserted into the slots.

There are many different types of wood to use for gates. Gate pickets should be flush with the inside faces of the posts. Plan your gate size to use full pickets. When the fence is in place apply paint stain or a weather proofing finish according to manufacturer s instructions.

After building a fence staining or treating the wood can be the first step in proper maintenance that can extend its life. Put the gate into place supporting it on the bottom with a 2x4 1 5 inch off ground. Predrill where the screws will go. Make sure you keep your gate square while assembling.

But designing a fence gate that balances the need for privacy with a level of curb appeal that won t deter the invited guests can be a challenge. You might want to lay them out left to right and right to left depending on the hinge side try to get things even. I used cedar fence slats and do not plan to finish them in any way. Install hinges and attach the gate to the fence.

If there are already fence posts spaced the distance apart you want you can skip to the section constructing the gate s frame. Use a pencil to mark where the hinge should go on the post and then put the gate down. These easy to build do it yourself fence gates. Note the post locations and gate locations.

You can purchase split rail fencing materials at most hardware stores but the original way to do it is to split the logs yourself. Worst case senario you have to play with the picket spacing or cut a picket. Apply wood preservative around the base posts to prevent the wood from rotting.