If you wish to create a picturesque entrance to your front or backyard, why not learn how to build a wood garden gate? Whether you have a fence that could use a beautiful wood gate or perhaps a hedge that could look even prettier with a garden gate, building your own hinged gate is easier than you think. No special tools are needed and you can custom build the wood gate to the size you need. This tutorial will leave the measurements up to you and guide you in the basic design for your wood garden gate. Let’s get started.
What You’ll Need to Build a Wood Garden Gate
Measuring tape
5 to 10 2×4 lumber strips to form the vertical strips of your wood garden gate
3 to 6 2×4 lumber strips at a length equal to the width of the gate
2 gate hinges (ornamental ones are preferred)
1 Gate Latch (ornamental if possible)
Nail gun
Hand saw
4×4 pressure treated beams
Cement
Here Are the Steps for Building Your Wood Garden Gate
Step #1. Decide on the Gate Size
With a measuring tape see how wide and tall a wood garden gate you wish to build. Take these measurements to your lumber store and divide them by the width of the lumber to see how many sections your fence will need.
Step #2. Construct the Wood Garden Gate
Rest the long wood pieces vertically side to side until your wood garden gate seems wide enough. Place 1 horizontal piece of wood at the top and one at the bottom to connect your gate sections together. A nail gun makes building a wood garden gate very easy, but if you have no nail gun, simply hammer the nails in with hammer, making sure the nails are the right length to avoid over-penetrating to the front side of the gate.
Step #3. Reinforce the Wood Garden Gate
Add more horizontal support beams to your gate depending on how large it is. 3 support beams will work if you’re building a small wood garden gate; for a large one use at least 6, spacing the lumber at equal intervals.
Step #4. Add a Hinge and Late to the Wood Garden Gate
Place the hinge at the side of the gate you wish it to open from. Make sure you attach the hinges in such a way that the gate will swing in the direction you desire. At the opposite end attach the neck of the latch and keep the clasp on the side for the moment.
Step #5. Attach the Wood Garden Gate to an Existing Fence
If you have a build garden fence already, simply attach the wood garden gate to the side beams. It’s a good idea to have someone to there to help you hold the gate above the ground while you attach it, to avoid the earth impeding the movement of the wood garden gate as it swings open. Attach the clasp of the latch in the corresponding location on the beam to lock the gate closed.
Step #6. Attach the Wood Garden Gate Free-style
If you want to insert the wood garden gate in a hedge or just have it standing free-style, you’ll need to create two side beams to flank the gate and hold it up. Make sure to buy beams that have been pressure treated against exposure to the elements. Dig a deep hole to insert each beam in the ground and use either a concrete block to weigh the beams or pour concrete into the hole.
Step #7. Paint and Add Patterns to Your Gate
Paint your wood garden gate in white or green to help it stand out from its surroundings. You can add patterns to your gate by using a drill and attachments that will cut geometrical shapes out of your gate. Alternatively, you can space the vertical sections, creating a wood gate that you can clearly see through. In that case, you might want to use a hand sew to pillar the tops of the gate sections into points.
Tip: For additional beauty, you can build two wood garden gates that swing apart, one to the left, one to the right. This will create the impression of a wide garden entrance.
