How to Build a Garden Gate: Constructing a Garden Gate can be Easy

For most people, garden gates say more about the home in cosmetics than just keeping people and stray animals out. It's an accessory that can be just as stylish as your home, or bring that certain style to your home that you've been looking for. Most garden gates are six feet high, and should be built in a way that can take on the elements of nature. For wooden garden gates (because that's the one I did so we're going with that), be sure to first figure out how high you want your gate. I did mine at 4in. by 6 feet. Pending on how wide you're making your garden gate you'll need to secure it with two beams across the middle. These beams will also be how you'll attach your hinges. From this point, once you secure everything in place, you can apply your hinges on either the left or the right, pending on where you need them.

Gate posts

Gate posts, and this is a highlight item, need to be treated or ready for whatever type of soil you have. As a safety measure to make sure you're not wasting your time, be sure to talk to your local garden center like Home Depot or Lowe's. They have an assortment of supplies and people standing by that can help you.

Once you have the correct lumber to use be sure to measure your posts at least a foot or so longer than your gate. This is to ensure two things:

1. That the gate won't drag the ground each time you open and close it.

2. That you have ample post available to place into the hole you dig for it to keep it secure.

Afterwards, you can dig a hole that's about 6 in. to put your posts in. Once your posts are secured lift your gate and center it between your posts and secure the hinges. Once your gate is secured you can now paint it to match everything else.

Building the gate stop

Gate stops, vertical pieces of wood fixed to the post, are used to block the gate and keep it in a flushed position when closed. You can apply this part on the gate and make it loose enough so that it can be opened easily but tight enough to stay in place when securing the gate. This piece can be 6 in. by 1 inch thick.