Building a garden fence gate


Build A Garden Fence Gate

Generally, the purposes of a garden gate it to keep the unwanted animals out from the garden or to welcome people to visit into the garden. The way to preserve your porch and keeping the stray animals or unwanted people out is by building a fence (something like a protection). That said it is also known that in good nature a garden without a gate will be inconvenient and unusable.

Building a gate would increase the entire look of your porch, building a simple gate is the best answer. A simple gate with swinging door can add convenience and make you be able to get in and out with no big effort on your part and the gate\’s part.

Although this project is moderately challenging, the result will make you satisfy and show more hospitality as the garden owner. Here are the steps on how to build a garden fence gate.

You will need:

  1. Table saw
  2. ¼ inch spade bit
  3. Pull saw
  4. 1-inch chisel
  5. Water resistant wood glue
  6. 14 gauge 2 by 4 inch welded wire with a piece that is 36 inches tall and 30 inches wide
  7. Electric drill
  8. Hammer
  9. Block pane
  10. 4 bar clamps
  11. Two of ¼ x 6 inch lag screws with washers

Steps:

  1. First, cut the four pieces of pressure treated 2×6 to 36 inches in length. These boards will be glued to make the arch for the gate.
  2. Make a nice flat gluing surface by power planning the edges of the 2×6. This will also to provide a very tight and almost visible joint. You can also use a hand plane for this step. The power planer will take most of the material off, but you still have to use a block pane to sharpen the edge a little.
  3. Then, check the edge frequently with a straight edge. Try by getting it to where there is no daylight between the straight edge and the edge of the 2×6.
  4. Apply water resistant glue made for exterior application to all the edges of the 2×6 that has been planed. After gluing, line up the four bands and clamp together snugly. Avoid over tightening the boards.
  5. When the boards have dried completely, measure about 18 inches to the center of the 36 inch boards and tap a nail into the center point along the bottom edge by using a hammer and nail.
  6. Tie the string around the pencil and wrap the other end around the nail. Adjust the length of the string until the pencil is at the outside edge of the board. Draw your arc if you are centered the pencil will start at one edge and finish flush with the other edge.
  7. Next, shorten the string into 5 ½ inches draw the second arch inside the first arch. Shorten the string to 4 inches and draw the arch for the hub. Find 20, 55 and 90 degrees by using a measuring square or a protector. You can also use different placement of the spokes. Cut out the arch and the hub with a jigsaw or a band saw for easier cutting.
  8. Then, put a decorative edge on the bottom and the top of the arch and hub pieces if necessary. Find the center line of the inside arch and the center line of the hub with panel square.
  9. Line up the square with an inch mark. Let the top of the square rest on the arch that is lying flat on the bench. Measure ¾ inches down and mark the center line. Draw a line down from the spoke indicator line. Mark the place where you will drill for the spoke hole. Transfer the spoke indicator line down across the center line for the location of the spoke hole.
  10. Drill the holes in the hub piece ½ inch deep and mark ½ inch deep on your spade bit or drill with electrical tape or permanent marker. The dowels should be put in length of 9 ¾ inch. Apply glue to the spokes and the spoke holes.
  11. Assemble them on a flat surface. Then, line up the center of the hub piece to the center of the 36 inch scrap piece. Make sure that the hub and arch ends sit flush on the scrap piece. Hold the piece snugly until dry with a clamp.
  12. Add some 5-inch dowels and 1 ½ x3/4 inch disks to complete the sunburst pattern. Use the same steps mentioned earlier to find the center line on the outside of the arch.
  13. Transfer the spoke indicator lines across it. Cut two 2x6s into 36 inches in length and two more 2x6s cut to 47 ½ inches in length. The ends will be half lapped for strength to the gate. A 2×6 is 5 ½ inches wide and measure from the end of each piece. Draw a vertical line and mark “x” on the place where the material will be removed.
  14. Cut the teeth in the 2×6 with a table saw sets to ¾ inches high and adjust the fence to 5 ½ inches form the saw blade minus the width of the saw blade. More cuts will knock out the teeth easier.
  15. Use a hammer to knock out the teeth. Use a chisel or a block pane to clean up the notch. Measure with tape measure corner to corner to make sure the gate is square. Glue up the half laps and clamp down. Tack in the 14 gauge which is 2×4 inch welded wire close in the gate section.
  16. Drill two ¾ inch holes diagonally in all corners for pegs as decorative. Tap the dowel and saw off flush. After it is cut to size, glue in the dowel. Make a ¾ inch hole at 35 degree angle on both sides of the arch. Pre-drill a hole trough the arch section for the 1/4 x 6 inch screw. For finishing steps, add heavy duty hinges and a sliding latch.

Additional Reading:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5045380_build-garden-fence-gate.html

Image Credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eraphernalia_vintage/2769627605/