How To Build A Wood Garden Gtate

Here's my tutorial put simply on how to build a wooden gate. Note, as this one is for a narrow walkway at the side of a bungalow, so we won't be bracing a wooden gate here.

You can find my larger driveway double wooden gate tutorial here, or metal driveway gates installation here.

Not long ago, I was building a wooden gate with my Dad as part of their bungalow renovation project. This is a funny little alleyway that's quite narrow, but we wanted to give the property some more security.

What we made was a simple tongue and groove wooden gate. It's a good quality softwood, but will require treating when it starts to turn grey.

And I'm going to show you how you can also make your own made to measure wooden gates. You could even use the basics in this tutorial to make a:

wooden baby gate
pet gate
wooden driveway gates
Stair gate

Mine is essentially a wooden side gate.

diagram of how to create a made to measure gate

How to Make Wooden Gates

To learn how to build a wooden gate, above, you can see a plan I put together to help you. It's important to measure the width of where you want your gate and take note of the top, middle and bottom and keep the smallest measurement.

Then:

take off the depth measurements of two gate posts you'll be using
Minus an additional 5mm and 10mm off for clearances - or sometimes he recommends 2 x 10mm clearances
Allow for a 60mm gap underneath the gate to prevent rot
Also note, the posts had a bevelled edge where the top of the gate met the lower part and the gate will be slightly off the floor

Making a gate post level and screwing it to a fence

Fitting Wooden Garden Gate Posts

First, before I show you how to build a wooden gate, you'll need to decide what you're mounting your wooden gate posts to. And make sure you're using either pressure treated structural timber or one you can treat later.

Above, with it being a small gate, we're screwing it to the fence panel's end. You'll also see in my video, Making a Narrow Wooden Gate DIY , I also needed to make sure it was stable by wedging pieces in the concrete post groove.

Watch here on how to fix a wooden gate to a concrete post . But it's important to use a spirit level before drilling and screwing.

Checking the height of gate posts with a spirit level.

Mounting the Opposite Gate Post

To ensure you place your other gate post in the right position, then we used something with a straight edge along the floor. This needs to be the same width as the gate gap.

Then use a spirit level along the top of the gate posts while holding to get the right height. It helps if you have another person with you.

Then check along the side of the gate post with a spirit level. Here's some tips to help:

Leave a wedge or two under the 2nd post to prop it up
Draw along the post with chalk or a pencil for reference, so you know if it's slipped.

Drilling through a gate post and brickwork to mount to the wall

Screwing a Gate Post to Brickwork

To screw to brickwork, I drilled an SDS drill. Or you could use a combi drill on a hammer drill setting with a masonry drill bit.

I only drilled as deep as I needed, matching the length of a masonry screw. Note these screws (also known as Spax screws), don't require rawl plugs and they are my favourite.

Also, I usually drill in the middle of the brick, but my Dad recommends into the mortar join. Either will work, but I've sometimes had bad experiences with the latter if a brickie has used a soft over plastercised mix.

Safety tips:

I'm a very naughty girl here and not wearing my safety goggles. PLEASE wear goggles as chips can go flying. Also, avoid drilling deeper than your screws as you don't want to go through to the other side and may be a single brick wall.

marking tongue and groove to build a gate

Steps on How to Build a Wooden Gate

Now to build your gate! With tongue and groove, you'll need to cut the groove section off first. But you'll also need to plan whether your end section will have enough to cut off.

Once you've cut all your pieces, start with your first piece and mark 6 inches from the top, 6 inches from the bottom and a mark dead centre.

Then put a cross on the inside of the top and bottom marks. (This is where your spars will go). Don't worry about a cross on the middle one as you'll line up the centre of the spar with it.

Glueing and Screwing Your Gate Spars

Now roughly place your spars inline with the pencil lines, but with the best side facing down. *This top section will be covered with tongue and groove.

Then add exterior wood glue along each of the three spars.

Tip: Don't add too much like I did with the far left spar as it'll run out. Any running glue will need wiping immediately as wood stain won't adhere to it, leaving it patchy.

screwing tongue and groove to spars to build a gate

Now line up the glued spars with the pencil marks, also ensuring the spar ends are lined up with the tongue and groove edge.

Then fix together with one screw each. Note, we'll add another later, but we need to ensure the gate it square first.

Also, I didn't pre-drill pilot holes first as I used slim screws and didn't screw too close to edges.

How I Made & Fitted our DIY Double Wooden Gates

When to Brace a Wooden Gate?

For a really sturdy gate, you'll need to add a Z brace like I did in my double gate above. However, as this narrow gate is only 49cm wide and rather lightweight, it said it was not needed.

So if you're building anything heavier or wider, then I recommend making one. You can watch me make a Z frame brace here.

An important gate brace rule:

To avoid a wooden gate from sagging, the z frame needs to be in the direction as above. It's important that the bottom of the Z brace is aiming towards the gate post.

screwing more tongue and groove gate boards

But before I screwed all the tongue and groove boards down, I laid them all out. It's important to ensure they've gone in the grooves properly.

My Dad doesn't recommend clamping them tight with a sash clamp to allow for expansion through the year.

Then repeat the 6 inches from the top, bottom and one in the centre marks and line up the spars again. And then screw that final board down with one screw per spar.

Making a gate square checking with a tape measure

Ensuring Your Wooden Gate is Square

Before I made sure my tongue and groove boards were level and screwed down, we made sure it was square first.

To do this, have someone hold a tape measure on one corner. Then another check the measurement in the opposite. Repeat for the other corner and if it matches, then great, although unlikely on the first instance.

To ensure both measurements are the same, tap the larger measurement side with a hammer, then check again with a tape measure. You may need to do this a few times until they're the same.

adding more screws to tongue and groove gate before sanding it down

Once my ends were screwed down to the spars and my gate was square, I was able to straighten up the middle boards. I then ensured I only gently tapped them to prevent knocking my frame out of square.

Then added another screw to each end tongue and groove section and one on each board in between. Note, these should be screwed only where a spar is behind.

And after wiping away all excess glue, I sanded all the sharp edges with sandpaper and treated with a coloured preservative.

Adding Wooden Gate Hinges

Part of how to build a wooden gate is finding the the type of hinges you need. And that's because some are stronger than others and look out for galvanised hinges.

For example, these are what I used for this smaller one. However, you can see the hinges for my heavy wooden gate here that hook on. But you must line them up where the spars are so they can take the weight. You can also place them on the front or the back.

We placed ours on the front section facing the garden as there's already another gate on the other end of the walkway.

Adding a Bolt On a Wooden Gate

Bolts are pretty cheap for gates and sheds. Above, I set it slightly back from the edge of the gate and screwed it where the top spar was.

This way, I can still undo the bolt from the other side by reaching over.

However, I do recommend buying a combination lock for added security reasons. And if the hinges, etc were on the other side, you'd be better drilling holes for coach bolts too.

How to Install Wooden Gate Latches

Firstly, the bar inside wooden gate latches all vary in sizes. But I'll show you how to fit this type.

We positioned ours on the middle spar, leaving an inch overhang.

Then drop it slightly so you can draw a mark where the latch hole underneath roughly lies.

drilling a hole for latch in gate with an auger drill bit

To create a hole for the wooden gate latch, I drilled a hole where I'd put a mark using an auger drill bit.

Once the bit started to poke through, I flipped it over and continued again.

Tip: this is the prevent the wood from splitting.

Now screw the latch over the hole.

Then slot the matching piece over and make sure the latch is level with the bottom of it in a straight position.

Ensure the piece is towards the end of the wooden gate and screw it down.

measuring and marking latch bar before cutting

Cutting the Wooden Gate Latch Bar

To find the right length of latch bat you need, first you need to flip the gate upside down again. *Upside down is where the hole is exposed.

Place the latch bar inside the other latch handle and hold your thumb to where it stops.

Pull it out, making sure your thumb is still on and measure the excess. Then transfer the excess to the bar while it's slotted inside the gate. This is where you need to cut the excess off.

Ways to Cut A Wooden Gate Latch Bar

The quickest way to cut a latch bar is using a vice and an angle grinder. It's essential you wear safety goggles, etc for this.

But the slow, steady and cheapest way is to clamp it and cut with a hack saw.

Once cut, slot it back in your gate, then place the latch handle on and screw it down.

Hang a Wooden gate

Behind the gate above, my Dad is propping up the gate, leaving a 5mm gap on the hinge side while I add a screw in.

Then, while visually checking the gate's gap on the other side, I screwed the bottom hinge down.

What if My Wall Isn't Straight?

I'll give you a heads up: our brick wall wasn't straight. So to ensure our gate still opened and closed, we sacrificed a 2-3mm gap on the hinge side.

drilling and screwing gate post to brick wall

And after ensuring our opposite gate post was inline with the straight gate, I drilled and screwed more masonry screws into the wall.

I also nailed a stop lat just behind the gate to prevent the hinges from smashing off over time and treated it.

positioning wooden gate latch catch before screwing to post

Then to add the last two things: the matching bolt piece towards the top of the garden gate and the latch catch.

I learnt that the latch catch should be fitted slightly lower so that when the gate slams shut, it automatically catches.

And now it has a very useful and simple wooden gate for extra security!

More Wooden Garden Projects You Might Like

Fence post extensions DIY
How to build a Wickes shed
Twin slot shed shelves
DIY dog house with plywood
Building decking and herb planters
How to treat decking
Wagner fence and decking paint sprayer review
Trellis planter DIY
How to Make Trellis
Laying a paved patio with a sleeper boarder
Garden bike shed

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