How to Build a Garden Gate Frame

Fencing in a vegetable or ornamental garden can aid in pest control, provide visual screening and give cultivated areas a tidier, more attractive look. Most designs incorporate a gate for easy access. Although garden gates vary widely, most are built with 2-by-4s on a simple rectangular frame, with a diagonal cross-brace. This sturdy frame can serve as the foundation for a variety of decorative gates, from simple and country-style to formal and ornate. They can be utilitarian and functional, or make a bold visual statement.
Garden gates can be quickly framed by the average do-it-yourselfer, with a few simple tools.

Tape measure
Hinge and latch hardware
Dimensional lumber
Saw
2 1/2-inch deck screws
Screwdriver or power drill

Instructions

- 1
  Ensure both gateposts are plumb and level, and measure the distance between them with a tape measure.
- 2
  Subtract the amount of space necessary for proper hinge and latch clearance, and use the resulting figure for the horizontal frame width. Clearances vary by manufacturer and application; consult the instructions provided with the latch and hinges for exact dimensions.
- 3
  Cut two straight pieces of 2-by-4 to the previously determined length, and paint or stain them, if desired.
- 4
  Use a tape measure to determine the distance between the top and bottom fence stringers, and cut two 2-by-4s to the same length.
- 5
  Select a clear, level area and lay out the gate frame with the boards set on their narrow edges. Use butt-joints to connect the horizontal and vertical pieces, and square the corners with a framing square. The horizontal boards should overlap the vertical ones.
- 6
  Secure the corner joints with 2 1/2-inch deck screws driven through the sides of the horizontal pieces into the ends of the vertical boards. Use two screws for each corner.
- 7
  Support the gate frame on two 2-by-4s set on their narrow edges, and slide another 2-by-4 underneath the gate frame so that it runs from a top corner to the opposite bottom corner. This will form the diagonal cross-brace for the gate frame.
- 8
  Mark the diagonal brace where it crosses each corner, and remove it from under the frame.
- 9
  Cut the diagonal cross brace at each end, following the previously marked angles.
- 10
  Ensure that the brace fits snugly inside the gate frame, and attach it with 2 1/2-inch deck screws.
- 11
  Attach the fencing boards or other material to cover the gate frame, then the hinges. The gate now is ready to hang.

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