How to Build a Trellis Gate

Measure and note the distance between the upright support posts on the arch. Subtract 1 inch from that distance to calculate the width of the gate. Using a pencil and paper, sketch your gate plan. Include the desired height and width dimensions on your sketch. The sketched gate frame should be rectangular and as wide as the finished gate. The height of the frame should be at least three-fifths the height of the finished gate. If you want the gate frame to form the upper and lower borders of the gate, sketch your plan accordingly. Note the lengths of the rails and the stiles of the gate frame.

Set the chop saw to 45 degrees. Position a 2-inch by 4-inch plank on the saw table with its 4-inch surfaces horizontal. Holding the plank in place against the guide fence, trim the end off the plank. Measure from the longest side of the trimmed board and mark the length of the first rail. Cut the first rail so the ends are divergent, not parallel. Measure, mark and cut a second rail to match the first. Referring to your sketch, measure, mark and cut two stiles to length. The ends of the stiles, as with the rails, must be trimmed with divergent 45-degree cuts.

Arrange the gate frame on a flat surface to form a rectangle with mitered corners. Use a drill, driving bit and wood screws to attach one L-shaped steel bracket to each of the outer corners of the frame. Mark the stiles to indicate the hinge and latch sides. Designate and mark the top and bottom rails of the gate.

Arrange the infill pickets or planks on the finished gate frame. If the frame is to define the upper and lower borders of the gate, align the tops and bottoms of the pickets with the upper and lower rails. For pickets that extend above or below the rails, place a piece of scrap lumber parallel to the outer edges of the rails. Use the scrap lumber as guides to uniformly position the pickets on the frame. The width of the spaces between the pickets is a matter of personal choice. Pickets are typically installed vertically, parallel and evenly spaced.

Using a straightedge and a pencil, draw horizontal lines across the pickets where they cross the inner borders of the rails. This will make the pickets easy to reposition if they should shift during installation. Screw the pickets to the rails, with two screws attaching each end of the pickets to the corresponding rails. The outer pickets must also be screwed to the stiles for additional stability of the gate. The finished gate may be painted or stained, and installed with the appropriate hardware.