How to Make a Deck Gate: A Complete Guide to Perfection

We know some enthusiastic people love to do things on their own. Let it be from gardening, making a fence to making one’s deck gate. For them, there is nothing wrong with learning how to make a deck gate or knowing some tricks. And we agree!

A wooden deck gate, even a small one, can cost a certain amount. Therefore, it is always interesting to try to build your portal.

On this occasion, we are going to discuss the simplest way to make a deck gate.Later in this article, you will find how to install and use quickly and easily.

How to Make a Wooden Deck Gate

If you have already worked in carpentry, making a reclaimed wood gate should not be too difficult. However, it is better to have the habit of working with wood to tackle such a project.

If you want to tackle the construction of a wooden deck gate, the first step is to collect quality material.

The Material Necessary 

For such work, you will need the following equipment:

• Pencil
• Wood planks
• Joists
• Spirit level
• Carpenter’s square
• Crowbar
• Pincers
• Saw
• Sander
• Sandpaper
• Stain or paint for exterior wood
• Electric screwdriver
• Hinges for gate
• Lock

You should remember to wear protective gloves and appropriate clothing.

To support you throughout the work, we have detailed the different stages of carrying out such a project:

1. Carry Out The Plan Of The Gate

First of all, it is always interesting to devise a plan for your future gate. Using a pencil and a ruler, make a plan to the scale of your gate.

A wooden deck gate is composed of:

• Four joists that form the contours of the portal
• An additional joist placed diagonally, which stabilizes the structure. 
• Wooden planks that fill the door.

It is essential to take into account the measurements of your wooden planks. The important thing is to determine the height and width of the gateand their spacing.

Have you already install posts for a wooden fence? You only need to measure the distances between your posts to determine the width required for the gate.

2. Choose Your Wood For The Manufacture Of A Deck Gate

Having a gate plan can allow you to have a precise idea of ​​the number of wooden planks needed and their dimensions.

Different solutions are available to you to get the wood for a gate:

Reclaimed wood:

For an economic portal, do not hesitate to recover planks of pallets. The advantage of removing slats from a pallet is that you will get homogeneous blades. 

The deck boards:

For a trustworthy and quality gate, you can also buy wooden deck boards. This will be significantly more expensive but will guarantee the solidity of your future door.

Whichever solution you choose, consider treating the wood with exterior wood varnish. If you buy wooden blades in-store, do not hesitate to invest in larch or other resistant wood species outdoors.

Namely: Building a reclaimed wood gate is less expensive, but requires more preparation. The gate that you will get will also be a little less solid.The blades of the wooden pallets are not very thick.

3. Prepare The Wooden Boards

Depending on the blades you find, you will need more or less long preparation. If you collect old pallets to take advantage of reclaimed wood, you will need to:

• Disassemble the wooden blades using a crowbar,
• Remove the nails from the blades using pliers,
• Sand the wood using a coarse sander,
• Brush the wood to remove dust,
• Sand with an excellent grain sander to get a finished look,
• Dust and wash the wood,
• Saw the boards to the right size.

Optionally, take the time to apply two coats of exterior wood stain. You can paint even exterior wood paint if you want a colourful wooden door. 

The advantage of using decking boards is that the wood will already be ready for use. It will then be enough to saw them to the right measurements.

If you plan to paint or treat the boards, prefer to do so before assembling the gate. It will be much simpler and more uniform.

4. Build The Gate Frame

First, you will assemble the frame of your gate. It should preferably be built using joists cut to the right measures.

Here is how to assemble the gate structure:

• Assemble four joists to form a square or a rectangle (depending on the gate).
• Before fixing, check the positioning of the joists using the spirit level and a carpenter’s square.
• Attach the joists using an electric screwdriver. Use two screws with joists, located a few centimetres apart.

We advise you to fix the fifth joist in the diagonal of the square or the rectangle. This ensures the solidity of the frame and prevents any deformation.

As you assemble, always check the perpendicularity of the frame, and adjust the joists if necessary.

5. Assemble The Gate Blades

Once the frame is assembled and stable, you will be able to fix the planks that fill the door. The method will be the same as for joining the frame:

Before assembly, recheck the frame measurements and determine the necessary interval between each board. The range must be the same between each board of the gate.It will give an aesthetic effect.

Using a wood pencil, mark the location of each board directly on the gate frame.

Attach each board to its location using the electric screwdriver (always with two screws per joist).Systematicallycheck the verticality of the board.

Fill in the entire frame.

Once the boards are fixed, your deck gate is almost finished! Check the solidity of the assembly and adjust if necessary.

6. Place The Gate

The portal is almost finished. It naturally remains to fix the hinges on the gate, just like on your fence posts.

You are free to buy and fix:

• Hinges for swing gate (or hinge gate brackets),
• A screw-on door lock.

In all cases, fix the elements both on the gate and on the support posts. All you have to do is slide the gate into its hinges!Our advice: for a simple opening of the gate, equip it with a padlock door lock. This will even allow you to lock the gate if you buy a solid padlock.

Read this also: Bedroom Essentials Checklist you Should Swear By

Advantages of a Deck Gate

Installing a gate in the deck or on the terrace is a practical solution if we want to protect a space. The gate will create a different environment from the rest of the place. 

This is all the more true since the manufacture of a wooden gate is accessible to anyone who has good carpentry knowledge. With a little training and a complete method, you will be able to design a cheap and unique gate.

It is also an economical way to have a custom wooden gate. It would, therefore, be a shame to deprive yourself of it!

Last Few Words

Well, we take your leave now. Knowing how to make a deck gate is probably not an essential job. But the pleasure it will give is undeniable.