Build a Garden Gate, the Easy Way

We've had some critters getting into the new flower garden, so it was time for a solution. The gate into the existing garden was also.. less than ideal. Alex used salvaged lumber to solve these problems, and we think it turned out great. The only thing we had to buy were the hinges!

Project Cost Breakdown:
Hinges: $21 per door
Nails: Leftover
Cable Hardware: Salvaged
Wood: Salvaged (would have been ~$30k with current prices)
Fencing: $35 for 50' roll

About Us: We are Alex and Elaina, a couple in our mid 20s who are currently living on the 3-acre farm in southern Pennsylvania where Alex grew up. We have a garden, backyard chickens, and build or fix anything that we need to. We still work corporate day jobs, but are working to eventually leave the 9-5 lifestyle in favor of a self-built, debt-free, homestead on 6 acres nearby.
Something that differentiates us from other channels is our transparency on the cost of our projects - there is usually a breakdown right in the description!

We upload a YouTube video every Saturday night at 7pm EST, and post daily on Instagram and Facebook @masondixonacres!

Music:
Creative Commons — Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported — CC BY-ND 3.0

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0

[Beadle]

Nice gate, the only suggestion I have would be to flip the cross beam to displace any downward forces on the unsupported edge.

[davidfenderson]

Sir, your diagonal is backwards. It should always slope down to your bottom hinge. It won’t sag ever!

[dropswitch]

A $4 dollar bag of dry concrete mix put around those post with make them far more stable than just dirt. The cable should work but if it doesn't that would be the solution I look into

[MrMattDat]

Great job! Seems getting that 4x4 well anchored is key, but that salvaged tensioner is awesome!

[brentjohnson]

New subscriber here. I am building a fence for my wife’s raised garden beds and was not finding a gate. I have been thinking of using a 4x4 post and a DIY gate much like you did here. I realize it is 2 years ago, but it was relevant to my current project. Thanks for the video, and all the best from north Texas.

[slow]

Stopped by to get some different ideas on simple gate building since mine weren't doing very good. I like this one thanks.

[midnightmarauder]

Cross beams on the wrong way boss. Solid lil though.

[richardcrosby]

Even better if the diagonal brace had gone the other way i.e. low in the hinge side. This would've put the joints in compression.

[trenisecombs]

Awesome Job I need one jus like this exactly.... I'm try to make it bc the one I had was to heavy and it finally gave

[sofCtheatre]

Diagonal board is opposite what it should be, u want high point opposite of hinges

[erikbagge]

The way you have set up that cross support beam it will do _nothing_ to the structural integrity. It's upside down. The greatest force will allways be in the top corner furtherst from the ground.

[Allworldsk]

Center board should be from bottom to top. Just so you know for the next one.

[JoshRabinowitzIRL]

Your brace should be going the other way, bottom corner toward the hinge side

[homeschoolfarmmom]

Here on the farm we set our wood post in either pea gravel or dry concrete. Post won't move.

[petebecker]

Your crossbeam is in the wrong configuration. The high end should be at the top of the gate to channel compression to the hinges. Your design will not keep the gate from sagging

[Give]

why didnt you use concrete to hold that 4x4 in place? Im about to put in 4 post for my 2 gates. i was watching to get some ideas on how to do my gates. learning process

[MrQuack]

Cross brace is wrong. It should be at the bottom hinge. Not the top hinge

[bchowmein]

If you had used your wire for your diagonal it would have been under tension.. And yes the physics is different.. The gate would be stronger under compression flipped the other way. Your diagonal is just relying on your fasteners. Use a dry bag of concrete and ditch the micky mouse wire. Not doggin ya, i just read thru the comments and see you think the forces are the same bc your an engineer or somethin

[MrBubbas]

How is this gate holding up? Is it sagging? I would have guessed you'd want to set the post deeper but the wire may be doing the trick

[DontInterruptMeCunt]

So how's that wire holding up the weight of your gate? I'm digging your concept, have a gate about that size to make as well. I'm thinking instead of putting the post in the dirt, put it in a 5 gallon bucket with concrete and bury it. Would be more stable for sure. I'm curious if the weight of the gate has caused any bunching in the fence going towards that anchor point or if that stake has gotten pulled up at all.