Sliding Dog Gate Protects Door from Scratches

Anyone with a dog knows that if you let them out to do their business you better be waiting by the door when they want to come back in. If you're not, it's a sure bet that they will be scratching at the door trying to get your attention and, the bigger the dog, the greater the damage. This instructable is a classic example of my "closing the barn door after the horse got out" but, hopefully, it will save your door before it meets the same fate as mine.

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Step 1: Low Tech, But Effective

This is a very low tech project that is inexpensive and easy to make.

I built this dog gate from left over scrap lumber but all you really need are a few 2 x4's that you can rip on your table saw plus piece of 1/8" or 1/4" thick hardboard.

The size of the gate, both the width and height are variable depending on the size of your dog AND the size of your door. For that reason I am not recommending specific dimensions.

The next few steps will detail the basic design which you can follow or modify as needed.

natesgate says: Dec 5, 2012. 8:07 AM

Another way to protect your door that I've used in the past: attach a metal grate to the door. You can find decorative grates, or grates in different finishes/colors. The one I used was thin, approximately the thickness of a coin (the frame was thicker). This protects and moves with the door. When the dog scratches the grate, it makes a noise to let you know she wants in (mine learned to use noise this instead of barking).

Nothing wrong with your solution, this is just a different one.