Pallet Gate

Hello,

We recently got a new addition to the family and needed to build a gate on our side yard to keep the new little guy in the yard instead of running in the bigger back yard. This is the fence that had no gate for a long time. We never really needed one since this is just an opening to get in the back yard and there is another fence & gate behind me in this picture but sometimes we only want this little guy to stay in the side yard. Take a look and hopefully you get something from it to help on your project.

Best, Steve

Supplies

Pallet Wood, 1/4" Crown Staples, Waterproof Glue, Gate Hinges.

Step 1: Watch the Video for More Details

If you'd like, watch the video instead to see these steps in action.

Step 2: Picking the Pallet Boards

I went through my pallet wood and picked out some pieces that were in pretty good shape. It's just pallet wood so sometimes you have to choose wisely. A little thinking ahead of time helps so you have an idea in your head.

Step 3: Remove Nails

Remove all the nails ahead of time so you don't get any surprise sparks when the cutting takes place. I usually scan the wood with a metal detector to be on the safe side.

Step 4: Start With Square Ends

Once you know the size you need to make the gate, cut off the raw edge of your boards first to get them square and then measure from that clean edge to the other end.

Step 5: Measure and Cut

It's a good idea to make a drawing with your dimensions on it so you can get an idea on how many boards you will need and how long to cut them. Here I am measuring the 2 pieces that will be the hinge and latch sides of the gate and then I cut them at the same time so they are the same length.

Step 6: Square the Edges (Optional)

This step is not necessary but I didn't want gaps between the wood at the bottom of the gate. Here I am running one edge of each bottom board through my Jointer to make it have a nice straight edge.

Step 7: Cut Board to Width

Then I put the jointed edge against the table saw fence and cut them to the width I needed. This puts a nice edge on both edges so you can set the boards up against each other with little or no gaps. Like I said, not necessary if you want a more rustic looking gate. If you don't use the jointer, just cut the boards to the width that works for the size gate your making.

Step 8: More Cutting

Now that I had the edges squared I cut the boards to length that will be at the bottom of the gate.

Step 9: Middle Section of Gate

Now it was time to cut the pieces that go in the middle of the gate. These are not as wide because the gate has a unique look to it instead of just the same size boards next to each other. Stay tuned to see how it looks!

Step 10: Cut Middle Section Pieces to Length

Those 5 pieces were all cut to length at the same time on my Miter Saw. There are some additional pieces I had to cut that run horizontal on the top and bottom and also some filler pieces and you can see them in a picture farther down when I show all the pieces I cut to build this gate or you can check out my video on YouTube.

Step 11: The Top of Gate

I have a piece of wood running across the top of the gate. I cut it to the width of the gate and then drew a design on the wood and cut it out on the Band Saw.

Step 12: Sand, Sand, Sand

I then gave all the wood a good sanding to clean it up and round over the edges a little. This is another optional step but since the dog could be jumping on it I wanted it to be kind of smooth with no sharp edges.

Step 13: Here's All the Pieces!

Here is all the wood cut and sanded and ready to go together and get stained.

Step 14: Time to Put It All Together

Now it's time to start putting this together. I used waterproof glue and staples to hold it together. This is bottom of the gate getting put together.

Step 15: Last Steps Before Staining

And this is the middle and top of the gate. I finished it up with a set of gate hinges to match what we already had on our chain link fence post.

Step 16: Gate Support

I then decided to add some the typical X bracing at the bottom. This is more function than aesthetics because if put on in the right location, it adds support to the gate to keep it from sagging. Another optional step but one that is worth it.

Step 17: Stain Well, the Repeat Again

I decided to use a stain on the gate to help make it last longer since it soaks in to the wood better than paint.

Step 18: The Finished Gate

Here is the gate all finished up with a custom latch (only a piece of aluminum I had lying around, nothing special). My existing posts were not plumb so I made it fit the best I could. It serves it's purpose if we don't want the dog to go in the back yard for whatever reason. Hope you like this and take something from it for your own gate idea. Check out the video for more details. Thanks in advance, Steve