How to Build a Door for a Wooden Fence

Wood fences are a good way to create some privacy while beautifying a property. Nowadays, most of these fences come from ready-made kits that come with door-style gates, but in some instances it is either necessary or desirable to build one from scratch. This may seem like a daunting task, but it is actually rather easy to build a solid door for a fence. This guide provides two options: one for refitting a section of privacy fence into a door, and a second for doing the job from scratch.

Things You'll Need

• Retrofit:
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Hand saw
• Scratch:
• Lumber
• Sawhorses
• True-angle tool
• Hammer
• Nails
• Level

Instructions

Refitting Leftover Fencing

1. Choose a section of scrap privacy fencing. These kinds of fencing come in pre-fabricated panels, so using a section as raw material for a door-style gate will create a matching look for the entire fence. Any section of pre-fabricated privacy fencing will be at least the width required for a door, and likely wider, as typical door widths are 32, 36 or 38 inches.

2. Measure the opening for the door. If the heavier posts for the gate have not been installed yet, either compensate for them in your calculations, or install them now and measure again.

3. Measure and mark the fence panel so that it can be cut to fit the opening. Keep in mind that sawing the pickets off by cutting through the cross-planking is easier than sawing a straight line down the middle of a long, vertical picket. It may be necessary to trim the pickets for an exact fit, but be aware that it isn't easy, even with a table saw. Also measure and mark for the removal of 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches from the bottom, so the door will have some clearance.

4. Saw the fence section down to size.

Building a Door-Style Gate from Scratch

1. Measure the opening for the door. If the heavier posts for the gate have not been installed yet, either compensate for them in your calculations, or install them now and measure again.

2. Select and buy lumber planks that will match the existing fence. These will serve as the pickets and cross-planks for your fence door. How many will depend on the measurements and the planks chosen, but remember to include three more planks for cross-planking.

3. Measure, mark and saw the vertical picket planks.

4. Lay as many of the planks as will fit across a pair of sawhorses.

5. Measure, mark and saw two horizontal cross-planks to match the planned width of the door, to lay across the door.

6. Lay these across the pickets, on straight horizontal lines. They should be placed about 1/5 of the length of the gate from the top and bottom, but the main thing is to avoid placing them over where the gate hinges will be screwed on. Check all planks, vertical and horizontal, with a level to make sure everything is straight.

7. Fasten the vertical pickets and horizontal cross bars together with a hammer and nail.

8. Measure the distance between the horizontal planks, and saw off the ends of a plank at 45 degree diagonals to fit between them, using a true-angle tool. If this is you are unfamiliar with this process, try laying the plank into place and checking it visually before proceeding.

9. Fasten this diagonal cross-plank between the two horizontal planks with hammer and nails.

Resources

• Lowes: Wood Panel Fencing Tips and Materials
• Lowes: Treated Lumber