How to Make a Yard Gate From Trex Lumber
Trex is a composite lumber substitute made from recycled materials, including wood chips and plastic. The manufacturer molds the materials into various wood-like patterns. Trex lumber is used primarily for decks coverings, railings and fences. Some patterns are more realistic than others and blend more easily with real wood, making them suitable for stand-alone projects, like a gate. You can cut and drill Trex materials like real wood, and they are backed by a 25-year warranty. You may void that warranty, however, if you attempt to sand or shape Trex. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- 2-by-4-inch Trex lumber
- Pencil
- Carpenter's square
- Circular saw
- Carbide-tipped utility blade
- Drill
- 3/16-inch drill bit
- 2-inch exterior screws
- Jigsaw
- Gate hinges
- Latch
Instructions
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1
Measure the distance between the tops of the gate posts with a tape measure, then measure the distance between the bottoms. If they are significantly different, adjust the levels of the posts before proceeding or the gate won't open and close properly.
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2
Mark the distance of the gate opening, less 1/2 inch, on two pieces of 2-by-4 Trex lumber. Draw a perpendicular line on the marks and cut long the lines with a circular saw fitted with a carbide-tipped utility blade to make two gate rails.
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3
Place the rails flat on the ground and space them approximately the same distance apart as the railings on the fence. Cut two boards for the outside pickets of the gate. They can be the same length as the fence pickets adjacent to the gate, or a little shorter if you want the gap between the gate and the ground to be wider. It is aesthetically preferable to have the top of the gate come to the same level as the fence, but not necessary.
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4
Set these two pickets on the ends of the gate rails, perpendicular to them, and fine tune the spacing of the rails so it is exactly the same as the space between the fence rails. Drill two pilot holes into each junction between the pickets and the rails with a 3/16-inch drill bit, then drive a 2-inch screw into each hole.
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5
Measure the gap between the pickets and cut the number of additional pickets you need to fill it, adjusting the spacing to allow a whole number of them to fit. Set each one in place, drill pilot holes and drive screws to hold it.
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6
Turn the gate over and set a board on the rails so it extends diagonally from one end of the top rail to the opposite end of the bottom rail. Draw a line along the edge of each rail where it intersects this board, then cut along the lines. Set it back in place and screw it to the top and bottom rails to act as a brace.
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7
Draw a curved shape, if desired, on the top of the gate, and cut the curve with a jigsaw.
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8
Screw gate hinges to the top and bottom rails so the hinge pin is hanging just over the edge of each rail. Hold the gate against the fence pot and screw the hinges to the post. Open and close the gate to make sure it swings freely.
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9
Screw a latch onto the other side of the gate and to the post adjacent to it.
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Tips & Warnings
You can make a gate with 2-by-6-inch Trex decking boards by following the same procedure. Trex is heavier than wood, however, so be sure your fence posts can handle the extra weight.
You don't have to paint Trex, but you do need to clean it occasionally. Use soap, water and a mildewcide, and avoid power washing. High-pressure spray can damage the surface and void the warranty.
References
- Photo Credit Cedar fence planks image by K. Geijer from Fotolia.com
