Sharpen your DIY skills with this simple project
You’ve finally built the deck of your dreams, but now you're ready to add the final touches to complete the look and keep your family safe. Learning how to build a deck gate on your next day off is just what you need to keep children and pets from wandering down the steps. Here are 11 steps to building a deck gate and elevating your yard.
Before you start building a deck gate, you’ll need to check local building codes for any requirements. If you are enclosing a pool, the gate may need to meet certain building codes to keep your family safe.
Typically, you’ll need to ensure your gate is at least 42 inches high with no more than 4 inches of spacing between balusters. Many codes may also require the gate to be no higher than 4 inches from the surface of the deck. Check for specific deck gate requirements in your municipality before buying wood or breaking out your tools.
As an added safety check, inspect the wood of the deck for any signs of rot or pest damage. The deck needs to be in good condition before building and installing a deck gate, or the gate may begin rotting or sagging.
You’ll need to figure out what size you want the gate to be. Most gates will be about 36 to 48 inches wide. Measure the space where you plan to install a deck gate with the measurements required by local deck codes in mind.
Measure the width at the bottom, middle, and top of where the gate will be.
Account for a 1/2 to 3/4-inch gap on each side of where the gate will be, so it can open and close easily.
Measure how tall you’d like the gate to be.
Use a level on the deck surface and rail posts to adjust for any slight variations.
Write down all of your measurements, and keep that information handy when you shop for supplies.
Failing to plan is planning to fail for any project. Before you start sawing into your wood planks, draw some sketches of the gate. You may also want to use a template you can find online to guide how your gate will look as you build it.
Whether you use a template or your sketches, write out the measurements of each piece and show how they will connect to form the gate. Make note of essential gaps, including each side of the gate and the bottom of the gate, in your diagram.
Most deck gates consist of pressure-treated wood, thanks to its resistance to rot and pest damage. With the right care, pressure-treated wood can last up to 40 years. But pressure-treated wood typically has a high moisture content and needs to acclimate to its surroundings before you can build with it. Otherwise, the wood may warp after you’ve built the gate.
Lay the wood out on a tarp or dry area with plenty of shade. Let it rest for at least 72 hours before proceeding.
Gate rails run horizontally at the top and bottom of the gate. You’ll want to turn to your measurements and gate diagram when it’s time to cut the rails.
Subtract about 1 inch from the measurement of the width of the gate opening. This will leave space for gaps and hardware. Cut a two-by-four wood plank into two pieces to match your measurements with a miter or circular saw.
The gate posts run vertically on each end of the gate, and along with the gate rails, establish the perimeter of the gate you’re building. Making the gate posts is similar to cutting wood for the gate rails.
Review your height measurements for the gate, which will be at least 42 inches tall but no more than 4 inches off of the surface of the deck. Use the miter or circular saw to cut another two-by-four according to your height measurements.
Now, it’s time to join the gate posts and rails to form the deck gate frame. First, you’ll use a miter saw to cut opposing 45-degree angles, so the rails and posts fit snugly when you screw them together.
Arrange the posts side by side, then lay the rails toward the top and bottom of the posts. The arranged wood will resemble a picture frame. Push the posts and rails together until the opposing 45-degree angled ends come together. Use a drill to screw 2-1/2-inch self-drilling exterior wood screws through the rails and into the posts.
Use at least two screws spaced equally apart for each corner of the gate. Feel free to use additional screws with equal spacing in each corner to help the gate better withstand wear and tear over time.
Balusters will fill out the center area of the gate. Space these out no more than 4 inches apart to prevent children or pets from slipping through. Determine the number of balusters you’ll need, keeping spacing requirements in mind.
Cut two-by-two pressure-treated wood boards to the same height as the gate posts with a miter or circular saw. At one end of each baluster, you can use your miter saw to cut a 45-degree angle to help the wood shed water. This is optional, though, and you can choose to leave squared ends.
Using a wood block cut to the desired spacing measurement as a guide, lay the spacer flush with one gate post. Lay the first baluster flush on the other side of the wood spacer, then use a drill and 2-1/2-inch self-drilling exterior wood screws to attach the baluster to the top and bottom rail.
Move the spacer to the opposite side of the baluster, making sure it’s flush. Then lay the next baluster and repeat until all balusters are attached.
The gate is now ready for some cosmetic upgrades and a few final touches. Sand down all surfaces of the gate with 120-grit sandpaper. You can use an orbital sander or manually sand until you have a smooth finish.
After sanding, you can paint, stain, or seal the gate to match the style of your deck. Make sure to let the finish dry before you finish building and installing the deck gate, or you could be left with visible drips or streaks.
Cut more scrap boards to the desired height—but no more than 4 inches—where you want the gate to sit off of the deck’s floor. Lay the scrap boards across the deck floor to help you position the deck gate into place for installation. (Alternatively, you can save yourself some sawing by asking for a friend to help you hold the gate in place.)
With the gate positioned into place, use a drill and the screws included with your hardware to attach the hinges to each gate rail and the deck post.
On the opposite side of the gate from the hinges, mark a spot a least 3 inches from the top of the gate to install the gate latch. Use the screws from the hardware or 1-1/4-inch self-drilling exterior wood screws to secure the gate latch in place.
You’ll spend about $30 to install a DIY deck gate, although prices may range from around $20 to over $100, depending on the hardware style and material. The wood for a single gate will cost about $20 to $30, but keep in mind that building material prices have been fluctuating in recent years and could be lower or higher when you are shopping.
In addition to the cost of wood and hardware, you may want to purchase paint, stain, or sealant to better match the gate to the deck. Paint or stain costs $0.30 to $2.50 per square foot, while sealant costs $0.25 to $1 per square foot for materials.
If you hire a gate installation pro near you, you’ll spend about $80 per hour, plus the cost of materials. A pro can build and install your gate in just a few hours, saving you the hassle of acclimating the wood or breaking out your power tools.
When building a deck gate, you want durable wood that can withstand harsh sunlight, rain, wind, and snow. Softwoods, like red cedar, redwood, or pine, are popular for gates, and pressure-treated wood is a good choice for resisting rot. Ultimately, you’ll want to consider your climate before choosing the right wood for your deck gate.
You can use a few different tactics to prevent your deck gate from sagging. Aside from using strong, rot-resistant woods, introducing a diagonal element—such as a tension rod or solid piece of wood to act as a brace—across the gate will offer better support. You can also use rigid joists to prevent the gate from sagging.
Pressure-treated wood is one of the most common and best material choices for a deck gate because it better withstands rot and pest damage. But pressure-treated wood is especially important to use when it could come into contact with moisture, which your deck gate is certain to do.
Gates typically swing inward, and this is often the safest way to install the gate. But you may need to adjust how your gate swings depending on your property. You want the gate to open fully without colliding with another object or blocking any spaces. You may also want the gate to swing in a direction opposite of any steps to make it safer.
Typically, gates are installed at the top of stairs to keep small children safe. For example, if you are trying to contain small kids on the deck, you may want to install a gate at the top of the stairs to keep them from playing on the steps. But you can install a gate wherever it makes the most sense.
