Chain link fences: can't live with them or without them! Our backyard's chain-link fence (installed decades ago by a previous owner), has been on my "to update list" since the day we bought our place. It's not my favorite, but the thing about fences is they're a big financial investment. And since ours is still very functional in keeping our kids and cat corralled, we've opted to flex our creativity muscle and make the most of what we've got.
Instead of a full fence replacement, we've planted climbers and other greenery to disguise most of the fence around the yard and teamed up with Handy Products to build a beautiful stained cedar garden gate (that smells incredible!) to upgrade the current chain-link situation.
In this post you'll find the DIY garden gate tutorial with downloadable pdf plans, as well as instructions for removing an existing chain-link fence and installing your new wood one. There's so much goodness packed into this post-let's get to work!
Materials:
- Qty 6, 1×3 @8' long
- Qty 3, 2×4 @8' long
- 3" Exterior Wood Pocket Hole Screws (for assembling frame)
- 2" Exterior Wood Screws (for attaching slats to frame)
- Kreg Jig
- Small Mason Jar (to use as circle template)
- Clamps
- Measuring Tape
- Safety Glasses
- Exterior Wood Glue
- Handy Paint Pail with Recyclable Liners
- High Quality Stain Brush
- Wood Stain
- Waterproofer
- Gate Handle/Latch
- Qty 2, 14" Hinge Straps, spray painted desired color
- Lag Screws 5/16" x 1-1/2"
- Metal Drill Bit
Tools
Build Gate Frame
- For the 36" x 36" frame, cut 2×4's into two 36" pieces + two 29" pieces. The two shorter pieces form the horizontal (top & bottom) of the square frame and the longer pieces form the verticals. Attach the 2×4's with pocket screws using a Kreg Jig. Set the Kreg Jig to 1.5" to match the nominal 2×4 board thickness, and create 2 pocket holes in each end of the 29" boards.
- Smear exterior wood glue on the end grains for a stronger hold prior to screwing the frame together.
- Build the square frame by joining the four sides together with 3" exterior screws.
- Cut diagonal 2×4 brace and attach to top left and bottom right corners with wood glue and pocket screws.
Prepare the Gate Slats
- Cut 1×3's into eleven 4' sections. At 48", they'll be purposely longer than your finished gate, so you'll have room to trim.
- For round-top slats, trace the opening of a small mouth mason jar to create a rounded guideline at one end of the 1×3's.
- Clamp slat down and use a jigsaw to cut out the rounded shape.
- Use sandpaper or palm sander to smooth out the jigsaw'ed edges.
Assemble Gate
- Lay frame screws-side up with the 36" boards positioned vertically.
- Position slats vertically over top of the frame so the rounded edges extend past the top of the 36" frame. The two slats on the outer edges extend 10" past the top edge, and the slats gradually shorten in length as they approach the center. See plans for dimensions of each slat.
- Once slats are in position, use a mitre saw to trim the squared slat ends so they're flush with the bottom of the frame.
- Cut two 7/8" thick blocks of scrap wood to use as spacers. Attach slats 7/8" apart with 2" exterior wood screws.
Stain and Waterproof Gate
1 . Use Handy Paint Pail with a liner + a high quality stain brush to apply the wood stain. I used Weatherwood Stains which are applied with a brush and left to dry, rather than wiped on/off with a rag.
Pro Tip: Don't work out of the stain's original container. Pour what you need into the Handy Paint Pail and seal the stain can back up.
Why Handy Paint Pail? The ergonomic handle on Handy Paint Pail is clutch in keeping you mobile as you work your way around the gate with stain, and the magnetic brush holder acts as your personal assistant, holding your brush and catching drips when you need a free hand.Let the first coat of stain dry roughly 60 minutes. Once dry, assess whether a second coat is needed. I only used one coat here.
2. Swap Handy Paint Pail's liner for a clean one and apply 2 coats of the Exterior Waterproofer to protect the gate from splitting, warping, etc. when out in the elements.
Hang Gate on Metal Fence Posts
Standard chain-link fence gates hang on post hinges, which are essentially metal pegs clamped to support posts. In order to hang a wooden gate onto those metal pegs, you'll need hinge straps with metal loops large enough to fit those metal pegs. After a lot of searching and two different trips to the hardware store, I found these 14" hinge straps to be compatible.
- Remove existing chain-link gate by loosening the post hinges with a ratchet. Slide the chain link gate off the pegs.
- Attach hinge straps horizontally to the top and bottom of the 2×4 gate frame with lag screws. The hinge strap should extend off the edge of the gate by an inch or two in order to reach the metal pegs on the post hinges.
- Prop up your gate to its finished height with scrap boards. Adjust the height of the post hinges to line up with the hinge straps on the gate. Tighten the lower post hinge first and slide the lower hinge strap loop onto the peg. Then line up the upper hinge strap with the upper post hinge and tighten clamp.
4. Attach the handle/latch on the opposite side of the gate. Pre-drill the metal post (with a heavy duty metal drill bit) before installing the gate catch.
This post is brought to you by Handy Products and may contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting brands I personally use and truly love.More Backyard Projects
