If you're building a fence, you're probably going to want to incorporate a simple wooden gate. This article will break down the whole process for how to build a wooden gate and includes a step by step video.

If you’re going through the process of adding a fence to your home, you will probably need to also make a wooden gate. Adding a gate to your fence is important to provide easy access from your front and back yards without needing to go through a garage or house.

Wooden gate on a fence opened with a black latch with text overlay that says how to make a wooden gate

Watch video
Supply list
#1: Build frame
#2: Add diagonal cross brace
#3: Add hinges
#4: Hang gate
#5: Add pickets
#6: Add handle and latch
After pictures

Scrap woods, toy truck and unused home items at the wooden fence before a gate is built.

At our house in the backyard, we needed to make a wooden gate on the side of our house to get easily access to front yard from the back (and visa versa). We also use this gate to get the lawn mower from the backyard shed to the front yard grass to mow.

Do you want to see more of our big backyard makeover??

We recently shared the whole process of how to build a wooden fence with a video and blog post tutorial, so you should definitely check that article out if you’re building a fence too.

However, we decided to separate out the tutorial for how to make a wooden gate because the process is so different. It deserved its own post, don’t you think?

How To Make A Wooden Gate Video Tutorial

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This how to build a wooden gate tutorial contains affiliate links, but nothing that I wouldn’t recommend wholeheartedly. Read my full disclosure here.

Supplies for how to build a simple wooden gate:

Man attaching two boards for frame on a gate and corner brackets with deck screws using drill

Step 1. Build frame for wooden gate.

Build a rectangle frame with 2×4 pressure treated boards & corner brackets. Be sure to use deck screws which are made for outdoor use.

Man attaching additional wood diagonally in the middle of the rectangle frame for wooden gate using drill and deck screw

Wooden gate frame with cross brace laying on wooden porch floor before being installed on a fence

Step 2. Add a diagonal 2×4 in the middle for some extra stability.

Simply lay the 2×4 on top of the rectangle, mark where you need it cut and cut using a circular saw. Attach the diagonal piece with more deck screws drilled diagonally into the brace.

Step 3. Add hinges.

The diagonal cross brace should be “in compression” which means that it needs to go from the bottom hinge to the top corner of the other side.

Wood is much stronger in compression rather than tension, so this will help prevent the gate from sagging later.

Add one cedar fence picket to the edge of the gate frame that will be on the hinge side and attach your gate hinge on top and bottom.

Be sure to drill pilot holes first and then use the screw provided with your gate hinge.

Step 4. Hang gate and attach.

Have one person hold the gate up and into place (while make sure it is level), while the other person attached the other side of the gate hinges onto the gate.

Step 5. Add pickets.

Add the rest of the fence pickets to cover the gate.

Wooden gate with wood brace and handle and latch attached.

Step 6. Add handle & latch.

Add a gate handle to the opposite side.

Finished wooden gate attached to the backyard cedar fence with no sag brackets

The wooden gate turned out awesome and works great for our purposes. It blends right in with the rest of our fence and was very easy to build.

Slightly open wooden gate with metal corner brackets and diagonal cross brace in the backyard

Do you have any questions about this how to build a wooden gate tutorial?

Let us know in the comments below!