Preparation

• Make a plan for the garden gate based on the location. For example, some yards have hard soil or a lot of rock. The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association's website advises that you can use post supports or metal saddles for your gateposts as alternatives to digging post holes and pouring concrete. These post hole alternatives also work for installing the garden gate on a concrete or wooden area.
  
  Take measurements and have a carpenter's level on hand to assure getting the gateposts straight. Selecting straight lumber and installing the supports so they are level helps assure that the gate swings properly. The BuildEazy website advises allowing a ½-inch clearance between the garden gate and each gatepost, and spacing the gateposts at least 3 feet apart to provide room for wheelbarrows to get through the gate. This website also recommends installing a top brace or pergola top to the gate to keep the gateposts from sagging inward. This type of construction assures the gate swing stays true over the years.
  
  Buy the garden gate hinges, gate latch hardware and gatepost supports from a home improvement or landscape supply store or online retailer.
  
  

Plank Gate

• A classic garden gate involves cutting wooden planks to the desired length and supporting them with a Z-frame. A diagonal cross bar on the back of the gate extending from one of the gate's top corners to the opposite bottom corner adds stability. In some garden gate styles, the top boards are straight on the tops; others have cut or rounded corners to give each plank a decorative shape.
  
  For better visibility, add a strip of lattice across the top of a tall gate. For example, if you build a gate to discourage dogs from jumping over, you can build it tall and still look out through the lattice. This makes an effective strategy for home and vacation property security, as tall fences and gates add privacy but prevent neighbors and patrol cars from seeing if intruders are on the property.
  
  

Picket Fence Gate

• The picket fence gate makes a friendly option. These gates tend to be shorter and more ornamental than secure. The picket fence makes a good choice for safe neighborhoods where the gate is more for appearance than for a barrier.
  
  Building a picket gate involves nailing pickets to a support frame. Paint it the traditional white or choose dark green in moss-prone areas. A simple latch works well for this style. Install a spring closure to a garden gate located on a pathway so that it will swing closed behind you when you go through with your hands full of gardening supplies.