Tuesday 17 March 2015

Making Simple Garden Gates

It's my forth year in my veg garden and until now I've been using three bits of weld mesh as temporary gates to keep rabbits out of my garden.
 Each year I say I'm going to make some gates and I kept thinking I was going to make some fancy ones to show off my skills. This basically meant that they just didn't get built because I've never got the time to dedicate them.
So I decided to just knock up some quick and cheap ones so I get to use gates over the summer rather than struggling with mesh panels every time I leave the garden.  
My littlest helper sorting screws
 For the wood I stripped some old fencing apart (this fencing was in turn made from some pallets I'd taken apart a few years ago) and I just made up some simple ledges and braced gates. The slats are spaced so no rabbit can't fit through (hopefully).
Spacing the boards out

First gate hung

Good chunky hinges

Second gate - the main one
 If your ever hanging anything with a brace on the back make sure that the brace points down towards the bottom hinge, otherwise it's not doing anything.
Bottom gate into the soft fruit garden
 Although I didn't spend any money on the wood, I did splash out on the hinges and brought some good quality hoop and band hinges. This means that if I want to lift the gate off for any reason I can and if I ever get around to building some better gates I can reuse the hinges. Cheap ironmongery is a waste of money, I find cheap T-hinges the worst as the knuckle rusts up in no time and you end up replacing them anyway.
Back of gate, added by request!
Another job done that's been on the list for a long time. Hopefully these should last a while and make it less likely that I jump the fence each time I go in the garden! One day I'll build some good gates out of hardwood (but probably not).
Anyone else done a job you've been putting off because you wanted to do it properly? 

19 comments:

  1. when we moved here all gates were tied up with baling twine, it drove me nuts, there wasnt any hinges on them either again baling twine was used, it was a real pain every time you had your hands full and needed to go through a gate, when we had the fencers here I got tem to re-hang gates we used a few of the old wooden gates that were laying in hedgerows and new ones we bought metal ones. its a real time saver having proper gates that work and they are more likely to be closed. :-)

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    1. It's funny when I got this place there was to swinging gates but that was more than the whole of dads farm at the time! I grew up struggling with gates (it was always my job to open them) and baler twine is second nature to me - I still need to get some catches as these are beld shut with the dreaded blue cord...

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  2. I have even just used the pallets before and placed the hinged side on a stone so it will swing easy. Now that is the quick lazy way to make a gate. There are codes on the pallets that tell you if they have been treated with nasty chemicals. I have been told not to saw the nasty ones.

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    1. I can see how I'd get to that point - some of these pallets are really well made. There's a tool you can make for taking them apart so I might knock one up if it means more free wood. I don;t think our pallets are treated too much, some my dad gets are even hardwood.

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  3. Again Kev ,you show us your incredible patience and woodworking skills. My son welded me a metal gate for my plot. Check it out on my blog, please!

    I would love my own walled kitchen garden with a Gothic entrance like the door in the 'Secret garden'.

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    1. Not sure about the patience - you try making a gate with a 18 month old! Metal gates would be much better as they last forever but I have to play to my strengths!
      Walled garden would be the dream, I'm slightly obsessed with them! Might have to watch the whole series again at some point, I must have read the book half a dozen times!

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  4. Kev - great use of the pallets and you know that jam and i love making stuff with free stuff. we think they look great! also, we wanted you to know that we are both in love with your bread handler - it is absolutely beautiful work and jam loves beautiful woodwork.

    your friend,
    kymber

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    1. Thanks Kymber, glad you like the peel and the gates, although with the peel I think it's the wood that's beautiful. the gates have made my garden feel so much more "proper" by having gates I can open and shut on there!

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  5. Lovely gates but try as I might I can't see the back of them ...darned 2d computers ....any chance of a view of the reverse? You are of course totally allowed to ignore this piece of cheek and take no notice at all...but if you do take pity I would be quite chuffed (I have lots of pallets but limited woodworking experience!)

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    1. I've added a picture for you! Just a simple couple of ledges and a brace. I added a brace to each side as i wasn't sure which way round I was going to hang them when I made them and it gives me the option to change it if I don't like it that way.
      No cheek at all - I like people to ask questions and help if I can - I ask for enough advice on this blog so it's nice when I can give back as well!

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    2. That is Brilliant ..you are a star Thank you!
      and it looks quite possible ...thanks for the advice on the hinges too.

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  6. Nice gates, Kev. We don't have wild rabbits but we do have free range chickens and geese, so everything has to be gated and fenced, plus we have the sheep, pigs, and cows to keep inside the fields. Lester has just learnt how to weld, so he is making the many gates we need out of metal, which should take him all summer to get done!

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    1. Are you getting the gates galvanised? Dad used to make things and then get them dipped and they pretty much last forever then. I've many metal gates to hang as well yet! I could do with another day a week (without the children) to get some of these bigger jobs done!

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  7. We spent years with awkward gates that needed lifting because they had dropped at one end, now we have proper gates but no longer need them as we no longer have the sheep and goats!
    That's how things seem to go here - take years to get something done properly and then plans change for one reason or another ( mainly age and health!)

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    1. It always seems to be the way. Now dad has got no stock he's got lots more swinging gates! No use to me now though as I had a childhood of tying up gates with baler twine!

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    2. But it isn't locked without baler twine...
      see your previous post!

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  8. Thank you Kev...
    perfect timing!!
    I am just about to make some gates...
    as I have just aquired about a dozen pallets from our re-roofing...
    I will use them!

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  9. I am reminded of some old movie with John Travolta who was struck by lightening and became a genius. Anyway he had made a gate and a fence that went around his garden and was always perplexed it never kept the rabbit out. After he became a genius he walked down and opened the gate and waited. Sure enough the rabbit came out. Apparently he had trapped the rabbit inside when he built the gate :)

    I know stupid story but I couldn't resist.

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  10. I find it always best to get Lovely Hubby to do me a 'temporary job' when I need something doing. If I wait for the designed, planned out, top notch version I do just that ... wait and wait and wait ..... :-)

    Anything that makes life easier is a winner in my book. You've got some very good gates there.

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