How to Build a Wooden Garden Fence and Gate! 2026

How to Build a Wooden Garden Fence and Gate, this article covers how I built a simple wooden fence with a locking gate.

Thank you for checking it out!

Step 1: Motivation

This is Darla.

Darla is so incredibly sweet that she needs an enclosed garden to keep her safe from her olfactory wanderlust. This fence was made specifically with her in mind, but it is part of a much larger makeover of my garden.

Step 2: Preparations

The first thing you need to do is decide where you want your fence.

Since this fence was going to be built across a narrow side yard (rather than along a property line), I actually had several options for where exactly to build it. The worst thing you can do is not think about the location and weigh all possible considerations, and then build a fence in a place you don't like.

If you have buried utilities where you live, you should call the buried utility authority for questions and mark the buried lines, and then follow any guidelines they provide regarding excavation.

Step 3: Dig holes, plumb posts

Once the utilities were marked, I carefully placed the fence posts where I wanted them and spray painted their locations on the ground.

In general, wood fence posts should be no more than 8 feet apart, both to prevent falling and to take advantage of common-length lumber. For me, the distances between the posts depended on how wide I wanted my door, which was 36 inches.

I first dug the holes for my end posts and then used recycled 2x4 lumber to temporarily anchor them in the perfect plumb position. This was done with stakes and screws, as shown in the photos.

Step 4: Concrete

I mixed and added concrete to the post holes. After a few days, I removed the 2x4 supports.

Step 5: A little trick

I took advantage of the short length of this fence to help keep all posts perfectly in line.

With the two end posts in place, I screwed a 10-foot board across the span and used this to position the inside posts and mark their precise locations.

Holes were dug for the interior posts, and then the posts were probed and anchored in position with brackets. Concrete was added to these holes.

Step 6: Cross Pieces

With the posts cemented in position, I removed the brackets and trimmed the post caps so they were level with each other.

Added cross pieces with exterior grade screws.

Step 7: The door

The following steps show how I built and installed the sturdy little door.

Step 8: Build the door

The door was created by first creating an external frame of 2x4s that are screwed together with exterior screws installed through pre-drilled and countersunk holes.

Next, a diagonal cross brace was added. This will keep the door square and prevent sagging. Diagonal cross braces like this should always angle down to the bottom hinge. See notes on photos for more details.

My door ended up with a slight warp, so a second reinforcement was added to counteract the warp. This second one was installed with a little pressure in the opposite direction of the warp, which made everything nice and flat (see photo notes).

Step 9: Assemble the door

A few extra boards were added to the gate and fence posts as needed to support the hinges I was using.

The door was moved into position and secured in place with a few paint stirrers acting as temporary shims to provide a small dead spot on the hinge side.

Due to the natural movement of the wood and to help the door always close completely without binding, it is good to leave a small gap on the hinge side instead of installing the hinges with the door and placing them squashed together.

With the gate in position, I was ready to start adding fence slats on which I will install the hinges and other hardware later.

Step 10: Add Fence Slats

This is where building a fence gets exciting. All the hard work is mostly done!

I tied a string across the top of the fence to indicate where I wanted the top of the slats to be. Some fences follow the terrain, while others are created with level caps; It's just what you need and want.

The slats were individually cut as needed and installed with exterior grade deck screws.

Step 11: Add Hinges

The hinges were added at this point. These are just the basic hinges that come with lag screws for installation.

The hinges were carefully positioned as desired and the screw locations were marked and pre-drilled. The screws were installed with a socket wrench.

Step 12: Check and Adjust Clearance

Now is a good time to check the swing distance of the door. Mine opened up, but it was a tight fit and tied up a little.

I used a belt sander to remove just enough material from the hatch frame to allow for proper clearance. This can be checked and reasonably adjusted before you actually install the door, but I knew it was going to be a close call, so I just waited until it was fastened.

Step 13: Install the closing equipment

This step depends a lot on the type of locking system you are using.

Some additional support boards had to be added and required many holes to drill with spade bits and careful routing. After a little adjustment, it had a handle and latch in place and worked properly.

Step 14: Continue adding more Slats

The remaining slats were added to complete the side sections, and the fence was made.

I used cedar shakes and do not plan to finish them in any way. I live in a fairly dry climate, so wooden fences like this turn gray within a few years, and then last until they are considered too ugly and someone tears them down.

At that point, they call the wood "barn wood" and sell it for 3 times what it initially cost. Thanks for watching!

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