How to Build a Dog Gate

By: Jennifer Stimpson, This Old House magazine

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. Oak 1x2 Get at least eight 6-footers—enough to make legs, crosspieces, spindles, stiles, rails, and feet for the two-section gate shown

2. ½-inch oak veneer plywood Get enough to make two 12-by-22½-inch panels

3. Oak panel molding Get at least two 6-foot pieces to trim the panels

4. 1½-inch finish screws to assemble the legs, crosspieces, and spindles

5. 1½-inch pin nails to attach the panel, rails, and stiles to the crosspieces and legs

6. 1-inch pin nails to attach the trim to the panels

7. ¼-20 40 mm threaded insert nuts Get four, or enough to insert one into the bottom of each leg

8. ¼-20 40 mm hex-head joint connector bolt Get four, or enough to attach one foot to each leg

9. 1½-by-¾-inch butt hinges Get three per pair of gates

10. Medium-grit and fine-grit sandpaper

11. Stainable wood glue

12. Stainable wood filler

13. Finish of your choice (could be tung oil; sanding sealer with stain and shellac and acrylic clear-coat; or primer and paint)

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Miter saw
- Circular saw
  to cut the plywood panel
- Combination square
- 24- to 36-inch bar clamp
- Pneumatic pin nailer
- Drill/driver
  fitted with an 11/32-inch drill bit, a 3/32-inch drill bit, and a 1-inch paddle bit for installing the gate's feet
- 1-inch paintbrush to apply glue
- Allen key or wrench
  sized to the insert nut and hex-head bolt for attaching the feet
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hands attaching hinges to connect the sections of the a dog gate

Photo: Laura Moss

Introduction
Overview
Steps:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13

12. Connect the Sections

Repeat steps 1 through 11 to create additional sections of your gate as needed.

Attach the sections to each other by screwing three 1½-by-¾-inch butt hinges to their back sides, at the top, center, and bottom. (You could mortise in the hinges, but it's not required.)

Once all sections are complete, fill nail holes with wood filler and sand the assembly with a fine-grit paper. You have several finish options: If you want to let the wood grain show through, simply apply a coat of tung oil with a rag. If you prefer a stained finish, give the gate a coat of sanding sealer to even out the wood's tone, then apply a water-based stain and seal it with shellac or an acrylic clear-coat. Or prime and paint the gate with a latex-based product.