How to make a 6ft high Fence Gate

Making the gate

I cut two rails to a length 20mm (3/4″) less than the gap between the two gate posts.

For example:
The distance between the two gate posts was 920mm (36 3/4″) so I cut the rails 900mm (36″) long.

I then placed the two rails on the ground – spaced apart as shown in fig.7 – and lay two gate boards on top of them, one each side.

Next I positioned the rails so that the top railThe top and bottom frame member of a door or window (not the jamb). Cross member of panel doors or of a sash. Also the upper and lower member of a balustrade or staircase extending from one vertical support, such as a post, to another. The horizontal member of a fence. was 150mm (6″) down from the top of the gate boards and the bottom rail was 225mm (9″) up from the bottom of the two gate boards.

I ensured that everything was square and then I nailed the two gate boards to the rails.

I used two 60mm (2 1/2″) flat-head galvanizedCovered with a protective coating of zinc. nails at each meeting.

Next the intermediate boards were put in place and nailed home.

The final (middle) boardA piece of sawn, or dressed lumber of greater width than thickness. Usually 19mm (3/4") to 38mm (1 1/2") thick and 75mm (3") or more wide. had to be ripped down a little to make it fit.

The gate was then turned over and the braceTo make rigid. was marked, cut and fixed in place.

While the gate was on the ground I also screwed the hinges to the rails.

I used 75mm x 50mm (2×3) stock for the rails and 50mm x 25mm (1×2) for the brace simply because that was spare woodTimber, lumber. The hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees I happened to have lying around.
However, you could use other size stock such as 100mm x 50mm (2×4) or even 100mm x 25mm (1×4) for the rails and brace.