Putting a gate at the top of your deck stairs is a simple safety solution.
How to build a wood gate for my deck.
One thing to note is the 4 x 41 pieces is assuming your entrance width is 41.
To build a wooden gate start by measuring your gate opening and cutting top bottom and side planks that are slightly smaller than the opening.
My deck gate width is 46.
Make a second measurement for the height of your gate while keeping in mind the bottom edge can t be more than 4 above the deck.
The gate should open onto the deck not onto the stairs.
Safety guidelines for deck gates.
If you want your gate to be invisible look just like part of the fence with hinges and latches on the inside make sure you precut a few inches off the bottom of your pickets or panel before you build the gate.
How to build gates for a wood deck checking in with chelsea features a new diy project how to build gates for a wood deck today s homeowner tv co host chelsea lipford wolf has two children who need protection from steep deck stairs.
It specifies a minimum height of 42 inches above the deck surface and that is the height you should make your gate.
Mark and cut the top of your gate to height.
The balusters must be spaced closely enough to prevent a 4 inch sphere from passing between them and the distance between the bottom of the gate and the decking should be no more than 4 inches when the gate is closed.
Before you start building consider safety.
So make sure you measure the width.
Collect measurements for the length of your gate taken from the opening at the top of the stairs and then subtract an inch to allow for gate hardware to be installed later.
Knowing how to build a deck gate is a beneficial skill for homeowners.
Then use deck screws to attach the top and bottom planks to the side planks making sure it s square.
This allows enough swing room at the bottom of the gate to deal with terrain challenges.