If you're looking for ways to beautify your garden, why not start with this classically beautiful garden gate? Featuring fluted posts, dentil moldings, turned finials and an elegant eyebrow topped picket gate, this project can be built in 2-3 days for less than $275.

Built to last decades or even longer, our gate project is constructed from decay resistant materials. The two posts are made of ACQ pressure-treated 6x6s designed for use in the ground for 40 years or more. The posts are wrapped with western red cedar 1x8s, a wood that is beautiful and naturally very stable as well as decay and insect resistant. The picket gate is made of western red cedar 1 x 4s and everything is fastened together with rust resistant fasteners and hardware.

Spacing the 10 pickets 3/4-inches apart makes the gate a comfortable 41 3/4-inches wide — which is more than enough room to accommodate a wheelbarrow or walk behind mower. The cedar-clad posts are 42 1/2-in. apart, leaving a 3/4-in. clearance between gate and posts.

The first step in building the gate is to dig the two postholes at least 12" in diameter x 24-in. deep. Line the bottom of the holes with 2-in. of pea gravel. Then, set the posts in the holes leaving 41-in. exposed. Align the posts with each other, using a level to make sure they are perfectly vertical. Then brace the posts with wood stakes (Photo 1.) and fill the holes half full of water before pouring in dry ready-mix concrete. Add more water, then more dry concrete until the hole is full. (Figure two 40 lb. bags of concrete per hole.) After the concrete has hardened overnight, remove the braces.

Trim the Posts
To cover the posts, cut eight pieces of 1x8 cedar to 41-in. lengths. Rip four of the pieces 5 1/2-in. wide. Rip the other four pieces to 7-in. wide. To add character, we added five flutes to each of the 7-in. wide pieces using a router with a 5/8-in. diameter box core router bit set 3/8-in. deep. To do this, attach a fence to the router, then clamp the cedar piece on a workbench with stop blocks attached to the top and bottom of the board so the flutes begin and end 3 1/2 in. from each end.

Then, adjust the router edge guide so it's 3 1/2 in. from the center of the box-core bit. Route the middle flute moving the router from left to right. Slide the fence in toward the bit 1-in. and route the second flute. Without changing the fence, move to the other side of the board and route the third flute. Slide the fence another inch toward the bit, then route the fourth and fifth flutes. Repeat this procedure to all four boards, then fasten the cedar boards to the posts with galvanized finish nails, making sure the fluted pieces are nailed to the front and back.

The top of each post is trimmed with dentil molding, shingle molding, a beveled post cap and a turned finial. Fasten mitered dentil pieces to the posts first with galvanized finish nails (photo 3). Next, nail a 1 x 8-in square cedar filler piece to the top of the post, and nail mitered shingle molding to the edges of the filler piece.

Make the beveled post caps by using polyurethane glue between three,1x12x24-in. cedar boards and clamping the boards together overnight. When dry, cut the cedar into two 11-in. square blocks. The easiest way to bevel each cap is on a table saw set to 15 degrees. Route the bottom edge of each cap with a 1/2-in. diameter rounding over bit. Use galvanized nails to fasten the cap to the top of the post.

To attach the finials, bore a 1/4-in. diameter hole in the center of each cap and encircle it with a continuous bead of water-resistant glue, before screwing the finial to the cap (photo 4).

Build the Gate

To make the gate, begin by cutting ten 1x4-in. cedar pickets 41 1/2-in. tall. Place 3/4-in scraps of wood between the pieces to space the pickets, then use galvanized finish nails to nail the z-brace to the pickets (photo 5).

To form the graceful eyebrow curve at the top of the gate, start by drawing half of the shape on cardboard and trimming it out to form a pattern. Draw the pattern on the top left side of the gate, then flip it over to draw the pattern on the other side. Cut out the curve on the gate using a sabre saw.

Set and fill all nails with exterior grade wood filler, caulk the areas where the molding, caps, cedar cladding and finials attach, then stain or paint the gate and posts.

Hang the Gate

Stand the gate between the posts and use shims to hold it centered in the opening. Place blocks beneath to keep it at least 2 in. off the ground. With the ships and blocks holding the gate securely, screw the hinges to the post and gate (photo 4). After making sure the gate swings freely, install the latch, then nail a small cedar stop block to the inside of the post just below the latch to keep the gate from over swinging. Then stand back and admire your handywork.

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