- 1). Measure the gate entrance, and with a hand saw, cut two pieces of 2-by-4 rail material about 1/2-inch shorter than this measurement.
- 2). Lay these two pieces parallel on a flat surface, either flat on their 4-inch sides or on their edges, matching the orientation of the rails on the fence. Space them the same distance as the rails on the fence.
- 3). Set a picket on these gate rails so that the top will be at the same height as the tops of the fence pickets when you hang the gate. Use a combination square to make sure that the picket and the rails are perpendicular, and then screw the picket to both rails with 1 1/2-inch screws. Set another picket at the other end of the rails, and, making sure it is perpendicular, screw it to the rails.
- 4). Turn the gate over, and set another 2-by-4 on the rails so that it stretches diagonally from one top corner to the opposite bottom corner. This will be a brace. Use a pencil to mark the lines made by the inside edges of both rails on the brace, then remove it and cut along these lines with a hand saw. Replace the brace so that it fits diagonally inside the top and bottom rails, and secure it with screws.
- 5). Turn the gate back over and attach pickets at the same spacing as the pickets on the fence. You may have to adjust this spacing so that you can get a whole number of pickets on the gate and have the same spacing between all of them.
- 6). Screw the gate hinges onto the backs of the top and bottom rails. Support the gate on a block so that the hinge pins are tight against the gate post, and screw the hinges to the post. Note that with this orientation of the hinges, the gate will open toward the inside of the fence.
- 7). Attach the two pieces of the latch to the front of the gate and to the opposite gate post, according to the instructions that came with the latch.
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