Build a 12 ft gate that will not SAG!

[@debbarton5090]

THIS WORKED GREAT!! I used this to build gates 8 feet tall by 16.5 feet wide so each gate is 8x8 feet and weighs approx 250 each a 4 year old could open thse gates. I replaced the orignal gate that looked beautiful but was falling apart and you can get a dado at Home depot for about 50.. Thanks so much

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Deb Barton. I'm sorry to be getting back to you so late. My father has been ill and he passed away several days ago. I just wanted to thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. God Bless Paul

[@richardburr3430]

Paul, I am a retired high school teacher, and I am totally impressed with your engaging demeanor... you are a natural born teacher (and you are hearing that from a pro). Above and beyond that, you know what you are talking about. This technique for making a solid gate frame is one I never thought of or heard about, but I can see the common sense behind it, and I am duplicating it now. Interestingly, in order to do so, I had to go out and buy dado blades (which I never used before, then a new table saw (the old one could not use them), and I made my first ever lap joints today, which are absolutely square, and I am happy as a clam. Also went out and bought a Kreg screw pilot set, like the one you showed, and I am anxious to use it it as well. In any event, I just wanted to say thank you for your excellent guidance and instructions. Looking forward to learning much more from you.

[@bockersjv]

Great video. Just built my own 6ft by 7ft gates by following your video. They look fantastic and no sagging at all. Thank you.

[@adolpheddie]

People like you make youtube great. All your joints are rock solid. I am using all metal poles, so there should be a stronger foundation. Video was concise, and to the point without the watcher, losing interest. That is the most sanitary construction, of a non-commercial gate, that I have ever seen. Thank you Sir, for taking time to post.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Adolph, Viewers like you really makes it easy to do these videos. I just want to thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! Have a good day! Paul

[@2manycatsforadime]

chop sticks make great hole fillers as well. Some are bamboo which is fiberous and provide a really tight grab.

[@GregEvans824]

I appreciate the time you put into this video. I am undertaking the fence this weekend with the my lovely wife sure to recall the precision of my Father in Law, may he rest in peace.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Greg, I'm so sorry that I didn't respond earlier. I have been very busy and I sometimes get behind on my responses. I just wanted to thank you for your comment. Very sorry to hear of your Father in Law! Have a good day . Paul

[@marklam5013]

your teaching is professional and your heart is heavenal

[@bob_frazier]

I built a beautiful 12' gate like yours 20 years ago and then had a belly-dump of topsoil delivered. He backed over it. Since I hid the screws I needed to disassemble more than I would have wanted to. Then he pulled out and poked a hole in the neighbor's house. Then the big shovel loader tore my electricity down. Ah, those were the days best forgotten!

[@ArmycAv2nd]

Wish I would have seen this before attempting to build my gate. It lasted about a year...Started off looking like beauty but now looks like the beast. Will tackle it this weekend with many of your ideas and expertise. Great Video.

[@rightytighty3031]

Thanks a million Paul; due to the recent storms we had that destroyed most of my fencing, I just happen to have to build a new gate and inadvertently ran across this video. Perfect timing! Thank you for being a great person and willing to share your knowledge. Much appreciated.. Paul Burke OK

[@Road_to_Tolaria]

second video of yours I watched tonight Paul. I'm in the trades and I want to say that you are a very natural teacher. congrats on your channel

[@robocop2asap]

Great job great hints this will be my next job in my new home keep these vids coming hope your son is watching and learning for his future my dad did the same for me dads gone now but you never forget.

[@dbail3452]

I've seen one other "source" of sagging on larger gates. The post on which the hinges are mounted can lean toward the gate over time. The weight of the gate deforms the post over time. The taller/thinner the post and the heavier the gate the worse the condition. Not a problem if you add a good brace the gate supporting post.

[@tranquillitylandscaping3001]

One of the things I do prior to fitting the cladding onto a frame is pre load the end of the gate with a small bag of sand or hang a weight down on some string to simulate the gates weight once the cladding is on, if you overload the pre weight it will be fine as gravity will be pulling on it constantly once it's finished, I generally pre weight on gates over 3ft

[@paulstoolbox]

That is great information, you just taught me something new. This is why I love KZbin! Thanks! Paul

[@goodfellaray]

I saw your video and used this very same method to build two gates for my brothers home so that he can park his toy hauler in his back yard. the gates were 5' 10" x 5' 6". just finished the job today and they look and swing open beautifully. thank you for the video! I'll definitely be using this method in the future.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Ray, I'm sorry to be getting back to you so late. My father passed away several days ago and I have been a little overwhelmed. I'm so glad it worked for you and I really appreciate you sending me this message. You made my day a little better. Thanks! Paul

[@jodyp333]

My Amazon cart just got a bit bigger, thanks for the video and the tool suggestions--not to mention golf tees.. If I had only learned this lap joint technique a couple of years ago I wouldn't have a sagging gate to rebuild.

[@Beachnative42]

This Guy needs a TV show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@sammyk3152]

that s what I've been doing all day today. using your methods and techniques to build my gate. the old one is junk and sagging.... time for new one. I wish I can post pic so i can show you how you helped me out a lot. thank you brother. Sammy

[@DiHandley]

Some really solid advice there for sure. You can't find this stuff in books. Thanks for all the great tips.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi David, I really appreciate you taking the time to watch my video and for your comment! Have a good day my friend! Paul

[@thomasflynn5366]

Nice video. I liked that you put the diagonal in the right direction. Most people do it backwards. You might want to explain that type of thing so people will understand the reason that you were right.

[@graemecooper3653]

Great teaching skills, easy to follow and understand. I think there is some skill involved in fitting the hinges so I hope you can share the techniques with us. Thanks again :)

[@tossedsaladandscrambledegg8576]

I used this method for three 6 ft wide gates. Works perfectly!

[@paulstoolbox]

Awesome my friend! I want to start a blog that will allow Do It Yourselfers like you to upload your pics when you do your own projects. Thank you for the information, I really appreciate it. Paul

[@edinstruction2011]

Thanks Paul...very easy to understand...lots of good ideas....inspired by your abundance of energy

[@paulstoolbox]

Hey Edward, i'ts viewers like you that inspire me. Thanks for taking the time to comment! Paul

[@iamGomer]

Robertson bit/screw = square bit/screw aka #2 or red robbie... Sorry Philips your light is so dim now Nice Golf tip and swing. Sweet looking fence

[@naybobdenod]

Hi Paul. This is a great and very subtle video, incorporating carpentry skills and advertising.Really good.

[@BeeeHonest]

I don't have a house and I don't have many tools, but love watching your channel, learn a lot!

[@Ranger42]

Without a doubt, the best "how to" gate building video on KZbin. Thank you!

[@dinnamagno321]

great video! you definitely make it look easy!! For my gate we need doors at the driveway which is wide enough to accommodate two vehicles. my question is: is there a maximum width that these doors can be? if I recall correctly I think the overall width is 30'. the doors won't be any taller than the existing picket fence , if the height even makes a difference. thanks for sharing your expertise!!

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Dinna, If i were you I would look for a local welder and have your frames made of square tubing. You will also need wheels on a gate that large. Sorry! Paul

[@johnbrand2283]

Liked the way you covered your mistake. Golf tees are excellent for a simple fix. Thanks for sharing.

[@SkillBuilder]

Thanks for a great video well explained. If you have problems with your sinuses you might want to check out a better mask such as the JSP Force 8. I used those paper ones for years and then found out the are only 50% effective at best. Too late for me I am wheezing like a fair ground organ these days but you are still a young fella.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Roger, I saw that mask on your channel, by the way it is a great channel! I have an MSA mask that I use for bad chemicals , but the JSP Force 8 looks good. Thanks! Paul

[@davidd8435]

This video will come in handy because my son has two gates that are sagging and I can use this technique to rebuild them. Thanks

[@Bobg425]

NIce vid and plenty of tips,why didnt you cut the brace into both sides of the corner as with a barn door brace?Much stronger. Why its used on very large doors.

[@toddt10]

Great video. Planning on making a double 6 foot hate this weekend. I was going to use pocket holes for the entire thing but maybe now I'll try the lap joints. I don't have a dado blade so might take a while but seems worth it. Thanks for sharing. I'm going with horizontal boards for a more modern look but I think your frame design would still work.

[@paulstoolbox]

+Todd Thomassen Hey Todd, I show how to easily make these lap joints without a table saw. If you go to the top right corner of the video, click on the white circle and the video card will take you to that video. A thought about it and I made another video showing how I do it when I am in the field. I will also add the link in the description box. If you have any questions, please let me know. GOOD LUCK! Paul kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipzGamyAf9yNmac kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipzGamyAf9yNmac

[@toddt10]

Thanks I saw that post after I wrote my initial comment. Made one last night and making the other one tonight. My lap joints got better the more I did.

[@paulstoolbox]

Todd Thomassen You probably do them better than I do! Thanks Todd!

[@delorber]

Man I love the way Paul says strength.

[@cabinetguy30]

love the way you free hand those half laps lol ole skool all the way

[@KAMdesign87]

Awesome video. I have to rebuild my gate to my back yard and will be using these techniques to do it. Thanks Paul

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Kade, I'm sorry to be getting back to you so late. My father passed away several days ago and I have been a little overwhelmed. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and I love hearing news like this. Thanks! Paul

[@KAMdesign87]

+Paul Ricalde (Paulstoolbox) so sorry for your loss Paul. Your videos are a great help to me as a new homeowner. Im pretty decent with carpentry but your techniques help tremendously. Thanks again.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Kade, You could probably teach me a few things as well. Thank you for your comment my friend! Paul

[@michaelwong8140]

HI Paul, thank you! I have learned & understood about 5+ things from this video. The next fences & gates I build will be better (knowing what I now know). Thank you again ~ Michael

[@paulstoolbox]

I'm really glad to hear that Michael and I appreciate you taking the time to comment! Thank you! Paul

[@gstyle1966]

Good info, I'm currently having sagging problems with my gate, where it would sag at the front and drag on the ground.

[@paulstoolbox]

+gstyle1966 I know exactly what you are talking about. How wide is your gate?

[@gstyle1966]

+Paul Ricalde (Paulstoolbox) Hey Paul, it's an 5 ft gate.

[@jeffstanley4593]

Paul, I have previously contacted you via this site. I went over and beyond your advice but........................... though my gate does not sag it does warp. It is NOT your fault as it is the nature of the beast but what a let down. Rock solid foundation and a warped mind. LOL I have this problem no matter what I am building. I bought a single piece of nominally 1 x 6 pine at Lowes and brought it home. Would you believe that ripping it without a riving knife caused my table saw to bind? This was because the board warped. I know the riving knife or lack there of did not cause the warp but it did cause the bind.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Jeff, I'm really sorry to hear that buddy. I saw your other reply about using treated wood. I always use cedar timber for my frame because treated wood is much heavier and pine warps easily. I should have mentioned that I use cedar and I am sorry that I did not explain it better, I will add it in a note on the video and in the description box. Did you screw your fence boards or nail them? If you screwed them on, you can easily remove the boards and make a cedar frame.

[@jeffreykincaid6810]

Really Great so nice that you showed how to fix things that didn't go perfect at first!

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Jeffrey, I really appreciate your comment. I have made a lot of mistakes in the past and I'm sure I will make plenty more. The key is learning from them and not repeating the same mistake. LOL! Have a good day! Paul

[@OBXN]

Nicely described as you go along. Little tips like the golf Tee thing are very helpful. Would you consider doing a video or two focused on all kinds of tips you've found to be useful?

[@MariaMorales-kr1ps]

I like the way you show us the technique of how you cut and assembled. I am building a small gate for my project and your video helps me how I will start. Thank you.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Maria, Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! Paul

[@dddddmorgan]

Paul, love your videos! Great quality and I pick up great tips. The only thing I would add is that I don't like making the lap joints on the little table saw the way you do. You have that great sliding miter saw sitting there and they make wonderful lap joints, safely and easily. I do it all the time. Keep up the great work bro!

[@Bigwingrider1800]

I'M SURPRISED YOU ONLY HAVE 48 THOUSAND SCRIBERS. NICE JOB. GREAT VID..

[@jeffstanley4593]

I just finished a double gate and used the half lap joints in its construction. As is typical with my work, one gate was 61" wide and the other was 60 1/2". Also the corner to corner was 73" on one and 72 1/2 on the other. I also misaligned the hinges or something so that one gate was about 3/8 inches lower than the other where they met in the middle. However, I managed to install some "filler" to correct the low side. It had a top installed so that from the front the mistake is invisible. From the back, only a really sharp eye would see it. The out of square over the span of six feet is also invisible. I installed two diagonal braces and used a LOT of glue on the joints. I expect it to last for at least as long as the original it replaced, 10 years. Interestingly enough, my job is far superior to the original. What killed the original was not poor construction but the wood warped so badly as to make the gate not only an eyesore but impossible to open. It was a suck design having no diagonal bracing and no joinery at all. The four sides were not joined in any way. I had long ago tied in the diagonal corners with cable and turnbuckles to gain some more use from the gates. Without proper construction the gate collapsed in the middle, you know what I mean. You showed me the way to make a great gate, thank you.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Jeff, It looks like you did what you set out to do. It sounds to me like you did a better job than many fence companies! Your mistakes are minor and no one will notice unless you point them out. Thank you for your support and have a good day! Paul

[@ffrob2001]

Thank you very much for your videos, they are Great. I have a few questions if you could please help me. What hinges did you use and does it matter? What latches do you use for the double gates? Did you put anything in the ground to hold the hole to keep one gate stable? Can you please post your video on boxing out the posts? Thanks again Paul

[@trishroberts2992]

Rebuilding a sagging 10ft span double gate as we speak. It lasted 12 yrs but is do for a make over I look forward to the lap joint method for these new gates any recommendations on hinges?? 2 or 3 per side. Some of my sag issue appears to be in the hinges as well. Thanks. Awesome video! Love the way you you break it down and show the technique. Thanks again

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Robinhood Roberts, An extra set of hinges never hurts. I used 3 hinges on my tall gate and 2 on my standard height one. 2 hinges may work but 3 is even better. You can also replace your original lag bolts that are usually 1 1/2 inches long with 3" lag bolts. Just be sure to pre drill the holes 1st. Remember to block the back of the posts with 2x4's like I showed at the end of the video. This also helps to ensure a strong gate. I want to thank you for taking the time to comment! Paul

[@greenj1m]

Golf tee! Top tip! Thanks, great vid.

[@paulstoolbox]

Thank you Jim!

[@billl605]

flash back to tim the toolman taylor

[@depops4079]

Paul,really enjoyed learning and your tips on working with wood, tools etc. are extremely helpful to a novice carpenter like me...Thanks A Million. ..Nde...

[@messenger8279]

The cross brace should be notched into the top horizontal rail. That way when the gate is under load the joints are forced together. The way it is made now if you load that gate the vertical meeting rails will be forced off under load. It will last but only as long as the glue and screws. Its old traditional joinery that's long been forgotten. Its also my trade as a Joiner for 30 years.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hey Colin, I see your point and I have notched my cross braces in the past. I agree that lap joints are better but exterior glue has really improved over the years and I wanted to keep this as easy as possible. Most of my viewers are DIYers and I did not want to intimidate those who are not as experienced as you. I have made quite a few of these gates, they are several years old and they have not sagged yet. I really appreciate your input, it is always good to hear constructive feedback. Thanks! Paul

[@messenger8279]

Its an easy fix. You can move the brace to the horizontal rails on your next set of gates. Notch them in so they cant shift side ways. All good. Thanks for the reply.

[@paulstoolbox]

Thank you Colin!

[@erkd83ify]

You can definitely tell that you have years of experience. Your boy is lucky to have you as a father, you got every tool known to carpentry at his fingertips lol.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Jalisco,I'm the lucky one., my boys still like to hang out with me! Thanks for your comment!Paul

[@armindo54]

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing your expertise in such a down to earth, and more importantly, understandable manner.

[@paulstoolbox]

Thank you Armindo, I really appreciate you taking the time to comment!Have a good day!Paul

[@cmassey1999]

Great idea with the golf tees. Thanks for sharing.

[@troycummings5083]

Thanks for taking time to do this video.

[@mcpoulet13]

Paul. You sir are a wizard. Great tips.

[@Nightl3lade]

omg golf tee genius, never thought of that.

[@paulstoolbox]

+Mark Peterson Thanks Mark!

[@tonylowe3539]

+Paul Ricalde (Paulstoolbox) I agree - the golf tee is genius!

[@paulstoolbox]

Believe me Lord Bartlett, there is nothing genius about me. Thanks for the encouragement and have a good day! Paul

[@catlaw1997]

Right? Brilliant! :-)

[@lostintime8651]

chop sticks work great too. and they are free with any chinese food purchase.

[@ricovaldezsr]

thank you sir..... I made my first professional type fence and almost as good as yours. again.... thank you....

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Rico Your gate is probably just as good as mine if not better. Thank you for taking the time to comment and have a good day! Paul

[@turkeytrac1]

good tips, fyi, the driver bit you used is called a robertson bit.

[@bettyalcocer847]

Golf tee . I like that trick

[@sandrahall9030]

Your gate is awesome. I am wondering about your hinges. Do you have a particular hinge recommendation? I'm inexperienced but I want to get parts so my son can build my gate, he's a carpenter. I'm sure he would love your channel, your teaching is great. Thanks!

[@jamesdunne8748]

Nice stuff Paul. As David said your don't find that stuff in the books. You've got yourself a new subscriber.

[@badlandskid]

Ya gotta love the Kreg jig.

[@BobGuest]

in my opinion the cross brace is less effective since it's at an angle less than 45 degrees and does not support directly the top and bottom 2x4's

[@jav9888]

Hey Paul, can you upload a vid on that Fence it looks great !!

[@Quigsworth1]

+1 if only for the golf tee idea, way better than trying to beat dowel in there. -1 for even thinking of relying on a string level, are you really going to trust something 2" long over a 12' span?

[@debradurling317]

shame you cant come to england and do some gates for me . nice presentations

[@leomsts882]

The golf teeGenius .....thanks for the video

[@andrewbutler210]

great video and your making it really easy to understand, a few things, first is what is the name of the tool you use to do the screws. I build 8 ft by 4 ft gates but the wood has twisted now, is there any way to sort this out? any advice?

[@MoY206]

Golf tees? Brilliant.

[@paulstoolbox]

Good morning Moninn, thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! Have a good day! Paul

[@lloydr.6271]

Just found you. Presume I can use this method on the new doors for our barn restoration but I need to secure the hinges to keep the bad guys out.

[@rdougjenson]

Lloyd R.

[@psient]

HI paul: Journeyman union programs at the apprentice level did not instruct production building with a table saw. The necessitation of using one is confusing to me. I imagine it is a standard tool in your kit. However, could you please show how you can build the same gate without one, as portable tools become necessary in production housing, especially low-income housing; the most needed-kind. Like your video so don't consider this anything but constructive criticism (no pun intended).

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi, I appreciate your comment, I used basic tools for years because I couldn't afford the tools that I use now. This is why I added another video that shows how to make pocket holes and lap joints with basic tools. Here is link to the video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipzGamyAf9yNmac Thank you for taking the time to comment me! Paul

[@MGra29]

ready to do my 10ft gate this sat. thanks nice tips

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Miguel, That's cool, let me know if you have any questions. Thanks! Paul

[@GoofieNewfie69]

Tight bond, I use marine epoxy.

[@VladMalik]

Fantastic video. Thanks for all the details.

[@paulstoolbox]

Thank you Vlad, It is good to hear from you! Have a good day! Paul

[@sammyk3152]

quick question for you brother, the diagonal support beam, some videos have it to attach to the top beam and the bottom beam, where the one you built going from the side beam to the side beam (frame) which one is the right way any help is appreciated. thank you

[@artanddesign8561]

NICE!!! I'm doing this in the spring, thanks

[@josebaca4169]

Very good quality work!!!

[@respondtomehere]

Are the 4x4 pressure treated posts heavy duty enough? Do you worry about putting wet PT in and it bending when it dries out? Also, how deep have you buried them and are they concreted in? Thanks.

[@weedium]

Good stuff. I really like the golf tee tip. Thanks!!

[@absnaqvi]

Good detailed instructions. Looking through your videos to get some ideas for my new home. Thanks Paul!

[@paulstoolbox]

+Abbas Naqvi Thanks Abbas! If you have any questions, let me know. I will do my best to help. Have a good day! Paul

[@dantyler1558]

Man, really nice video!!! Very fun to find something like this in the middle of a LOT of crap on the web. Great job... So many great tips, you could charge admission for your vids!

[@rickgebhardt3382]

You are brilliant! Thanks for the help and ideas.

[@sammyk3152]

by the way, at the end you said you going to box the inside. what do you mean by that? any help is appreciated .... thank you Sammy

[@totallyjonesin]

Look at the posts behind him at 1:22

[@thefireman285]

+Sam Ky He is going to put boards over the posts for a larger decorative look. Like making a long tall "box" that surrounds the 4x4 posts. Look at the posts in the beginning of the video. Those posts are "boxed" for the decorative look. Hope this helps explain what he meant.

[@gblan]

Look at the very beginning of the video, when he was on the other side of the house. You will see how he finished out the posts and the top of the fence. That's what he's referring to.

[@jimdavidson5208]

Should use a small brush to spread the glue. Those wood vertical 4x4's will sag and lean over time. Your gate will follow. Should of used a 1/4" thick steel 4x4 with concrete inside. Plain old square steel tubing. Build a gate ONCE.

[@respondtomehere]

Thoughts on 6x6 PT posts?

[@arfurfoxhaike]

Excellent tutorial, Thank you for posting.

[@paulstoolbox]

Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to comment! Paul

[@gino33colo]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟one of the best videos on youtube

[@mkushin]

Thanks for all the good videos man! Enjoying sifting through your feed.

[@sajidullah]

Very good gate indeed.

[@amerhaddad2016]

good explanations and good tradesmen

[@Paul-tz8jf]

Thanks Paul, I'll have a go doing some gates for my driveway after watching this video.

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi Paul, I hope it goes well for you. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for commenting!

[@JuanDiaz-wz8vo]

Excellent video you are the man , thank you so much for sharing your video easy, strong and smart way of building a gate,

[@eddiemcvicker8270]

Hey Paul, Thanks for all the great info. Got a Q for you. I am just starting to use the Kreg system. Are the blue screws for outdoors and treated lumber? I don't think the screws are SS because they can be picked up with a magnet. Thanks again.

[@tirlochansinghpanesar5589]

Very nice mr. paul 👍

[@7ceasers]

Hello Paul, I want to build a gate made of pressure treated lumber. It seems that the lumber always has a high percentage of moisture in it. Will exterior wood glue adhere to the wood? Thanks , I really enjoy your videos.

[@paulstoolbox]

+7ceasers Yes it will work, but you should let the wood dry for a few days before building your gate. It will also lighten up the wood and allow the screws to bite better. Thanks! Paul

[@jerryzigler3488]

great demo for all us to learn, very cool thank u

[@wangbungal]

no offense to Tim of ask the builder this guy is my new hero, love your tools, any tips how to add a person gate on a 6 foot span gate?

[@paulstoolbox]

Hi wangbungal, I really appreciate your comment and I'm sure Tim has a lot of useful information that is not covered on my channel, he is a knowledgeable and nice guy. Now for your question, are you looking to add a single 6' gate or a standard 3' opening on a 6' span of fence? I will do my best to help as soon as I get your reply. Thanks again for watching! Paul

[@wangbungal]

I was thinking of a 6 foot swing gate for large material to pass and embedded is a 3 foot person gate wthinin that 6 foot span swing gate, so you dont need to open the swing gate fully if you just want to pass sorry if i confuse you on that, thank you

[@paulstoolbox]

You can build 2 gate frames approximately 3' each. You will have to remove the center post. If your opening is exactly 6', you should make the frames 2' 11 1/4" wide each. This will give you 1 1/2" for clearance of the hinges and center latch. You can fine tune the gaps with your fence boards. If you only need the 6' opening when passing large items in, this will work fine. I recommend using cedar 2x4's for the frame because they are usually straighter, lighter and they are less likely to warp than treated lumber. The lighter the gate the better. If you have any questions, let me know. Thanks! Paul

[@icawn]

i have a similar fence that sagged at the gate, but the problem wasn't the gate itself. it was the posts concreted in the ground which couldn't handle the weight. they slowly tilted inward towards eachother over time. i tried refabbing the fence a few times to make it lighter, but it was too late. i have yet to replace the posts, because other areas of the fence are falling over. it all has to be redone. frustrating.

[@paulstoolbox]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that Icawn! You will probably have to pull those posts out and either move them or dig your holes deeper. The concrete around your existing posts will leave a wide hole that will cause the new posts to loosen up if you do not go deeper. Make sure that you use an auger or a post hole shovel when making these holes. You want your holes to be a little wider than the posts, just enough to get concrete completely around the posts. Good luck! Paul

[@terryyouth]

And also - golf tees will not help here :)

[@MrMello001]

great video Paul

[@paulstoolbox]

+MrMello001 Hi MrMello001, Thank you for your comment! Paaul

[@rjsenn4142]

Nice video Paul !- Any link or descriptions on the hardware you used? Thanks, Rod