Arched Fence Gate & Trellis
I thought that adding a fenced gate and trellis to our yard would be a great addition for multiple reasons. The only fenced in part of our yard is on the side of house, and it did not have a working gate on it, so I obviously wanted to fix that problem of not having a working gate. I also wanted a gate so my dog could stay inside without getting out. Since I decided replacing the gate was necessary for our family, I then had to think of the appearance and how to beautify it. Mostly, I wanted to make it look like a secret garden gate. I love this fenced gate and trellis project and how it transformed this section of the yard! In this post, I will show you step-by-step how I did this. I am loving getting to all of these outdoor areas in our yard!
Supplies
Step 1
The first step was to take out some of the side fence. In my opinion, I thought more room was needed ignorer to fit everything better than before. I kept the corner post, because I am going to use it for the new fence.
Step 2
I wanted a more natural look for the entrance. So I am getting rid of the concrete. It took a while. I used a sledge hammer to get most of the concrete up. Then I also used a pry bar to help get pieces up as well.
Step 3
Next was removing concrete. I got all of the concrete out that I needed except the part I need to cut. All the concrete I removed was hauled to the dump. I had to pump myself up to lift all that concrete up! This was not the fun part. DIY can be related to life. We all have to go through non-fun things to get to the good parts in life. You got this!
Step 4
This was the first time I cut concrete! I cut it with the skill saw with a diamond blade. I just did it little bits at a time. It took a while but it was worth it.
Step 5
This step is going to be different for everyone depending on where you need posts and how big you want your trellis and gate. However, I put in four 4X4 posts, two for the gate and two about 2 feet behind them for the trellis. I dug the holes for them and then mixed the concrete directly in the hole with the post. Make sure you level all sides of the post so it is straight. I used Douglas fur wood. I will be weather-proofing it all once it is built.
Step 6
The older corner post was not the strongest, however, once I attach it to the sturdy post it will be just fine. I cut three 2X4s to fit in between the old post and the new gate post. One for the bottom, one for the middle and one for the top. Make sure you use a level to make the 2X4s straight. The posts were off centered, so I used brackets to attach the 2X4 to the older post and then I cut the 2X4 end at an angle so I could screw the 2X4 right into the new post.
Step 7
Then I added dog ear panels to the front of those 2X4s. I just screwed them in using a drill. I am going to add new panels to the whole fence, however, one step at a time.
Step 8
Next, I put dirt down to level the ground off a little bit. Then I put sand on top to really level it off.
Step 9
After the dirt, I then played the paver stones. The paver stones are from Lowe’s and I leveled them off in the sand. It started to come together and my little boy wanted to help. I love when they help!
Step 10
There are many different ways and designs to make a trellis. I measured from post to post and decided to cut a 2X4 to the length I needed. Then I cut a decorative trim (just two small cuts) on the ends. After that, I put it up to the two front posts. It’s always easier to screw in your screws a little bit before you are up on the ladder trying to do it one handed. I repeated this on both sides of the post and then repeated this on the back posts (two for the front posts and two for the back).
Step 11
Next, I measured from the back of the trellis to the front and added some inches to both sides. 2X4s were cut to that length and added a decorative cut to the ends. I added 6 pieces to the stop, laying them down. I had to saw the top of some of the posts as well, just to make them even.
Step 12
To make the gate, I measured the length, minus some for the hardware. I took three 2X4s at that length, laid them down equally apart to a height I needed and then drilled dog ear panels to the front of them. Then I decided to cut the gate into an arch. A jigsaw can be used to do this. Then I used Everbilt Black Decorative Gate Hinge and Latch Set for the hardware.
Step 13
We had a little area that we needed to put some fence up from the outside of our house to the gate post. It wasn’t long enough where we needed another post, so we just cut three 2X4s to the length we needed to touch our house. Then I added dog ear fence panels to the front of them. We had to cut the 2X4s at an angle so they would screw into the post straight. We used concrete anchors to drill the 2X4s into the side of the house.
Step 14
The last step is to stain and/or weatherproof you fence! I used BEHR premium clear transparent weatherproofing exterior wood finish. I am so happy with how it turned out. You guys can do this!
Here are the results of the Fenced Gate and Trellis. I hope you enjoyed following along with me as I worked on this project. If you liked it, go ahead and save this project to your Pinterest board!!
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Wow!! You are so inspiring! I’ve always wanted to overcome my fear of electric saws and be able to build things! Looks amazing!!
Thank you Chelley! You totally can overcome your fear! Remember, you can make your perfect! Sometimes it takes time to learn, fix your mistakes, but enjoy the process! You got this!