Gather Your Materials
Basic materials include wood boards, screws or brad nails, wood glue, a set of t-hinges, and a gate latch. Wood stain and shellac are optional if you want a more finished look. The size and number of wood boards depend on your space. Measure the opening needed for the baby gate. The space you leave for the gate is determined by the width and height of the gate, plus the direction the gate will swing open. Purchasing some extra boards for your wall mounts comes in handy—plus, you don’t have to stop and head back to the store if you cut too little or too much. While wood screws offer ample security, brad nails are a good choice when used in combination with wood glue. Brad nails are smaller than finishing nails and look nearly seamless when joining wood boards together.
Your main tools include a circular saw or miter saw and a power drill or nail gun. Other useful accessories include a framing square, tape measure, both medium and fine-grain sandpaper (or a sander), and a carpenter’s pencil. Use a foam brush or old rag if you plan to stain the wood.
Prepare the Wood
If using one pre-cut piece of wood, you can skip this step. You can still stain or seal the pre-cut wood, especially if it’s currently untreated.
The most common closed structure style is a barn door design. This includes vertical boards that sit directly next to each other, with a top and bottom layer of horizontal boards to line the outside.
Using your measurements, cut the top and bottom boards of the baby gate. These boards will run horizontally as a frame for the vertical boards. If you want to frame the baby gate on all 4 sides, cut two more pieces of wood. Then, cut whatever number of vertical boards you need for the gate itself. These boards will line up directly next to each other.
Line up the vertical boards in a row and fix them together. You can use brad nails and wood glue (or a drill and wood screws). Lay the 2 (or 4) framing boards over the vertical ones. Make sure to keep the boards straight and aligned as you drill so they don’t shift in the process—this is where a clamp, t-square, or level comes in handy.
Cut and attach 2 additional wood boards in an “x” shape for support. Use a t-square to measure and cut the boards before affixing them with brad nails and wood glue (or screws). The “x” support can go on either side of the door and also gives the baby gate a barn door look.
An open structure baby gate leaves space between wood boards. This design allows for a partial view through the gate. Think about the amount of space you'll need between the wood boards for babies who try to reach through the gate.
Measure the distance for the gate and cut the boards. Then, line them up vertically onto the top and bottom boards. You can also choose to use a spacer, which is a narrow piece of wood representing the exact space to be left between the slats.
Drill the boards together with wood screws or brad nails. The screws should be shorter than the depth of the boards combined. If using brad nails and wood glue, nail 4 on the top and 4 on the bottom of each slat.
Sand and stain your newly constructed baby gate. You can use a professional sanding tool or get a mini workout using medium, then fine, sandpaper. Use a foam brush to stain the wood and an old rag to blend it in completely. Once dry, you can follow up with a sealant to protect the wood.
Prepare the gate opening using wall mounts
Wall mounts simply refer to another wood board affixed to either side of the gate. They may be attached to doorway frames, a wall, or the banister of a staircase.. You can choose to pre-stain and shellac your wall mount boards before installing them at the baby gate location.
Attach the hinges to the wall mount on the non-opening side of the gate. Be sure to line them up and measure properly before drilling. The number of hinges you use depends on the height of your baby gate; a taller gate may require 3 hinges, whereas a medium-sized gate may only need 2.
Install the Baby Gate
Line up the hinges from the wall mount to the gate and drill them together. Then, install the lock onto the opening side of the gate and the opposite wall mount. The lock should go on the side of the gate where babies aren’t allowed and still be high enough so they can’t reach them.
Tips
Allow for ¾ inches of space on each side for the hinges and latch. If attaching framing boards to either side of the gate, measure this out after you have those pieces of hardware installed.
Open structure baby gates need a certain amount of space between boards. Space the pieces of wood under 2⅜ inches for children under 2 and under 3½ inches for children older than 2 years old.
Use a spacer for the area beneath the gate so it remains straight during installation. A level tool also works very well to ensure a straight edge while installing a baby gate.
Warnings
Get help from a DIY professional if you're in over your head. The protection of your little ones at home is of utmost importance, so don’t use a baby gate you’re not confident in, safety-wise.
Don't use a fabric baby gate for the top of the stairs. It’s a better choice as a room divider or for use at the base of the stairs.
Keep an eye on your child to make sure the gate absorbs their body weight. No gate is baby foolproof, so it’s best to stay on the side of caution.
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