Funky Art Garden Door

We needed a new door to the garden and didn't want too spend much. I made this with mostly found items and with some supplies that I had leftover from other projects.

After I installed the gate I decided that I would add a counter weight so that we couldn't forget to close the gate as the deer are relentless in our area.

Supplies

Wire (Galvanized)

Garden Wire (like twist tie wire, I had this leftover from another project but you can find it at the dollar store)

2x2 lumber but you can use whatever dimension you prefer (enough to make the frame of the door - whatever size you want)

Wire Cutter

Needle nose pliers (for twisting the heavier gauge wire)

Paint (I used Tremclad- Black Gloss and Fire Engine Red)

Random "Circles" - (use whatever you can find!)

I used

- 4 hub caps

- parts of a broken salad spinner

- a colander

- some old garden ornaments

- 2 decorative mirrors from the dollar store

- some other found circles from the recycling

Drill
Screws

Hinges

For the counterweight

- A shelf bracket

- Twine (I found that heavy nylon twine slid smoothly)

- An S hook

- A weight (you can have fun with this too and you basically just have to play around with it until you get the weight right - I used a weird metal piece that I think is part of an old fire tool stand)

Step 1: Build the Frame

Measure the area that you would like the gate to cover. I decided to make mine slightly bigger so that when closes it just butts up against the fence.

To make the frame simply cut 2 pieces of the 2x2 to the height that you would like and 4 pieces to the width (minus the width of the 2 2x2's) and use deck screws to hold together. I also cut a few short pieces at 45 degrees and used them to brace the corners for added strength.

Step 2: Layout the Circles Inside the Frame.

Get a general idea of where you would like everything to go and make sure you have enough items to cover the space that you would like to cover. I chose to leave 2 areas open on my gate (top left and bottom right) but you could also fill these in.

Step 3: Adding Some Support Wires.

Use the galvanized wire to make some support wires that stretch the full length and height of the frame (They are hard to see so I have highlighted where I put my support wires in red). To attach the wire I drilled 2 holes about 2 inches apart in the frame and threaded the wire through, using the needle nose pliers I twisted the end onto itself once looped through. Once one end is secure string the wire through any of the "circles" that you would like in this area and then attach to the opposite side of the frame. Try to get it as tight as you can.

As you put in more support wires and string them through more of the circles you will see that the structure will become a bit more stable.

Use more galvanized wire to wrap the circles to each other and to the support wires. You are making a small web of wire. Also use more galvanized wire to wrap the support wire to each other (this will get the support wires nice and tight, in the photo the 2 white arrows show where the wires are wired together.)

Step 4: Wire Wire Wire

Now use the garden wire (twist tie wire) to create any more support the the pieces need. Don't be shy, I found that I used lots of wire and in the areas where I thought I might need it I doubled the wire strand before I started wrapping.

Step 5: Paint

Choose what colour you would like the gate to be and spray it (I really like Tremclad Rust paint for outdoor projects like this) , make sure that you use any personal protection that the product you are using requires.

If you are painting the frame and circles different colours you might want to use painters tape so that you don't get paint on the frame when you are painting the circles or vice versa.

Step 6: Hang on Hinges

I had these old hinges laying around, the are nice and big and sturdy. Make sure the hinges you choose are appropriate for the weight of your gate. Again I used deck screws to secure the hinges the door and the fence.

Step 7: The Counter Weight

I have seen people make lots of counter weight door closers but this one is really simple. I tied the twine to the corner of the frame. I mounted the shelf bracket on the inside of the fence (this gives the weight a bit of clearance so it won't interfere with the fence) I hung a S hook (with a loop) on the bracket and fed the twine through the loop and tied to the weight.

Make the twine length long enough so that when the gate is open it opens wide enough and short enough that the weight is off the ground when the gate is fully closed.

As simple as this system is you need to play around a little, at first I used a string that went directly through the bracket, it created was too much friction and made he door annoying to use. After I switched to a nylon twine and the S hook it works much better. You also want to make sure you have an appropriate amount of weight too little and the door won't close and too much and it will always slam shut.