Another set of porch gates, this time for a new client in Five Points.  They’d seen a previous set we’d built, and loved the idea of letting their toddler and family dog roam the expansive front porch, without roaming off.  Or falling down the front steps.

Again, a pretty simple — but detailed — affair:  Pick up some weather-treated 4x4s and 2x4s; spend about 4 hours in the shop — table sawing custom-built 2×2 pickets (stronger than off-the-shelf, pre-cut 2x2s…which really aren’t 2x’s); screwing & glueing; and giving a day’s rest for the glue to dry; then heading back to the client’s house a few day’s later to install, complete with 3 sets of hinges per side, latching hardware, and a cane bolt anchor.

They are heavy.  Substantial.  Each gate section weighs about 30 pounds.

These.  Babies.  Are.  Solid…  We constructed the gates using a notched, tongue & groove style fitting for the pickets.  Essentially, it all fits like a puzzle, with a separately built picket section slid and screwed into the overall square structure.  This, along with the mortised-in crossbeam, adds strength and inhibits any “sag.”  With a few coats of primer and paint (provided by our trusted painter friend), these gates should hold up for many years.

(I’ll post a pic of the painted gates soon.)

All in all, a great mini-project.  The clients are quite happy with the work, singing our praises online and putting the gates to immediate use — moving a kiddie pool on the porch the following weekend for a temporary respite from the heat, giving baby a place to play, and Mom peace-of-mind, knowing that baby won’t tumble down the steps.

We’re happy to have built a stylish and functional safety measure, one the client really appreciates.

They called on us just a few days ago, for a much larger project.  Stay tuned.