Gate substitute?

[bill_activist]

What can we do for a low-cost, but reasonable looking gate? Or temporary gate substitute?

It's right next to the house. There is a 4 foot space, a walkway next to the house. There's a wood fence on the other side.

We want a gate to close off the entrance. We don't need it to actually be secure, or locked or anything. Just something low cost that doesn't look too bad. Usually, when they put in the fence, they also install a gate. But somehow, it didn't happen.

It's a rental house for a friend. He doesn't want to spend much money on it.

He also doesn't want to ask the owner to put in a gate. Owner hasn't raised the rent for years and he has a theory that if he starts asking for things, he'll start thinking about the house and will raise the rent.

Does anyone have any ideas of what we could use for something that looks like a gate?

Here's a photo, if this works. The house is on the left, the fence is on the right. And there's an opening between. With no gate.

Thank you

[gfretwell]

Since this is a wood fence you should be able to make a wood gate pretty cheap.

[Stormin Mormon]

Packing skid, couple eye bolts, bungee straps.

[Norminn]

Some wood lattice, either purchased or home-made, in a wood frame. Might want to incorporate the same to hide the trash barrel. It would weather like the wood fence, and although not heavy it helps break the wind if it is a windy spot.

[Mayayana]

I can't see your picture, but for a wood gate two things come to mind:

(First I'd get permission from the landlord. :)

1) Cedar boards put together with a Z backing. Failing that, rough spruce will work, but won't last very well.

2) A premade stockade gate from HD. But with those you'll be limited in terms of width.

[David L. Martel]

Bill,

Baby gates are fairly cheap and will adjust to various widths. Doubt that they'll last for many years exposed to the weather.

Dave M.

[Lee B]

I can't tell if he just wants something that looks like an extension of the existing fence, to block the view, or wants something that works like an actual gate.

Assuming he isn't interested in privacy, one possibility is a dog/baby gate. They make ones that are tension mounted and go up to about four feet and also free standing ones that can me even wider. The tension mounted ones can be one solid piece or have a walk through. (The tension ones have a bar across the bottom between the two walls, so that might make a difference for lugging lawn mowers etc through, although they are pretty easy to take down for that type thing). The free standing ones mostly accordion fold to let people through. There are ones that are made for outdoor use, but perhaps the less expensive indoor ones made of metal would work outside. There are some that look like wrought iron that would look nice with the wooden fence. The tension and standalone ones would work if he doesn't want to secure the gate to the owner's house & fence; if he is ok with drilling into them, there are a larger variety.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, HD, Lowes has prebuilt wooden gate including hardware.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, I use that for our dog, when he is in the yard out of pen.

[J Burns]

Aw, you had me going! I see your gate. It's blue.

[Harry K]

Try visiting a salvage yard, you could luck out and find something cheap.

Harry K

[Doug Miller]

bill [e-mail] wrote in news:188987d4-ec20-43dc-9016-529deb2ee0e5 @googlegroups.com:

[...]

He shouldn't spend *any* money on it. It's not his house. It belongs to the landlord. If I had a rental property, and my tenant started modifying it without my consent, I'd evict him and sue for damages. Your friend had better ask permission first.

Then he needs to live without a gate. It's not his house, and not up to him to make modifications to it.

[Whateveryouthink]

replying to Doug Miller, Whateveryouthink wrote: How about a cargo net? More of a mental gate that a physical one, but very cheap and easily attached.