Reader Melodie sent in pictures of her futon/garden gate hack: Dear ATNY, I just turned a broken futon frame (thrown out by neighbor college students) into a front garden gate. The sturdy hinge between the two pieces made it a perfect candidate for a gate. As you can see from the detail pics, I added a 2”x2” to the side that I bolted to the post...
...There are also two pieces of lattice I used for spacers. I left the futon spacers on the bottom because it lifted it just high enough off the ground for water and leaves to run under. Because I did this project myself – maybe not a great idea – it wasn’t as straight or as stable as I would have liked. So, a used eye hooks, 3/16” wire and a toggle bolt to pull the posts closer together. It also put more pressure on the stationary side, making it more stable. I’ll probably have my husband put a bolt into the concrete step on the stationary side to make it even more stable. As you can see, it swings in and out. If I hadn’t been in such a hurry to get it finished, I would have stained it first and let it dry completely. But, in my haste, I stained the part that would be bolted to the post and then carried it from the garage to the front. It’s a heavy piece and so I made quite a mess of my arms and hands. Once I had it bolted securely to the post, I stained the rest.
So, with two people, this would be a relatively easy project. The next futon frame I find will become the gate next to our garage. This time, it will have a double hinge so it will open the full width, allowing us to easily get a wheelbarrow into the yard.
Regards,
Melodie
Thanks for sharing Melodie!
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good old fashioned american ingenuity. well done.
view closertotheocean's profile
Very smart and it looks great!
view UWSretreat's profile
A much deserved, gold star to you, Melodie! Your gate exemplifies re-purposing done right.
view Seaside's profile
*high five*
great job!
view Oneformybaby's profile
Love it!
view wig3000's profile
Wow - that is some very clever use of someone else's garbage!
view oliviahh's profile
adorable!
also is it just me or are eye hooks the BEST thing in the world? i have used them in so many diy projects, i cant even imagine a world without them ;)
view Bobbycat5's profile
That's actually pretty darned clever - and I really like the way the metal is oxidizing into a nice patina.
view bepsf's profile
Well done! I love it. Having you for a neighbor would be an honor, Melodie!
view madampince's profile
Hurrah! Rock on with your bad self.
view I Love Upstate's profile
Love it. The best part is that you can see through to the house, which is much more welcoming than a big solid gate.
view a.meyer's profile
GREAT !!! this is real green work if you ask me!
Find some more and you could add some horizontal ones to grow vines on,
view poptart's profile
that's what I'm talkin' about!
view hdtex's profile
Thanks everyone for such nice comments. I put up the gate because we are getting a puppy this weekend. I also bought a $24 baby bed from a local thrift store and turned all 4 sides into puppy gates. One long side you can see is now a puppy gate for the porch. (The two short sides are now gates for the kitchen and the top of the stairs). As bobbycat5 mentioned, eye hooks and toggle bolts are terrific. It's the first time I've used them and they are so easy and inexpensive. I hope the wisteria will eventually use it to climb on as well. Here's another idea I used that you can't see in the pics. I had a bamboo blind in an upstairs bedroom and the string broke. It was the kind that is attached to wood that bolts above the window. I cut off the blind, making it about 6" and leaving the hardware up so it acts like a valance. I was careful not to let the blind pull apart when I took it down. I then removed some ribs and tied the ends to keep the slats together. Now, it's a front door mat. Anyway, I was thinking of using the bamboo slats that I removed to make a vertical basket weave at the bottom of the garden gate to keep our pup from squeezing through. I should have taken before pics of the futon frame - it was a light oak color. Since the bamboo slats are greenish, I'll probably need to stain them as well. So, thanks again for your encouragement. I think my husband is now a believer and will participate in the next futon frame gate I build!! Regards, Melodie
view abbiegirl's profile
Melodie you have turned need into re-use! You didn't go out and buy something from Home Depot. You are a goddess!! Hoorah!!!
view medusa12120's profile
I'm proud of you.
view Cucaracha's profile
The garden looks pretty darn cool too!
view somedudeinvicenza's profile
I like how, because of what it is, it makes its own gate, rather than one plane of slats hinged onto another part of the fence that would be how you'd typically construct a gate. Did that make any sense? It's also not obviously a futon frame. It looks like something custom built, like something someone might ask you where you got such an interesting gate because you just wouldn't find something like this.
view K T G's profile
looks great- love the unexpected reuse of someone else's trash...
view mcq's profile
Sweet - I made a man door out of one half of a futon frame for my garage door leading to a porch.
view Poster's profile
Brilliant & beautiful.
view muirwoods08's profile