There comes a time in every parent’s life when they realize that keeping up with a toddler is harder than they anticipated. Around that time is when using a baby gate becomes a necessity. Like most other things that are baby-related, gates to keep your toddler out of danger can be pricey. When you consider that you will likely need multiple gates to contain your child in areas that are safe and easier to supervise, the cost can quickly get out of hand.
The good news is, there’s a solution that won’t break the bank. You can easily make your own baby gate out of PVC pipe and fittings that is safe, durable, and inexpensive, and you don’t have to be a master carpenter to make it. Additionally, you can make your gates to fit specific areas by adding more or fewer slats. This is a versatile design that you can alter as needed.
Materials Need for PVC Baby Gate
The following are the parts, hardware, and tools that are needed to make a baby gate with four inner slats for doorframes that are 32” wide. This design can be modified for wider doorways by adding additional slats (which will each add 5” to the width of the gate).
PVC Parts
- (3) 5' long pieces of 1¼" Furniture Grade PVC Pipe
- (1) 3' long piece of 1¼" Plumbing Grade PVC Pipe (to make connecting inserts which will not be exposed)
- (12) Tees - 1¼"
- (2) Slip Tees - 1¼"
- (2) 90degree Elbows - 1¼"
- (2) Internal Domed End Caps - 1¼"
- (4) Table Caps - 1¼"
- (12) PVC Fitting Caster Inserts - 1¼"
Hardware
- (2) Hitch Pins - 1/4" x 3"
- (1) Bag of 3/4" Wood Screws
- (1) Bottle of PVC Cement
Tools
- Power drill
- Hacksaw / Miter Saw
- Measuring tape
- Sandpaper
- Deburring Tool/Knife
Steps for DIY PVC Baby Gate Construction
Once you’ve gathered all your parts, hardware, and tools, you’re ready to get started. Here are the steps for assembling your PVC baby gate.
Step #1 – Cut the PVC piping into the following pieces
- Furniture Grade PVC Pipe
- (5) 30 inch pieces
- (1) 20 inch piece
- (4) 2½ inch pieces
- Plumbing Grade PVC Pipe
- (12) 3 inch pieces
After cutting, you will need to use the deburring tool/kinfe to smooth out the rough, cut ends.
Step #2 – Modify two table caps to make catch mechanism
Two table caps will work as the catch mechanism that will allow the gate to be held in place. With a hacksaw, make one horizontal cut above where the top of the tab meets the cap and one vertical cut across the two supports of the table cap. This allows you to remove a small arc-shaped section that can be discarded. Then sand the edges to make them smooth and rounded. This is what you want it to look like:
Step #3 – Assemble the Gate
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. It’s best to lay out your PVC pieces in a template on the floor or another flat surface before you begin assembling. See the image below for how it should look.
You will place a PVC tee on both ends of four 30” pipes. These are your inside slats.
Next, using the 3” plumbing grade PVC pieces, attach the slats together on top and bottom.
Slide two of the slip tees onto the last 30” piece of pipe, these will function as the hinge mechanism. On the top of this piece attach a 90-degree elbow, and on the bottom attach a tee, as shown. This piece can now be attached to the four slats using two more of the 3” pieces of plumbing grade pipe.
To complete the other side, you will attach a tee and a 90-degree elbow to the top of the 20” piece of pipe, and two tees at the bottom, as shown. You can then attach this piece to the other side of the four slats using 3” pieces of plumbing grade pipe.
Once you have all the pieces for the gate assembled and you know that everything is assembled correctly and it fits the doorway where you will be using it, you can go back and use the wood screws to secure each fitting onto the pipes. To use wood screws, you will need to drill small starter holes into the fittings and pipe before screwing in the screws. Alternatively, you may want to use PVC cement to secure the connections. It’s just a matter of preference.
Step #4 – Add hitch pin holes to make the gate removable
Using the two table caps that you didn’t modify and two of the 2 ½” furniture grade PVC pipe pieces, you’ll make the segments where the hitch pins can be inserted or removed to make the baby gate detachable.
You will need to attach the table caps to a piece of wood to secure it. Then insert the 2 ½” PVC piece into the cap and drill through the cap and the pipe about ½” from the end of the cap with a ¼” drill bit. Be sure to go all the way through both sides. Do this for both table caps.
Next, secure the 2 ½” segments to the slip tees that are on the 30” PVC pipe segment on the gate.
Step #5 – Cap the catch mechanism
On the PVC tees that are attached to the top and bottom of the 20” segment of pipe on the side of the gate, insert and secure (with screws or PVC cement) the last two 2½” pieces of pipe. On the open ends of those, use cement to secure the internal domed end caps.
Step #6 – Install your gate
Insert the two caster fittings into the two open tees on the bottom of the gate for feet.
Next, lining up the slip tees (with the table caps attached with the hitch pins) on one side of the gate with the tees that are on the opposite side, attach the table caps to the inside of the doorframe with wood screws.
Once the table caps are attached, the gate should swing freely. Now you will attach the two modified table caps on the other side of the door frame with wood screws. They must line up with the catch mechanisms and must have the open, cut out part facing up.
The gate should now “snap” into the table caps on that side.