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3 DIY PVC Pet Gates

Stack of PVC pipe in background with 9 pieces of PVC pipe bundled in foreground

We have all faced the problem of needing to keep our dog in one place for a little while or keeping them out of an area that may not be safe for them. Purchasing dog gates can be expensive and in some cases, they just do not fit your size needs. Here are 3 DIY PVC pet gates that you can make at home.

DIY PVC Dog Gate

DIY PVC Dog Gate Blueprints

Although they are efficient, commercial dog gates can disturb your budget. If you are looking for a cost-efficient alternative, you can use some PVC fitting to make a pet gate. Another benefit of creating a PVC dog gate is that you can customize its size according to your needs.

The following technique is helpful for shielding the dog from the stairs. However, you can also use it to block the doorways by making slight modifications.  

Materials Needed:

  • PVC pipe (8-10 feet long pieces- You will need to cut 12 pieces to 34 inches long, and then 22 pieces at 3 inches long)
  • 20 T-connectors
  • 4  elbows (corner connectors)
  • Some zip ties
  • A couple of hinges
  • an eye hook
  • small bungee cord
  • A wooden strip (1 inch by 3 inches )
  • PVC cement

Note: These instructions are for a gate that is roughly 3 feet high. You can increase the height of your gate by cutting the vertical PVC pipes longer. You can also make the gate wider by adding more T-Connector / 3 inch pipe sections / PVC vertical pipe sections.

Directions

  1. Cut 22 pieces of PVC to 3 inches long.
  2. Cut 12 pieces of PVC to 34 inches long.
  3. Lay out all of your pieces on a flat surface. Start with an elbow connector on the corner, then 3 inch pipe, then t-connector, then 3 inch pipe, then repeating t- connector and 3 inch pipe until you have 10 t-connectors and 11 3 inch pipes. Finish that row with an elbow connector and then repeat this for the bottom.
  4. Connect your top line of connectors to the bottom connectors with your 12 – 34 inch long PVC pipes.
  5. Make sure this will fit the width of your stairs. Once you are sure this is the correct size gate, start gluing the pieces together using the PVC cement.
  6. Take your 1 by 3 piece of wood and attach the hinges. You will want to attach them about 1/4 from the top and bottom of the board.
  7. Now attach the opposite side of the hinge to the side pole on your PVC gate.
  8. Once your glue has dried, attach the board to your stair post using the zip ties.
  9. On the opening side of the gate, screw in the eye hook to the side rail of the gate towards the top of the gate. Wrap and secure your bungee cord to the stairs post. This will be how you close your gate.

Thanks to Your Modern Family for these great PVC Dog Gate instructions.

PVC Puppy Gate

PVC Puppy Gate Blueprints

We found these easy PVC Puppy Gate instructions on eHow.

Do you want to create an inexpensive barrier for your puppy? If yes, the following PVC puppy gate is the thing you need. This method uses PVC pipe (and fittings) and hardware cloth to come up with an effective pet gate.

Materials Needed:

  • 4 lengths of 1-inch PVC pipe ( The length of these pipes depend on the width of your opening and the height you want your gate)
  • 4 1-inch tee connectors
  • Hardware cloth
  • Wire cutters
  • Cable ties
  • A hacksaw
  • Protective gloves
  • 2 strong tension rods
  • PVC cement

Directions

  1. Measure the doorway where you will be placing the pet gate. Cut 2 pieces of your PVC pipe 2 inches shorter than the width of your doorway.
  2. Cut 2 more pieces of pipe to your desired height minus 2 inches. These 4 pipes will now be used to make the frame of the puppy gate.   
  3. Now, use the tee connectors to assemble these pieces of PVC pipe into a rectangle. These connections should be made in a way that leaves behind an open channel through the pipe for the tension rods.
  4. Check that the frame fits well in the entryway before applying PVC cement to these joints. This will add the necessary strength to these connections.
  5. Using wire cutters, cut a suitable piece of hardware cloth to fit over the opening in your PVC frame. The hardware cloth should be 2 inches longer than the width and height of the frame.
  6. Wear your protective gloves, fold all the sharp edges of the hardware cloth.
  7. Place the prepared hardware cloth on the PVC frame and fasten them by using some cable ties. Make sure that the folded edges are towards the frame while you do so. Place these ties all around the frame (about 3 inches apart) and cut off the excess.
  8. Lastly, insert the weight-bearing tension rods through the top and bottom channels of the puppy gate. This will ensure that the gate is able to handle your dog’s weight if he/she likes to climb.
  9. Place the puppy gate in the entryway by expanding the tension rods.

PVC Puppy Pen

PVC Puppy Pen Blueprint

A puppy pen offers an effective way of keeping your young pet safe, especially when you are away. There is an immense variety of puppy pens in the market but they can cost you a lot of money.

Fortunately, you can prepare a safe playing area for your dog by using PVC pipes and fitting. Not only is it inexpensive, but it is also a long-lasting product. Similarly, you can customize the pen according to your puppy’s breed. Here’s how you can make this amazing puppy pen for a small breed dog.

Materials Needed:

  • 10 to 11 – ½-inch PVC pipes -10 feet long (This is for smaller puppies and allows for a smaller space between the bars. For Larger puppies, use 3/4 inch PVC Pipes.)
  • 20 elbows (corner connectors)
  • 32 cross sockets
  • 8 tee connectors
  • 8 end caps
  • Pipe Cutters
  • Measuring Tape
  • Rubber Mallet
  • PVC glue

Directions

  1. For a pen that is 48 inches x 36 inches, an equal number of 46-inch and 34-inch PVC pieces ( We used 12 of each size.) The remaining 2 inches will come from elbows connected at both ends.
  2. For each level of the puppy pen, you will need two 46-inch and two 34-inch pieces. In addition to that, you will need to use the pipe cutters to cut several small pieces (16 per layer at about 1 and 7/8 inches long plus 8 to attach the leg caps). They will be needed to connect the fittings together at the corners.
  3. Once you have all the necessary fittings, start making the pen level by level. While making a level, you will need to add a cross socket at both ends of a PVC pipe.
  4. Place an 1 and 7/8-inch PVC piece (connections pieces) between each elbow and cross socket. Use the rubber mallet to make the connections strong and snug. You will also need connections pieces on the bottom of your cross sockets (for the first layer only as legs) before capping these ends.
  5. Repeat the same process for the other layers with the exception of end caps.
  6. In order to connect different layers, you will need to add connection pieces at the top of the cross sockets. For instance, if we need to join the first and second level, we will add connection pieces to the top of the cross sockets in the first layer. Keep repeating this until you reach the top level.
  7. At the top level, we would replace the cross sockets with tee connectors. These connectors will be pointing downwards so that they attach with the connector pieces in the top of the lower cross sockets.  
  8. Once your puppy pen is assembled, begin the process of gluing the pieces together at every connection.

A big thanks to Dreamy Doodles for this puppy pen tutorial.

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