Building a rustic gate from coppiced timber

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Comments 35
10 Jul 2026

Building a rustic gate from coppiced timber

Why coppiced timber suits a woodland gate

Coppiced timber has been the backbone of British woodland crafts for centuries. When you cut a hazel, ash or sweet chestnut stool close to the ground in winter, it sends up a cluster of straight poles that can be harvested on a rotation of seven to fifteen years. These poles are strong, flexible and full of character. For a woodland garden, they make a gate that looks as though it grew there rather than arriving on a lorry. Hazel is the traditional choice for hurdles and light gates, while ash and sweet chestnut offer greater durability. Oak is heavier still, but harder to work with hand tools. A rustic gate does not need perfect timber. Knots, slight bends and natural crooks can all be put to good use, especially for braces and hinges.

Selecting and preparing your poles

Cut your timber in winter when the sap is down, then debark it in spring when the sap rises and the bark slips easily. A drawknife and a shave horse make short work of this. Stack the poles under cover with spacers between them so air circulates, and leave them to season for six to twelve months. Green timber shrinks as it dries, which can loosen joints, so seasoning first is worth the wait.

For a gate around 1.2 metres wide and 1 metre high, you will need:

Two stiles (uprights) of 75–100mm diameter, with the hinge stile slightly thicker
Three rails of 50–75mm diameter
One diagonal brace of 50mm diameter
Riven pegs from oak or ash, about 150mm long

Look for straight poles for stiles and rails. Save any naturally curved pieces for the brace, where a gentle sweep adds strength and charm. Avoid large knots where you plan to cut joints.

Simple joints that hold without glue

The traditional joint for a rustic gate is a through mortise and tenon, secured with a draw-bored peg. Bore a hole through the stile with an auger, slightly smaller than the tenon you will shape on the rail. Use a drawknife and spokeshave to round the end of the rail down to a snug fit. Then bore a peg hole through both stile and tenon, but offset the hole in the tenon by about 3mm towards the shoulder. When you drive a tapered peg through, it pulls the joint tight. No glue is needed, and the gate can be repaired or tightened later.

Use a tenon saw for clean shoulders and an auger for round holes
Rive your pegs from straight-grained oak or ash with a froe
Shape pegs with a drawknife so they taper gently
For the diagonal brace, a half-lap joint where it crosses the rails keeps the frame flush

If you prefer an even simpler build, you can lash the frame with tarred twine, but pegged joints will last far longer and look more purposeful.

Layout and bracing for a sag-free gate

Lay the stiles and rails on a flat surface. The rails go on the same face of the stiles, not between them, so the gate has a flat front and back. Position the top rail about 100mm down from the top of the stiles, and the bottom rail about 150mm up from the ground. The middle rail sits halfway between.

The diagonal brace is what stops the gate dropping. It must run from the bottom of the hinge stile to the top of the slam stile, so it is in compression when the gate hangs. Cut it a fraction long and tap it into place. Check that the two diagonals of the frame measure the same; if they do not, rack the gate square before pegging. Leave a 50mm gap under the bottom rail so the gate clears uneven ground and fallen leaves.

Hanging, finishing and upkeep

Hang the gate on galvanised strap hinges, or use wooden pivots if you want an entirely traditional build. The hinge stile carries the weight, so fix the top hinge first, then the bottom, and check the swing. A wooden latch or a simple rope loop completes the job.

For finishing, raw linseed oil is the woodland standard. Warm it, brush it on generously, and let it soak in. Re-oil once a year. You can also char the surface of the timber with a blowtorch before oiling, which adds rot resistance and a deep black sheen. Avoid varnishes and paints that trap moisture. Check the pegs after the first wet winter and tap any loose ones home.

Foraging, coppicing and small-scale living

If you are foraging timber from a hedgerow or woodland, always get the landowner's permission. Better still, manage your own coppice patch. Cut a stool every seven to fifteen years, and you will have a renewable supply of poles for gates, plant supports, pea sticks and firewood. Offcuts become kindling or carved spoons. A rustic gate made this way ties your outdoor space to the rhythm of the wood. It will not be perfectly straight, and that is the point. With sound joints and a well-placed brace, it will still be standing long after a pressure-treated panel has rotted away.

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5 Comments

Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply
- John Abraham says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
  
  I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
  Reply
  - Robert Sonnysays Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
    
    I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
    Reply
Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply

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