DIY and DATA: How to Build a Pet Gate

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone.

#MyDataMyWay  #CollectiveBias

A little over a year ago, I found myself in a house that needed a substantial amount of work. I started renovating things little by little. I never would have imagined that I’d be doing the things I am doing today. I have learned so much since then and still have so much to get done.

I truly believe that owning a home can transform people. Homeownership contributes to a feeling of self-worth that positively affects the way one handles challenges. When you’re on a tight budget but still want your home to look beautiful, you have no choice but to realize that it’s not always necessary to call in the pros for sprucing up and keeping up your home.

YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF!

I started out with small projects and with each project, my confidence grew a bit and I felt like I could take on bigger challenges. One of the best things about being a DIY’er in the time we live in now is that information can be right at our fingertips in matter of seconds. We all have cell phones, computers and tablets that we carry everywhere we go. I have watched hundreds of videos on YouTube about home-related topics. I think there’s nothing you can’t learn there. These days, you can be as educated as you choose to be…and it’s free, well almost.

Data plans can be very expensive, which can put a damper on your projects. If you want an affordable option try Walmart Family Mobile. You simply pay $29.88 (for the first line) a month for Unlimited Talk, Text & Data. A large box of screws costs more than that.

This 4G LTE service includes up to 500MB and is perfect with my new Samsung Galaxy Avant, which I ordered at Walmart.com and was ready for pickup in just three days.

The starter kit and data service plan, however, were available for purchase right there at my local Walmart store. Getting started is so easy. Choose a phone (or use your current phone), add a starter kit, and choose your plan to activate your service. The best thing: No annual contract! And paying only $29.88/month for the entire package allows me to spend more money on materials for my DIY projects.

Since I can’t carry around my desktop computer, I bring my cell phone with me when I work on projects, which is mostly  in the garage or outside. Just the other day I built this pet gate for my deck and the data service from Walmart was very helpful. I had this vision of how I wanted the gate to look; sort of just blend in with the rest. I got some ideas from Pinterest and YouTube.

This was easy to do with the Samsung Galaxy Avant. The phone is easy to navigate and I was able to shoot great photos while building the gate.

Here is a before picture of the deck. The second we open the door leading to the deck, the older dog makes a run for it. And since the younger dog is a copy cat, he wastes no time and follows. I can’t blame them – it’s a pretty backyard, but without a fence.

Since I want the doggies to enjoy the deck and fresh air, I decided to build a gate. I picked out  two pressure treated 2x4s from my scrap pile. I purchased the remaining lumber ( 4 pieces @2x2x8s) at Home Depot along with two gate hinges and a latch.

The first thing I did was measure the opening of the deck. Then I cut the wood. I won’t bother posting my dimensions since everyone’s gate will be a different size. I sanded any rough edges with my little handy sander.

Next, I pre-drilled a pilot hole and  used screws to attach the 2x2s to the 2x4s. After I finished I realized the gate was too high.  When it comes to DIY home improvement, mistakes are inevitable. Mistakes happen and they can be frustrating, but not so much if you look at them as opportunities to grow, which was the case with my gate. Since the gate was too high, I needed to unscrew and re-cut the 2x2s. Annoying but doable. Except when two of the screws are stripped.

I needed a quick solution. Thank you, Walmart DATA.

This actually worked on one of the screws. Pliers worked for screw #2.

Two coats of Benjamin Moore Simply White exterior paint and the gate was ready for the hinges and latch.

When it comes to DIY, my advice is to EDUCATE yourself, EXPLORE, and HAVE FUN. The right tools and attitude make any job easier and faster. Take advantage of the gazillions of tutorials and websites and don’t let mistakes make you a spectator of DIY.

Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change.