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Under Deck Storage with Removable Fence Panel

The area under our deck stairs was a total eyesore! I'll show you how I hid it away with a clever removable fence panel to create an under deck storage space.

under stairs storage with a hidden door - removable fence panel on and off

Turn the space under your deck stairs into outdoor storage! This simple project hides all the clutter from view, and the removable fence panel gives you a seamless look with easy access. I wish I had done this project sooner!

We practically live outside in the summer, and our deck is the perfect place to hang out. Because it's so high off the ground, I was able to take advantage of the space underneath to hang a cozy hammock from the joists. But I can't seem to relax in it, because I stare at this eyesore the whole time!

space under deck stairs

I cleared it out before I took photos, but we usually store an extra trash can, propane tank for the grill, and gardening supplies under there. But it's also a magnet for leaves and weeds, and just looks awful!

Fencing off the area is a pretty easy task. But I didn't want to install a traditional gate with bulky hinges. Instead, I created a removable fence panel with hidden brackets that allow it to blend seamlessly!

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Materials Needed for Removable Fence Panel

Don't forget your safety gear when woodworking! Here are my recommendations for safety glasses and ear protection. No excuses!

How to Make a Removable Fence Panel

Measure Your Fence Space

Measure the space that you plan to cover with the removable fence panel, including the posts that are already in place. I cut my upright pieces to match the width of the posts, so they blend together seamlessly when the panel is hung in front of them.

The space under our deck stairs has posts 2 ¾" away from the house, so I added that into my measurements to close the gap.

I also added ⅝" to the other side to account for the thickness of the fence pickets on the opposing corner. This will allow it to fit snugly against the permanent part of the fence when the panel is in place.

removable fence panel dimensions

Cut the Fence Pickets

Cedar fence pickets are one of my favorite building materials. They're cheap, they're rot resistant, and they smell amazing when freshly cut!

The hard part is finding decent ones in the giant stack at the home improvement store. Look for pickets without a lot of knots, straight grain, and DRY! The ones at my store always seem to be sopping wet, which makes it more likely that they'll do strange things like warp or twist when they're cut and dry.

These cedar fence pickets are the cheapest source of rot-resistant wood for your garden trellis!

Cut all the pickets to the width of your removable fence panel. If you want to replicate the pattern I used, rip them down on the table saw into 5" wide and 2" wide slats.

Cut two pickets to the height of your fence posts. I also ripped mine down to the same 3 ½" width as the posts.

cut pieces for removable fence panel

Sand each of the slats to remove splinters and rough spots. Cedar takes on a whole new look when it's been sanded smooth!

sanding cedar fence pickets for removable fence panel

Assemble the Removable Fence Panel

Lining up the first slat correctly will make the rest of the assembly much easier. Mark the placement for the upright supports on both ends of all the slats. Mine are 2 ¾" in on one side, and ⅝" on the other.

measuring sides of removable fence panel

I started with the wider 5" slat at the top. Check that the top slat is square to the uprights, then nail it into place with 1 ¼" brad nails.

first slat of the removable fence panel attached

Use a scrap of ¾" lumber to use as a spacer to keep the distance between slats consistent. It's so much faster and easier than measuring it every time! Place it under the first slat, then line up the marks on the 2" wide slats with the uprights as before. Check for square again, then nail it into place.

using spacer to mark distance on removable fence panel

I used a pattern of one 5" slat, followed by two 2" slats, with ¾" spacing between each slat. You can start to see the pattern taking shape now! Continue until you reach the end of the uprights.

removable fence panel halfway through assembly

Install the Removable Fence Panel Brackets

These Z clips work just like the French cleat I used to attach my upholstered headboard to the wall. You just screw one side to the back of the removable fence panel, and the other to the fence post.

z clips on both sides of removable fence panel

When the two opposing clips slide past each other, they hold the panel straight and secure!

Z clips on removable fence panel

To remove the panel, just lift up slightly!

how to remove the removable fence panel

The panel sits just ¼" away from the posts, so if you're installing this in the middle of a long fence, you'll barely see the gap.

removable fence panel in place

Install the Rest of the Fence

With the removable fence panel in place, I installed the rest of the fence to match. Here you can see why I added ⅝" to the right side of the panel. The slats on the front cover the gap from the brackets and create a nice, continuous line around the corner.

removable fence panel with permanent side of fence being installed at corner

These slats are nailed directly to the deck stair posts. Instead of using the spacer, I matched up the slats with the corresponding one on the removable section, and nailed one nail to hold it in place. Then I used that pivot point to adjust the other end until it was level before nailing it securely.

attaching fence slats with level

Because of the slope, I left off the bottom slat. I'll put bricks behind the gap to prevent any critters from making a home under the stairs!

second section of fence under stairs complete

The third section was a little trickier. The stairs are set back about ¾" from the posts, so I used a piece of 1x2 cedar to bridge the gap.

under deck stairs angled piece in place

After figuring out the angle with my handy Kreg Multi Mark tool, I cut the ends of the slats to the same angle.

using Kreg multi mark tool to figure out angle to be cut

I held the angled end in place on the stairs side and marked the straight cut on the other side. A custom fit every time without breaking out the measuring tape!

Marking fence slat for custom fit

Again, the slope made the bottom slat tricky. I might go back and custom cut a 5" wide piece to match the slope, but I call this good enough for now!

under deck storage area closed off with removable fence panel
under deck storage area with removable fence panel open

It's so easy to take off the removable fence panel! But if you didn't know it was there, you'd think it was permanent. Check out the video to see it in action!

under deck stairs storage area with removable fence panel at end

noor

Monday 10th of December 2018

Good project and a nice use of that space. Good choice with the cedar!

Handy Squad

Wednesday 21st of November 2018

This post is very useful and clever, thank you for sharing your great idea!

Elon

Thursday 8th of November 2018

This wooden storage is so lovely! Ties in perfectly with the wooden stairs. Thanks for the meticulous details and even sharing the blueprint. (:

Emily

Friday 13th of July 2018

What a great idea! I love how you varied the size of the slats - it adds an extra touch of style to the finished project! Thank you for sharing at Merry Monday. I'm going to feature your DIY Fence at next week's party. We'd love to have you come by and share another project or two!

Sherry Cole

Monday 9th of July 2018

Vinetta, I have chosen your deck storage project as my feature at Totally Terrific Tuesday this week. thanks for linking up with us.

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