A good fence adds a touch of charm to your home. You can use it to create a buffer between your house and the street, to keep pets and small children in the yard or to frame a garden. Many kinds of fencing are available, from tall privacy fences to decorative picket fences. Materials range from unfinished lumber to assembled fence panels. Materials:
Tape measure
Wooden stakes
Hammer
Pneumatic nail gun
String to stretch between stakes
Spray paint
Line level
Posthole digger or power auger
4" x 4" posts
2" x 4" boards
1" x 4" pickets
Safety goggles
Work gloves
Gravel
Fast-setting concrete
2" galvanized nails
Galvanized screws
Good post placement is essential for building a high-quality fence. If the posts are out of alignment, the whole fence will be crooked. Know the locations of your property lines before you build, and find out whether city code allows building on the property line or whether there are setback requirements. - Measure the area to be fenced, and drive stakes at the corners (figure A).
- Stretch a string between the stakes, and check it with the level.
- Use spray paint to mark the locations for the posts (figure B), which should be about 7 1/2' apart.
- Dig postholes at each of the locations marked. If you don't need to dig many posts or the ground is very soft, you may decide to use a manual posthole digger. A power auger (figure C) can save you a great deal of time and effort if you have several holes to dig, however. Wear safety goggles and work gloves when using a power auger. The size of the holes will depend on the height and weight of your fence as well as the depth of the frost line in your area. A good rule of thumb is to make each hole as deep as one-third the length of the post. Check with the local building department to determine whether there are any code requirements regarding fences.
- Before placing the posts, add about 3" of gravel in the bottom of each hole to allow proper drainage. Tamp the gravel down with the posts.
- Place the post in the hole, and make sure it is plumb. Then pour in fast-setting concrete and check for plumb again. Tamp the concrete to release any air bubbles. When pouring the concrete, fill the hole approximately 2" above ground level, and slope it away from the post to divert water. When setting posts, use concrete or a mix of soil and gravel. Concrete is preferred for larger fences and in areas subject to "frost heaving," which occurs when the moisture in the ground freezes and forces objects out of the ground. If you use soil and gravel, tamp it down frequently as you add it to the hole. This will help ensure that each post is as sturdy as possible. Stretch strings between the posts to make sure they're in line with one another (figure D).
- After the posts are in place, spread some soil around the bases of the posts for a more finished appearance.
- Measure the space between two posts, and cut two 2" by 4" boards to that length. These "stringers" will be attached near the top and bottom of the posts to support the pickets.
- Dry-fit the stringers between the posts.
- Toenail the stringers to the posts, using 2" galvanized nails (figure E). All screws and nails used on the fence should be galvanized to resist corrosion from weather. You may find a power nailer helpful when installing the stringers and pickets.
- Determine the number of pickets you'll need, and cut them to size. Cut out your own design, if you like, or purchase pickets with a precut design. Painted pickets are also available.
- Begin attaching the pickets to the stringers (figure F). Use a nail gun to set the pickets in position, and secure them with screws. Be sure to keep the pickets fairly close together so that children and small animals cannot get their heads stuck between them. Use a spacer block to make the spacing as even as possible. For a scalloped look, tie a string between two posts to use as a template. Increase the slack until the string reaches the desired curve, then place the pickets based on the string's position.
- After you attach all the pickets, apply paint or solid-color stain to protect the fence from weather.
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