How to Design a Backyard Wood Fence
A backyard fence creates a good barrier to define home boundaries for children and pets. It also makes a nonverbal statement to define property lines to neighbors and others. Designing and building a backyard fence can add visual beauty to the backyard space, even if inexpensive materials are used. The key to a good design is to review many options and create a fence that works well with the house and surrounding area. Wood is a good choice of material, since wood is easy for most do-it-yourselfers to install. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Backyard living design books
- Outdoor living magazines
- Woodworking magazines
- Measuring tools
- Sketch pad and pencil
Instructions
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Obtain some backyard design books and outdoor living magazines to get an idea of various types of fences. Review woodworking magazines or manuals that also have pictures of interesting fences. Look at many designs to figure out all the possibilites for a given backyard. Plan to use designs that fit the style of a house, since a fence that is too ornate or built with the wrong architectural features will detract from the home's appearance.
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Measure the backyard area to figure out the basic framework of the fence. Figure out, for example, how many support posts will be needed and how far apart they will be placed. Sketch a fence of wooden railings, for example, with support posts every 8 feet. Plan to install a standard 6-foot high board fence with support posts every 4 feet.
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Count the number of cross pieces to be installed on a fence area. Allow two or three horizontal split rails for each section of a wooden railing fence, for instance. Plan to build a picket fence with a horizontal rail along the entire perimeter along the top and the bottom. Refer to actual woodworking plans for fences, however, since it's easy to leave out component parts of certain types of fences. Clearly define all lumber needed and all metal accessories and gate hinges in the planning stages. Don't get into a building project without having all the matrials on hand to avoid repeat visits to the building supply store.
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Sketch different types of spacing for board fences. Figure out if a 1/2-inch gap between boards will work well or if boards should have almost no gap between them for more privacy. Decide how tall the fence should be, since a tall fence might block sunlight in certain play or garden areas. Sketch a gate that works well with the fence height and style of the fence facade.
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Plan to use pressure-treated lumber or cedar, for example, to ensure a fence will hold up well over time. Invest in good lumber that will stay in place for many years, since fence construction is very labor-intensive. Decide if the fence will be painted or stained to match the house. Consider leaving the fence in its natural state with no finish, but discuss various clear coating finishes with a carpenter or home improvement expert.
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Tips & Warnings
Create a fence that blends well with other buildings and fences nearby. Don't create a fence that stands out too much, since it should complement homes nearby versus competing with them for visual attention. Do invest in accessories for a more ornate fence if the home is Victorian or a historical house with interesting architecture.
Avoid building a wood fence without covering the bottom of support posts with tar. Add tar on those areas of posts that will be placed under ground surfaces. Wood installed in the ground or in concrete can quickly deteriorate from water absorption.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit climbing the fence image by Harvey Hudson from Fotolia.com
