How to Build a Brick & Wood Fence
Building a brick and wood fence is an excellent way to enforce the security of your home and backyard. Also, building your own fence can help maintain the privacy of your personal space. In addition, a well-built fence will reduce noise in your backyard and help keep your neighbors' pets from disturbing your flower beds. To build your fence, use any of the following types of wood: redwood, cedar, pine, douglas fir, and spruce. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Bricks
- Mortar
- Measuring Tape
- Saw
- Rake
- Plywood
- Wheelbarrow
- Trowel for laying bricks
- Hoe
- Bar level
- Play sand
- Rag
Instructions
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Building a Brick and Wood Fence
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Fence line set at property line Lay out the line where you want to set up the fence. Typically, this is done at the property line. As you do this, make sure that your fence does not entrench on your neighbor's property.
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The standard height for a fence is 6 feet Find out the height of the fence you require. Six feet is the standard size for a privacy fence, but a fence four feet high is usually enough. Picket fences are often smaller, usually about three feet.
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Fence posts at corners and ends of fence Determine the placement of the end posts at either end or at any corners along the fence. You should use a set of post hole diggers to dig the holes deep enough to uphold the structure of your fence. Position the end posts inside the holes and surround the posts with dirt.
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The builder's line goes from one end of the fence to the other Stretch a builder's line from one end of the fence to another maintaining the exact same height above the ground as you do so. This way, you can line up the height of the other holes with the fence.
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Fence posts stretching from the building line Set the rest of the posts, measuring the exact same distance from the top of each post to the building line and plumbing them as you do so. Then heap the backfill around the posts.
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A layer of brick put on the fence Next, lay one layer of brick in the design you choose. After that, be sure to apply a level, 1/2 inch layer of mortar using the trowel. Lay an additional layer of bricks.
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Vertical boards hammered in with nails Finally, hammer in the vertical boards with nails, typically 1 by 6 rough sawn lumber, maintaining a space between the boards to each stringer with 8d spiral-shanked galvanized nails. Paint your fence with a high-quality waterproofing sealer.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't forget to soak the bottom of the posts in linseed oil or sealer.
Use appropriate wood for the fence.
Wear safety goggles and gloves when plumbing and laying the bricks.
Check with your jurisdiction for permit requirements before you start building the fence.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Colonial Iron and Brick Fence image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com fence line image by Derek Abbott from Fotolia.com fence image by stassad from Fotolia.com fence posts at sunrise image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com worker/builder in construction at work image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com pile of bricks image by green308 from Fotolia.com wagon wheel against wood fence image by Kathy Burns from Fotolia.com
