How to Erect a Wooden Fence
A properly built wood fence will not only be functional, at either keeping something in or something out of an area, but it can also beautify the area at the same time. Wood is a good material choice for fences, as it can be cut down to whatever size you need, and then fastened together using nothing but screws. While some specifics about building a wood fence will vary depending on what style of fence you want to build, the general steps for installing posts and rails are the same for almost all wood fences. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Pen and paper
- Stakes
- String
- Angle finder
- Post hole digger
- 4-by-4 lumber
- Wood brackets
- 2-inch wood screws
- 1-inch wood screws
- Drill
- 2-by-4 lumber
- Saw
Instructions
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1
Design the layout of your fence on a piece of paper. Draw any immovable objects, such as a tree or your house, to scale, and then create a line so serve as the fence.
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2
Make a note of how many corner, gate, end and line posts your will need. Every corner has one corner post, every gate has two gate posts and any end to the fence requires a end post. Add line posts whenever the distance between corner, gate and end posts is longer than 8 feet. Line posts should be less than 8 feet apart, since dimensional lumber is easy to find in 8-foot lengths.
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3
Use stakes and string to create a layout of the wood fence on your property. Use an angle finder on the corners to ensure they are straight.
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4
Use your post hole digger to create a hole for every post. The holes need to be deep enough so that you can bury 1/3 of the overall post and with a width that is twice as wide as the post. Most wooden fence posts are made from 4-by-4 lumber, although you can use larger wood if you desire. If you are going to add concrete, ensure that the bottom of the hole is wider than the top.
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5
Place the posts into the holes and backfill the holes with dirt. Use your level to ensure the posts are perfectly vertical, then pack the dirt in. If you are using concrete, pour the concrete instead of backfilling, then leave the posts to sit overnight before you continue.
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6
Attach the brackets to the posts. The brackets will hold up the wood rails that make up the body of the fence. Install these brackets using 2-inch wood screws.
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Cut the 2-by-4 lumber to fit between the posts, unless you have exactly 8 feet between each post. Slide the 2-by-4 rails into the brackets and screw the wood in place using 1-inch wood screws.
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Attach a gate to the gate post using two or three gate hinges. Screw the gate hinges in place using 2-inch wood screws.
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Tips & Warnings
For a fuller-looking fence, you can now add material, such as pickets or wood panels, to the rails.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
