How to Split Rails to Make a Fence
Split rail fences add a rustic and picturesque charm to a property's fence line. The 10- to 12-foot-long rails are usually 8 inches in diameter. This size makes them more manageable. Splitting the rails takes place after a tree has been felled and the tree is still green. Green trees are easier to split than seasoned ones. Cedar is the most common wood for split rail fences. Once the tree is felled and cut into the proper lengths, the logs are split lengthwise into halves, quarters and eighths. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Ruler or yardstick
- Metal splitting wedges
- Sledgehammer
- Pry bar
- Safety glasses
- Gloves
Instructions
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1
Locate the top or small end of the log to be split.
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2
Measure the diameter of the log and place a pencil mark at the log's center.
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3
Draw a line straight through the center. Use a ruler or yardstick to get the line straight. Draw the line to outline the two halves of the log. Draw another line perpendicularly through the first line to create four quarters.
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4
Place a metal wedge on one of the lines intersecting the center of the log. Drive the blade of the wedge into the log with a sledgehammer. Continue hitting the wedge until it is buried in the log. A split will form along the top and bottom sides of the log.
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5
Place a wedge down in the split that has opened up along the top side of the log. Drive it down into the split with the sledgehammer. The split will continue opening along the log's length. Bury the metal wedge down into the split.
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6
Place a third metal wedge in the V at the end of the elongating split. Drive it in with the sledgehammer to keep the split going. Continue adding metal wedges along the log's length until the log splits into two halves. The halves won't be perfectly even, but that's okay.
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7
Split the two halves in half following the same metal wedge splitting technique. Drive one into the end on the pencil line and then multiple wedges down the elongating split until the half log splits in two. If the four quarters are large enough to split into eighths, go for it.
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Tips & Warnings
If the log doesn't split in half after the wedges have been driven in, place a pry bar in the crack and pry the halves apart.
Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying debris.
Wear gloves to protect your hands from splinters and blisters.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
