How to Make Your Own Post Caps
Decorative post caps are one way to set your fence apart from the others in your neighborhood. Anyone can purchase and install commercially produced fence caps. To create a truly custom fence, use cedar lumber to create your own fence caps. The simplest method is to use a prefab molding strip nailed to a square cap that can be fitted to each post. This will allow you to manufacture your caps on a work bench, making the installation process a breeze. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Cutting the Caps
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1
Measure the top of your fence posts; most will be 3 1/2 inches square. Using a miter saw set to 90 degrees for a square cut, cut one cedar square for each post in your fence 1/8 inch wider in both directions for an easy fit.
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2
Select a molding 1 1/2 inches tall with a decorative profile you like. Mahogany works well with cedar, as the colors and grain are similar. Red oak will also work.
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3
Set the miter saw to 45 degrees and cut four pieces of 1 1/2-inch molding with both ends mitered for each post cap square you cut in the last step. Make your cuts angling out from the center of each piece with the flat back of the molding against the saw fence to create long trapezoid shapes.
Assembly and Installation
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4
Apply a bead of outdoor rated wood glue along all four edges of the one of the cedar squares. Fit one piece of molding to each edge. Using a pin gun, nail them in place with the top edge flush with the top of the cedar square, using three 1 1/4-inch pin nails in each piece. Align the corners evenly for crisp clean corners. Repeat for each cap.
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5
Use a paint brush to brush on a coat of clear deck sealer, or an all-in-one sealer and stain in a color that matches the fence. Allow the sealer to dry according to label instructions and apply a second coat.
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6
Fit one post cap onto each post and nail them in place with four 1 1/4-inch pin nails through each cap.
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References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
