“Honey, we need a fence”

Winter fades and the lush green grass and budding trees of spring return to beautify our world. We spend more and more time enjoying our neighborhoods, especially our own backyards. With the increased amount of time we spend outside, we begin to notice our landscape may be missing something.

“Honey, we need a fence. “

With proper planning and education, nearly anyone can construct a fence. Most fences are designed so the average home owner can tackle the project with little difficulty. However, if you decide it’s more than you want to handle, our area has several fence contractors and hardware stores you can choose to assist with your project. If you’re ready for a little challenge, this article will give you the basics to building your first fence.

Often home owners choose to build fences for privacy or to keep pets in or out of the yard, but people have lots of reason to construct fences. Fences can provide safety, add visual interest to a garden or give a whimsical charm to your particular house style. Whatever your reason for building a fence, you will need to engage in pre-construction planning and preparation before you begin.

Prior to any construction, check local ordinances to see if a permit is necessary to build. Additionally, you may need to receive permission from other homeowners or a neighborhood association prior to building. And, most importantly, always contact your utility companies to mark any underground pipes, cables or wiring.

Once you’ve received the nod of approval from the city and your neighbors, you need to double check your tool shed to ensure you’ve got what you need to get the job done. Good tools to have for easy, effective and efficient fence construction include:

• Saw
• Drill
• Tape measure
• Post level
• Post hole digger and/or gas-powered auger
• Marking pencils and markers
• Ready-mix concrete
• Gravel
• Work Gloves
• Safety glasses
• Shovel
• Wheelbarrow

If you don’t have some of these things, you may be able to rent them at your favorite hardware or rental store.

Fencing material type is another pre-construction consideration. Several types of material can be used depending on your fence design. The most common material types are wood, composite and vinyl. Composite and vinyl resist weather, rotting, molding, cracking and fading much better than wood. However, the initial investment in composite or vinyl is much higher than wood. Today, wood is the most popular, least expensive and most flexible fencing material.

Whether you choose wood, composite or vinyl material, your fence can be built using pre-built panels or individual boards called pickets. By using individual pickets, you have greater flexibility in creating unique and varied fence patterns.

Also, it’s important to determine which material type is suitable for your geographic area based on climate and availability. If you decide wood is for you, ensure the lumber used for the posts is certified for ground contact. For the project outlined below, we will use pressure treated lumber.

Permission has been granted, tool belt has been checked and the materials have been picked. It’s time to build. These instructions outline the basic steps to build a 6 foot fence in a board on board pattern. It offers extra privacy since the boards overlap and they have no gaps in between. And, it’s great for providing a safe haven for children and pets.

Step 1 – Layout Perimeter

Start by drawing a plot plan on graph paper showing property lines to scale.

Determine exact fence location, carefully noting significant features such as bordering properties, gardens, gates or entry points, sidewalks and roadways.

Mark distances from fence to house, as well as other outbuildings and property lines.

By taking this extra step, you will accurately locate fence corners, post and gate locations, as well as verify fence size.

Once you’ve sketched your fence layout, use stakes and mason line or string to plot your fence perimeter based on your graph paper drawing. Use the stakes to mark where each post will be positioned. Fence posts should be between 6 and 8 feet apart. Stretch the line tightly between stakes, allowing the mason line to intersect at the corners.

A great trick to make sure corners are square is using the “3, 4, 5 method.” Here’s how it works: Mark 3 feet on one line that intersects. Then mark 4 feet on the other line that intersects. Measure the distance between the two marks. If the distance is 5 feet, you’ve got a square. If it’s not square, adjust stakes accordingly.

Step 2 – Set Posts

Posts are the backbone to solid fence construction. They need to provide strong support for the lifetime of your fence. Typically, posts consist of 4×4 pieces of lumber. Each post is set about 1/3 of its length into the ground with concrete, gravel, dirt or a combination of stabilizers.

Start post installation by digging the corner posts first with your post hole digger. To speed the process, you may want to start with a gas-powered auger and fine-tune your hole depth with the post hole digger. As a general rule, you should dig your hole half as deep as the fence is high – in this case 3 feet for our 6-foot fence. And, the hole should be 4 inches wider than your post.

Next, insert your post to the appropriate depth – remember 1/3 the length of the post should set inside the hole. You should always set corner and gate posts with concrete for greater stability. You may use concrete to secure the other posts, as well, or you may tamp the soil that came from the hole around the post.

Unless you want a truly unusual fence design with little functionality, it’s important to keep those posts straight and aligned with one another. A post level is great for accomplishing this task. This device attaches directly to the post and needs little work to ensure accurate alignment. For posts set in concrete, you should consider building a temporary brace to hold the post until concrete sets, which could be up to 24 hours depending on weather conditions and concrete type.

Once each post has been set, string mason line from one post to another along the top of each post. This will ensure individual pickets and gates maintain a uniform height.

Step 3 – Attach Railing

The railing is the lumber attached horizontally to the posts. The pickets or individual fence boards are applied directly to the rails using nails, screws or other hardware. It is common to use 2×4 lumber for railing. With the narrow side up, attach the posts with decking screws.

Rails should be no more than 24 inches apart. Therefore, in the case of our 6-foot fence, we should see three railings between each post. You may use one continuous piece of lumber that expands the entire length of a fence section. However, you must make sure to attach the railing board to each post it rests upon.

When you come to a situation where the railings meet on a post, ensure both railings meet in the middle of the post.

Once all railings are installed, cut openings in railings for gates and remove excess wood extending past the posts at the corners.

Step 4 – Nail vertical pickets or fence boards

Because we are using several pickets to assemble this fence, you may want to consider using a nail gun to save you time and reduce banging with a hammer. If you do choose to hand nail, it is recommended you use galvanized ring shank or spiral nails.

Each board in the first row should be spaced less than the width of one board apart. Use a spacer to properly place the pickets. A spacer can be something as simple as the end of a 2×4 lumber piece. The key is to remember to space the pickets less than the width of one picket.

Install the first row of boards down the length of one section by nailing each board to each railing it touches. If you choose, you may decide to construct your fence section with one row. However, “board on board” construction, used in this project, requires tacking on a second row. The second row of boards is centered over the gaps between the first row of pickets. Continue installing the second row down the line until the section is completely covered. Repeat this process for each fence section or side.

Almost At the Finish Line – Gate Addition

You’ve finally made it to the point where you can relax and admire your hard work, but you may still have a few extra steps. If you decided to include gate entrances to your fence, you add them after you’ve attached each picket. The easiest method for gate installation is to use a pre-built gate that matches the pattern of the fence pickets. Of course, you may construct your own gate, but that process is not covered here. Purchase hinges and a latch that suits your style and function. Attach the appropriate parts of the hinge and the latch to the posts and gate accordingly. Keep in mind, the direction of the hinge must match the location of the latch.

Finally, you can add a stain finish or paint to your fence for longer durability and style. And, of course, don’t forget to include any additional embellishments to reflect your personality and environment.

With your fence complete, you and your family can bask in the wonders of your backyard paradise with greater privacy and security.