What You Need to Know About Building a Wood Fence

What You Need to Know About Building a Wood Fence

Building a wood fence is a rewarding experience that really pays off. Every time you look at your new fence, you will feel satisfaction and pride knowing you built it yourself. Even if you're not a construction professional you can construct a wooden fence with the right supplies and instructions. Materials necessary to build wood fences include the wood, a post hole digger, hammer and nails, an axe, power saw, wood chisel, sand or gravel, concrete, a tamping rod and work gloves to protect your hands. People have been erecting fences on their property for ages, and now you can, too!

When spacing your fence posts, the rule of thumb is to set them approximately 6' apart. You can go as far as 8' but you do not want to go further than that. It is important to make sure each post is set exactly as it should be. Take your time and make sure your posts are properly positioned because they are a very important aspect of a good fence. You may want to use markers or stakes to mark the position where each post is to be placed. You will want approximately one-third of each post to be buried in the ground. Using a wood preservative on the wood is a good idea, especially for the area that will be underground.

Another important part of building wooden fences is adding rails to your posts. There are three ways you can attach the rails. One way is the lap joint, which is the easiest method. Then there is the butt joint and the slotted joint. The butt joint is a better choice quality wise but is harder to do. Slotted joints are often used for decorative style fences. Speaking of fence styles, there are many different styles that you can choose from. You can go with a traditional two to three rail fence for the purposes of creating a boundary for people and/or animals. Maybe you want a privacy fence. If so, you will want to go for a style that features no space between the wood and enough height to block visibility.

If you need more information about building a wood fence, you can purchase plans and materials from your local hardware or home improvement store. Some stores may even have knowledgeable staff who can advise you further on the process of wooden fence construction. You may want to recruit a helper or two because any construction job goes more quickly when there are more people working on the job. The time it will take to finish your handmade fence will depend on your level of expertise, how fast you work and how large of an area you are working with. Read more articles on Building a Wood Fence