How To Build A Four Rail Wood Fence

The posts you ve bought to build a rail fence should already have holes cut out for the rails to fit in.

How to build a four rail wood fence.

Indicate the locations for the lower edges of the top rails and the upper edges of the bottom rails to make it easier to see the marks when you. Horizontal fence rails are typically full 1 inch thick by 6 inch wide lumber but can be conventional 2 x 6 lumber as purchased from a big box store. Building a fence can help increase home security and keep unwanted critters from your property. Learning how to build a fence involves securing the posts attaching the panels or pickets and providing post caps.

Corners will have to bear both top and bottom joints. Board fence is usually a 3 or 4 board layout with 4 x 4 or 4 x 6 post assembled from either smooth or rough sawn pressure teated wood. Step 3 place the first picket board in the corner of the fence or edge of the gate post aligning it with the edge and string guide then attach it to the stringers with nails. Clearly mark each post 36 inches 91 4 cm up from the bottom.

For the strongest fence place your rails on the inside of the posts. Popular types of fences include privacy picket split rail and basket weave and can be made from such materials as wood vinyl and metal. To build a wood fence start by digging holes in the areas where you want to place your fence posts. Then place the posts into the holes and fill the areas around them with concrete to stabilize the posts in the ground.

I was going to buy six foot long treated 4 x 4 posts and have the store cut them in half for me to make homemade fence posts. If your fence has four rails stagger the second and fourth rails the same way. Level each rail and nail it in place with galvanized 10d 3 inch nails or screw it in place with 3 inch deck screws. The upper edge of the bottom rails should be about 9 1 2 inches above the ground.

For this fence with 6 foot pickets the lower edge of the top rails will be 5 feet 4 1 2 inches above the ground. After that attach 2 by 4 fence rails in between the posts which will act as support boards. Spacers on the gate posts between the rails to support the gate hardware. For a fence with three rails cut one rail in two and use one of the halves to start the middle rail row.