Constructing a wooden fence



How to Construct a Wooden Fence Wooden fences are cheaper and quicker to erect than brick walls and are a popular choice for boundaries. There are a number of different styles and the new range of coloured wood stains now available means a fence can be part of the style of a garden as well as forming a secure boundary. All fences have supporting posts, these are usually treated timber but concrete posts are sometimes used where a site is very wet or waterlogged. Wooden posts can be concreted in or bolted on to metal fixing spikes. You need to decide how you are fixing the posts before buying them as longer posts are needed if they are concreted in (up to a quarter of the length needs to be below ground) whereas only 10cm or so of the post is in the metal spike. You can buy 1.8m wide fence panels of various heights but although these are very quick to put up, the panels do not last well as the horizontal wood is often thin and brittle. Even if only a small part of a fence panel breaks, the whole panel needs to be replaced. A stronger alternative is closeboarded fencing, this uses separate vertical wooden boards (featherboards) that are attached to horizontal arris rails. This workshop show you how to make a close-boarded fence.

Square-section fence posts either 7.5x7.5cm or 10x10cm, buy posts that have been pressure-impregnated with preservative, you will need a post at each end of the fence plus one every 2–3m run of fence; metal spikes of a size to fit posts or hardcore and concrete; wooden caps for each post; arris rails (these are triangular in cross-section) plus arris brackets; 2 short wooden battens per post; featherboards; galvanised nails and screws; gravel boards; copping strip. Tools needed: builders line; sledgehammer; spade; spirit level; hammer; saw

Put up the fence posts making sure they are in a straight line with each other and that each post is straight.

Cut two arris rails to fit parallel to each other between each pair of posts. The rails should be horizontal and level, one 30cm above ground, the other 30cm lower than the posts. Nail on arris brackets to the arris rails and to the post. At ground level, screw in a short support batten (no more 2cm wide and 15cm high) to the side of each post, recess them so they are 2cm or so back from the front of the posts. Nail gravel boards to these short battens with a couple of nails at each end, make sure the gravel boards are level and flush with the posts.

The featherboards are wedge-shaped with a thin and a thick vertical edge, they are designed so the thick edge of one overlaps the thin edge of the other by about 25mm. Cut the boards to length. Starting at a post, position one featherboard with its thick side against the post, secure in place by nailing it to the top and bottom arris rail. Add more featherboards, nail in place and check boards are level with a spirit level.

To prolong the life of the fence, fit coping strip to the top of the featherboards and nail on post caps to top of the posts.

Nail the crossbars to the uprights posts

Make sure the lowest crossbar is on the ground

Fix the upright boards close together

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