Building a privacy fence step by step

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Treated privacy fence dog eared

Welcome to the first fencing guide for the DIY home owner or new clients. We will go over the process of what materials are needed, fence layout, post holes, stringers and pickets. Depending on what style of fence you pick to build we will just be focusing on the standard privacy fence. The fence will be 6ft and have dog eared pickets that are treated. I have a preference of screws rather than nails but you can use either. Im not including any permits or code process you will need to check all that before you start. Please do call 811 to get your utilities marked before you dig. Its a free service and they are pretty quick. Be safe and do safe things. I’m not responsible for how you use this information. Do at your risk and cost.

First Decision:

You can either follow the ground or you can snap a level line to make all pickets same height. It sometimes depends on the grade of your yard. If you have big dips in your perimeter you probably want to follow the ground with your pickets to follow that curve. If you choose wrong there could be large gaps at the base of the fence where you might have to back fill.

Example 1 – Choosing the correct fencing strategy

Following The Curve Stair Step Strategy

Laying Out Your Fence – Square?

Tools & Materials: Lowes (Since you probably have one in your town)

  1. String Line – Any color – https://www.lowes.com/pd/Marshalltown-250-ft-Fluorescent-Orange-Nylon-Mason-Line-String/1000126025
  2. Fence Stakes (buy qty needed) – https://www.lowes.com/pd/12-Pack-36-in-Wood-Landscape-Stake/1000403645

When laying out where your fence posts you will drive each fence stake into the ground at each end of the longest fence. Don’t just tap them in drive them in (12″ at least deep) because your layout needs to be perfect or your fence will be off. I use a small wood screw (usually the 1 5/8ths screw I use for the fence pickets) to hold my string line in place. You don’t have to you can just make a loop at each end and tie it off. Now to get it squared in the corners you will measure 4ft up one side and 3ft up another then measure between those points and it should be 5ft. If its off simply adjust till its exact. I start every fence determining the locations of the first and last posts in each run. On a square or rectangular yard, for example, this is usually the corners of the property. I set those posts first.

Example 2 – Knowing Square


Post Holes – 4×4 treated posts

Tools & Materials: Lowes (Since you probably have one in your town)

  1. 4×4 by 8ft Treated Posts – https://www.lowes.com/pd/Marshalltown-250-ft-Fluorescent-Orange-Nylon-Mason-Line-String/1000126025
  2. Concrete (Quick Set) – https://www.lowes.com/pd/12-Pack-36-in-Wood-Landscape-Stake/1000403645
  3. Long level – https://www.lowes.com/pd/Johnson-Level-48-in-I-beam-Level/1000243191
  4. Post Level – https://www.lowes.com/pd/Johnson-Post-Level-Glo-Orange/1002268134
  5. Water – Hopefully free
  6. Auger or Post Hole Diggers – If your doing this once id either rent one for the day (maybe $200) because its worth it. If not a post hole digger will work great in soft soil.
  7. 2×4’s – these can be the stringers you bought for the project. they will hold the post square while concrete is setting. Usually all the posts are done on the first day and left to set overnight. So don’t push too hard you have plenty of time.

Post Spacing – If you have laid out your fence properly you should have stakes placed every 6-8ft apart. You should strive to make each directly at 8ft but when ending in different places they are sometimes smaller you can certainly cut those. The point is if you make any post distance greater than 8ft then you will have to get 10ft 2x4s which cost more so just insure its on 8ft between centers or less than 8ft. On some fences 10ft is acceptable as well.

Post Depth – general rule of thumb is that on an 8ft post you should dig 36″ inches in depth leaving roughly 6ft. Once you have both corners of the fence you can use a string line and line level to make posts same height but that can be determined by grade of yard too. I normally just measure approximately 6ft from the ground to the top of post. Its pretty easy to cut the tops if terrain is hilly. Use some gravel at the bottom of hole and don’t fill the concrete all the way to the top because you need to put dirt in the hole to hide the cement. Usually one bag per hole works of 50lb quickset concrete.

 


Calculation 1 – How many posts do I need?

Length of Total Fence – LTF

Post Spacing – PS

LTF divided by PS = P +3 (walk gate)

Calculation Example:

Total Fence Length = 100ft 

100/8 = 12.5 + 3 = 15.5 (round to nearest whole number) = 15


Post Set Instructions:

  1. Drop in gravel – about 1″ to 2″ just enough to cover the bottom and then some.
  2. Drop post in – You can use a sleeve to protect your post.
  3. Pour in 1/2 Bag of cement dry.
  4. Level Post front to back with your post level.
  5. 5 gallon bucket of water – Pour in enough to be able to start mixing concrete. You can pre mix your concrete.
  6. Pour in other half of concrete and begin mixing till liquid and not dry. Do not fill hole all the way up you will need to make room for top dirt.
  7. Use the two leveling boards and screw them in an A Pattern to the post so the concrete can set overnight.
  8. Resist the urge to push the top dirt back into the hole until its set completely.


Stringers – 2×4 treated lumber

Tools & Materials: Lowes (Since you probably have one in your town)

  1. 2×4 by 8ft Treated – https://www.lowes.com/pd/Severe-Weather-Common-2-in-x-4-in-x-8-ft-Actual-1-5-in-x-3-5-in-x-8-ft-2/1001358260
  2. 3″ Wood Screws  – https://www.lowes.com/pd/Power-Pro-10-x-3-in-Ceramic-Deck-Screws-70-Count/1000363859
  3. Saws All or Skill saw and hand saw.

What you will need to do is once the posts are solid you will need to get your sting line out again. and string it from one run to the other side. You will need to make marks at each of theses measurements marking the string line height on each post. Its easier to cut the post tops when you have the top stringer on because it can be a guide to cut straight with saws all blade. Once marked at the below heights start putting up your stringers top down. Put two 3″ screws in each end of board. Its usually easier if you go ahead and screw your screw in so its easier to level. Just repeat till all stringers are in place. Measurements are at the top of each board.

 

Our Standard:

Set Top Stringer Height – 5′ 8″ or 68″ inches

Set Middle Stringer Height – 3ft or 36″ Inches

Set Bottom Stringer Height – 9.5″ or 9 and a half inches

 


Calculation 2 – How many stringers do I need?

Post Count = PC

Stringers Per Post – SPP

Stringer Total = ST

PC x SPP = ST

Calculation Example:

Total Fence Length = 100ft 

15(Posts) X 3 = 45 Stringers + 3 = 48 Total

 

Calculation 3 – How many Screws do I need?


Stringer Total = ST
SWT – Screw Total
ST x 4 = SWT

Calculation Example:

Total Fence Length = 100ft 

48(Stringers) X 4 = 192 Screws


Pickets – 6″ treated dog eared 5/8 thick

Tools & Materials: Lowes (Since you probably have one in your town)

  1. Treated Fence Pickets – https://www.lowes.com/pd/Severe-Weather-Max-Common-1-in-x-6-in-x-6-ft-Actual-0-625-in-x-5-5-in-x-6-ft-Pine-Dog-Ear-Wood-Fence-Picket/999921120
  2. 1.250 Deck Wood Screws  – https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-One-6-x-1-1-4-in-Bronze-Epoxy-Flat-Exterior-Multi-Material-Screws-35-Count/1000310321
  3. Impact Drill T27 Bit and a friend.

On the run you will need to set a temporary picket at each end then you can pull your string line from end to end. You just need the picket to be level vertically so carry your level with you and check periodically. Often times these boards are warped so do what you can to keep it level. Simply pull up the top of the picket to the string line. Screw the top right side screw first then the middle right so it will hold. A friend should be putting up the next picket while you screw in the remaining screws. Move to next and so on. When following the land you wont have to worry too much about where the picket ends up (height wise) because it will go with the flow of the land. If you opted to make a straight line you may have to dig out the bottom of fence as you go to seat the picket OR you can cut it. 6 screws minimum per picket.


Calculation 3 – How many Pickets do I need?

Total Length Of Fence = TLF

Convert to inches – TLF x 12 = Total Length in Inches (TLI)

TLI divided by 5.5″ (width of picket) = qty +5

Calculation Example:

Total Fence Length = 100ft 

 1200 inches / 5.5 = 218 Pickets + 5 = 223 Pickets 

Screws will be 223 x 6 = 1338 screws


Conclusion

If you have made it this far congratulations you have a fence or at least at the very least you know the steps. Now there are tips and tricks coming that will make doing this job easier. You have to crawl before you walk. The fundamentals can be transferred to other building projects such as decks and patios. You can choose to use whatever tool that makes it easier for you to do your DIY fence project. This guide isnt all inclusive.

You will need probably two drills so one is charged all the time and a friend is always good to have. Fences can get complicated but if you just keep things simple and squared the end product will look good and give you some much needed privacy. If you want to ask us any questions please feel free to do so.

If you are installing gates its just best to by the kit from one of the box stores (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Adjust-A-Gate-Contractor-s-Grade-1-1-8-in-Black-Gate-Kit/3161083). I know it costs money but it works. I have used these to do drive gates that are 8ft with no sag. Its faster. Its better. You will also need to get gate hardware luckily that kit has it all in one. My motto is faster and stronger works if it doesn’t interfere with quality. If you mess up its best to pull it/cut it/redo  when you discover it rather than fixing it at end.

 

Good Enough is NOT Good Enough

Billy Wagner

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