My holes were dug and the fence posts were set. Finally, it is time to finish this bad boy with fence rails and boards.
Fence rails
There are many ways to design a fence. So many that is can be a bit overwhelming. Some have fence rails attached to the front of the posts, which seems a bit easier. So, of course, we went with the more difficult design and put the fence rails between the posts.
Here is a reminder of the design we were going for. We changed it just a little to be full height instead of the fence boards being lower than the rails.
Adding Brackets
I used brackets to attach the rails to the posts. The top rails were relatively easy. Did you know a 2 x 4 is not actually 2 inches by 4 inches? Instead, it is 1.5 x 3.5 inches. Makes sense… So to find the appropriate placement for the top rail, I measured 3.5 inched from the top of the rail and placed the bottom of the bracket there.
For the bottom rail, I attached a rope to steaks on each of the fence and made sure it was level approximately 14″ above the ground.
I then attached the bottom of rail brackets at that line.
Attaching the Fence Rails
Next, I measured and cut each fence rail so they would fit snug into the brackets, slid them into the brackets, and attached with screws.
Finally, I cut and attached a board for the top of the fence.
After all of this hard work, I was finally seeing some progress… Then I realized I had a root problem.
We had a large sweetgum tree removed because the roots were growing into our foundation. We had the arborist grind the roots, but I think he missed this massive one. It was right where the fence boards would be, so it needed to go.
I hit it with the sawzall a million times, breaking it into small chunks, and even used an ax. Three hours and 4 blisters later, it was gone. Unfortunately, in my excitement, I forgot to take a picture of the hole.
Attaching the fence boards
To ensure the boards were spaced evenly, I built a tool by attaching 2 x 4s to my desired width.
I started with the corner board. Using a nail gun I attached each fence board on one side using my tool to get even spacing.
Then I repeated the process of attaching the fence boards on the other side.
For side that attached to the old fence, I changed the design slightly so that it was more integrated with that side.
I was nearly done, right? It was at this point I realized I messed up.
A good portion of my fence boards were touching the ground. This is bad for a number of reasons, but mainly because when fence boards touch the ground, water can wick up them and they are more susceptible to rot.
I knew this from my research, but I was so excited to finish the fence, I forgot to leave space between the fence boards and the ground. After a few choice swear words, I took down each board and trimmed it using a skill saw.
And finally… the gate
All was left to do was add the gate. Here goes nothing!
I started by attaching 2 2x4s to the sides and 2 2x6s to the top and bottom of the gate frame. I like this frame because the metal components help to reduce sag over time. Click here to see the gate frame I purchased.
I needed some help with the next part… My husband held the frame and I attached it to the fence post using galvanized screws.
Because people will likely be pushing the middle of the gate to open it, I added a fence rail to the middle for stability.
I added a 2×4 on the op to match the profile of the rest of the fence and attached the fence boards to the rails. I had to use a table saw to rip the boards on the edge so that I could get even spacing.
Finally, I attached this self-locking gate latch to the fence post and the gate. I really like it because I am short and have a hard time reaching over the fence to unlock the gate… No more tippy toes!
A final thought
I want to highlight my failures and difficulties because I feel like this is when people quit doing DIY projects. So many people have told me that they are bad at DIY projects because they often hit snags. The truth is that most people do, they just do not tell you about their failures. I’m here to show you my many failures as well as my successes in hopes that I may inspire more people to try a new project, to fail and succeed, and to feel good about it. Here is what I feel good about today.
In my first post regarding this project I set out to answer 2 questions: 1: How do you plan, and design , and build a fence?, and 2: Does building a fence really suck as much as people say it does?
I believe I answered the first question. As for question 2, it definitely sucks more than people say it does.
Done with the fence, next up wall texture?
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