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misfit_gw

building a cedar fence

misfit
13 years ago

I know this is the wrong place to ask. My problem is I don't know where else on these forums to go.

Does anyone know where I could find plans for building my own cedar fence. I have been to Home Depot and Menards looking. So far I have not found anything I am interested in. Now I am thinking of taking on the job myself, but am kind of lost!

TIA

Comments (4)

  • huskyridor
    13 years ago

    All you need to build your own fence is first knowing where you want it.
    Second, set your posts at either end plumbed and braced with the top of the post at the height you like, for a 6' fence I go 5'4", add 6" if you want a 2x6 mud board
    Third, pull a string across the bottom about 12" above the ground and one across the very top of the posts on your leading edge.
    Fourth, take a can of marking paint and place a paint dot every 6'10" across your run and dig these down about 16" to 18" deep. Count your holes and your spaces in between them for the post and panel count.
    Purchase 7' tall 4"x4" PTP for the number of posts you need. 8' long 2"x4" PTP in the count of panels, and 14'long 2"x4" PTP The count is divide panels by 2 and add 1 board.
    Fifth, place your posts with the top leading edge touching the string and the bottom touching ther string and plumb them as you go, after the concrete set up nail top plates spanning 2 panels with your 14' boards laid flat, and your low nailer's about 12" up from the ground with the 2" side up and down and the nailer nailed to the side of your posts you want the pickets to be on.
    Sixth, nail the pickets on using a level every 4 to 6 pickets to keep them plumb.

    This is a breeze for a homeowner, but don't really expect to save a ton of money doing it alone.
    Fence building prices for me are in the dirt now. Most of my buyers have told me that I'm only a few bucks a foot more than their costs for materials.

    You, and any other homeowner, will not get my prices from my local lumber yard. I'd feel sure that the carpenters in your area will have a different price sheet too.

    See ya,
    Kelly

  • misfit
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you Kelley fo the detailed instructions. I have printed it off for later use.
    I am still trying to decide if I am going the cheaper route & installing cedar or just bite the bullet and go for vinyl. I guess I want vinyl for the price of wood, but who wouldn't!

  • huskyridor
    13 years ago

    quote""" I am still trying to decide if I am going the cheaper route & installing cedar or just bite the bullet and go for vinyl. I guess I want vinyl for the price of wood, but who wouldn't! """quote

    If you want a really affordable fence use treated pine pickets.
    I purchase these for 1/2 the price of cedar pickets. They're not as pretty but cedar pickets will look Grey and kind of ratty quickly from the sun if you don't stain them early.

    I'm afraid I can't join you in the Vinyl Fence Fan Club, sorry but I hate them.
    There are some beautiful alternate ways to build a cedar fence like shadow boxing, capped and trimmed, staggered panel fronting, etc...

    See ya,
    Kelly

  • MongoCT
    13 years ago

    I wanted a 6' tall, 2" square cedar picket fence around my pool. Material costs were astronomical here in CT for about 350' of fence.

    A bought the lumber direct from a sawmill in Canada. Including shipping the material costs were a fraction of what I'd pay locally. A little less than 20%. A bit of a risk on my part but it paid off. Tried to look up the sawmill but can't find it. Liberty Forest or Liberty Sawmill in Canada.

    The labor involved was significant...each picket had to be run through the table saw to true it up to a 2" square size, plus 4 cuts on the chop saw for a pyramid cut on the top of each picket and 5 cuts on the bottom of each picket for a truncated pyramid cut.

    The rails are 2x5 top rails and 2x6 bottom rails, the top of each rail is bevel cut for drainage then I threw a decorative 1/2" bead on the top and bottom of each rail for grins.

    I set the corner posts first, then ran strings, then dug the holes and set the remainder of the posts. Once all the posts were in I strung another line and cut the posts to height.

    A privacy fence will encounter a higher wind loading than a picket fence, the more loading, the deeper the posts need to be set.

    I built a jig for assembling the rails and pickets, nailed the picket to the rails with stainless steel ring shank nails. Then I screwed the assembled panels between the posts.

    A lot of work. Close to 50 posts, two gates, and roughly 350' of panels.

    But worth the effort.

    Weathered to a nice gray. Zero maintenance, and it blends nicely with the neutral colors of my pool area.