We make our own picket fence. how to make a picket fence how to make a picket fence

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A picket fence is a structure consisting of supporting pillars, horizontal ties and narrow planks, which performs a delineating, protective and decorative function on the site. Traditionally, planks are nailed with a gap, which allows you to view the outdoor area. About how to build a fence this type let's talk in this article.

Picket fence features

A traditional picket fence is not very high and rarely exceeds a height of 1.5 m. Therefore, it is not necessary to talk about the reliability of the fence. In most cases, such a fence is erected to mark the boundaries of the territory. To improve protection against uninvited guests the length of the boards can be increased, and the ends pointed.

The picket fence consists of the following elements:

  • Pillars to which horizontal beams are attached. Made from timber or metal profile. Unlike a solid fence, the supports do not experience a large wind load, therefore, with a fence height of 0.5 m, a foundation is optional.
  • Bearing elements to which pickets are nailed. They are located perpendicular to the pillars. For low fences, it is enough to place two strips, at the top and bottom of the fence.
  • Picket fence - slats 45-50 mm wide and height at the request of the owner of the site.
  • Fasteners - nails or self-tapping screws. Corners and brackets are often used to fix horizontals. Hardware usually boiled.
The fence can be built in two ways. According to the first, at first, the legs are attached to the pillars, and the planks are nailed to them. The second method involves assembling the spans separately, and then fixing them to the supports.

Fences are made in the following versions:

  1. designer. In this case, the fences are cut out in the form of various shapes, which gives the fence a unique look.
  2. Combined. The fence is used with other types of fences, for example, with concrete slab which is placed below. In this way, the contact of lumber with snow is limited.
  3. Bilateral. Planks are nailed on both sides of the horizontal, which ensures ventilation of the territory, but excludes viewing of the fenced area.
To increase durability and expand functionality, the fence is made of various materials. There are the following product types:
  • Wooden picket fence. It is very popular due to the versatility and availability of the material. Often used for fencing summer cottages or to create internal partitions. Looks good against the background of wooden buildings. Elements are made from scraps of wood, so the fence will be inexpensive. Planks can be cut independently. The material is easily processed, which allows it to be used as decorative ornament. The highest quality fences are made of pine and larch, but any wood can be used if necessary. To extend the life of the fence, paint. Construction from wood light and does not require a foundation. The main disadvantage is a short service life, up to 15 years.
  • metal fence. Manufactured from strips of thin-walled steel. Usually attached to a brick base. It is mounted very quickly, installation does not demand experience of works. Fits harmoniously into modern styles site design. Installation often requires welding machine. The structure is quite heavy, so the supports are poured with concrete. The cost of the fence will cost more than wood.
  • plastic fence. It is applied to a protection of places of rest, flower beds, lawns. He is not afraid of frost, does not need a protective coating. Has high strength. Has an attractive look. Installation resembles the assembly of the structure and does not require tools. It costs much more than wood.
  • Fence made of euro and metal-profile picket fence. They are made of galvanized iron and profiled strips, which are covered with a decorative and protective polymer. Such protection provides the service life of the fence up to 30 years. Blanks are sold in the form of strips with dimensions of 10x1500 cm or 10x3000 cm with a thickness of 0.5 mm. The fence is made double so that the territory is not visible from the outside. Among the shortcomings can be noted the high cost of the product.

Advantages and disadvantages of picket fence


The popularity of this type of fence is due to its properties. The advantages of a fence include the following:
  1. Versatility. Picket fence looks good with any landscape.
  2. The fence is combined with all bases, whether stone or concrete. Also suitable for metal.
  3. Original look. The main parameters, height, clearance, material, etc., can be chosen independently, according to the design of the house or site.
  4. Ease of installation - you can build a fence even alone.
  5. The fence is easy to care for. Periodic painting and elimination of defects will ensure the good condition of the structure on long years. Some types of picket fence do not even require such care.
  6. Reliability. The design is strong and withstands sufficiently large mechanical loads.
  7. The fence does not obscure the area and allows you to plant plants near the fence.
  8. To create a fence, you can use any materials - wood, metal, plastic. It is possible to choose the material of your choice.
The owner must also be aware of the design flaws:
  • The fence cannot hide what is behind it.
  • It will not protect the area from dust and wind.
  • The fence is not reliable enough as a protective structure.
  • Wooden railings are short term services.

Technology for mounting a wooden picket fence

At first glance, it is impossible to build an even and beautiful fence having no experience of such work. In fact, everything is simple. The secret to a good fence is correct placement supports and compliance with the technology of fastening the main elements. The stages of construction work are given below.

Selection of fence elements


Unlike other types of fences, all elements of a wooden picket fence can be made independently. When buying or manufacturing structural parts, be guided by the recommendations below.

Cut out the supports from the bars, which have a section of 100x100 mm. Define their length like this: underground part- 1-1.3 m; aerial part - the height of the slats plus 15-20 cm for the gap between them and the soil.

Carry out the bearing elements from beams with a section of 50x80 mm. You can also use poles having a diameter of 50-100 mm. Their length should be such that they are placed between the racks. If the size is not enough, you can connect the bars anywhere in the run, for which one of two methods is used: the first method is half the tree in width, the second is an oblique log in height. The ideal length of the slab is 6 m, so that it can be installed on three poles dug in 3 m increments.

The picket fence can be made independently or purchased prefabricated prefabricated. If you choose the first option, you save a lot of money, but it will take a lot of time to cut the blanks. The result is a product that will fully comply with the owner's idea. Planed boards are best suited for planks. They are more durable and easier to paint. To get a good result, the workpieces must be dry. Before making a picket fence, lumber must be additionally dried in special dryers. If you use raw material, after drying the plank will “lead”.

The traditional picket fence is not very high - 0.9 ... 1.5 m, the height of the slats should also be within these limits. The most common width of boards for a decorative fence is 4.5-5 cm with a thickness of 2-2.5 cm. The fence, which performs protective functions, is made 100-120 cm wide and 2-5 cm thick.

Factory products may have a significant drawback - poor-quality raw materials, and soon after installation these defects will appear.

Preparatory work


The installation of a fence from a picket fence begins with the preparation of the details of the fence for installation.

Perform the following operations:

  1. Impregnate all lumber by special means to protect against rot, insects and fire.
  2. Paste the underground part of the pillars with three layers of roofing material or cover with hot tar.
  3. Saw the tops of the supports into 2 slopes.
  4. Slightly cut off one slope, so they will rot less.
  5. Treat all lumber with 60 grit sandpaper. This will roughen freshly planed boards that do not absorb paint well.
Prepare the following fixtures:
  • Cord - necessary for setting the upper ends of the slats in one plane. It is attached between the posts at a given height.
  • Cross - used to ensure the same opening between the planks. It is made from a strip, the thickness of which is equal to the size of the opening in the fence. Usually it coincides with the width of the shtaketin. The second bar is nailed perpendicular to the first, it serves to fix the template on the slug. With the help of the device, the boards are quickly fixed in the required position.
  • Level - for placing pillars in vertical plane and power elements in the horizontal.

Installation of fence posts


Drive stakes into the corners of the fenced area and pull the cord. Mark the position of the fence posts. The ideal distance between them is 3 m, but it can be changed to ensure the equality of the gap. Do not make the crossbars too long, they can bend. Ideally, the pitch of the supports corresponds to the length of the purchased sleds.

To attach the racks, dig a hole 1-1.3 mm deep and as wide as a shovel. You can also use a drill.

At the bottom of the pit, pour a layer of crushed stone and sand 20 cm thick. The pillow must be carefully compacted. It prevents swelling of the soil in winter.

Install the post in the hole in a vertical position and fix it with layers of soil and concrete mortar.

Repeat the operation to attach the rack with opposite side. Pull the cord between the supports and repeat the operation with the rest of the elements. After installing the fence from the picket fence, check its straightness - the stretched cord should touch the posts on one side. Check that the supports protrude above the ground at the same distance.

Further work perform after the concrete has set.

Picket mount


Apply horizontal marks on the posts at a distance of 20-25 cm from the top of the supports and 20-25 cm from the ground. Pull the cord, put it in horizontal plane and check the location of the marks along one line.

Fasten to the racks in any way - with nails, self-tapping screws, etc. It is allowed to use special corners on which load-bearing elements are installed and fixed.

First, carefully expose the first picket fence. It should be located in a vertical plane, and the top should be at a given distance from the ground. In this position, fix it to the legs with nails or self-tapping screws at four points.

Stretch the cord between the posts, ensuring it is horizontal. It should touch the top of the fence. Using the T-slot, align and secure the rest of the planks, aligning them with the cord.

How to make a protective coating of the fence


For guard wooden structures from atmospheric precipitation, follow our recommendations:
  1. It is necessary to cover the fence with paint or stain. Do not use coating on water based, it is not absorbed due to the presence of acid in its composition.
  2. Before painting, inspect the lumber for cracks. If found, seal them with wood primer.
  3. To paintwork well stuck, process wooden surface sandpaper with grain size 60-80.
  4. Apply paint with a brush, stain with a spray gun.
  5. To increase the life of the fence, the paintwork must be renewed every year. After 5 years, remove all old coating and reapply.

Features of the construction of a metal picket fence


Installation of a fence metal fence little different from wooden products. The difference lies in the fact that the parts are fastened together with screws or welding.

For the manufacture of a metal fence, the following details are needed:

  • Fences - parts made of plates 0.5 thick, 0.5-1.8 m high and 100-120 mm wide. In the markets there are ready-made elements made of galvanized metal or with a polymer coating. The type of profile can be very different. Their service life reaches 20 years or more.
  • Pillars - metal pipes diameter from 60 mm. Instead, it is allowed to use stone and building structures.
  • Crossbeams - the pro-thinned-out pipe with a section of 20x40 mm.
Marking the location of the supports and making holes is no different from the option with a wooden fence. Poles in pits must be filled concrete mortar. This is due to the fact that the metal fence is very heavy, so it should be carefully fixed.

Concrete is prepared from sand, cement and gravel in a ratio of 1:2:2. After pouring, further work can be carried out only after the mixture has completely solidified. Horizontal logs are attached to the poles by welding, and pickets to them by self-tapping screws. After assembly, the fence must be painted.

How to make a picket fence - look at the video:


It is not difficult to build a picket fence with your own hands. At the same time, you can not only save money, but also enjoy the pleasure of self-made beautiful design in your own area.

Fences made of metal strips - the right decision on the decor of possessions, which will appeal to thrifty owners. Visual lightness of construction, translucency and texture natural wood allow you to combine the function of protection and design decoration exterior. If you are thinking about how to make a picket fence with your own hands, start by choosing a material, determining its merits and compiling detailed plan works.

Advantages of a wooden picket fence

It is easy to decorate fence sheets from wooden planks - wood is attractive for its plasticity, unique color range and other advantages:

  1. Originality. No one will refuse to see an unusual fence - the boards, selected in shape, height and shade, will appeal to passers-by, households and neighbors.
  2. Versatility. Installation of the picket fence is carried out on any foundation, and metal, wooden, stone or brick columns will serve as a support.
  3. Long service life. At proper processing lumber will last up to 50 years. If you want to get a reliable fence, plan how to make a metal picket fence with your own hands.
  4. Ease of use. Defects on wood are masked with special stains or paints.

But the main indicator that distinguishes wood from metal or euro planks is economic affordability and ease of processing.

The possibilities of natural wood

Wooden plates differ in texture, plasticity and decorative possibilities. The fence, made independently, zones the property, will help to distinguish them into separate sections or arrange flower beds. A fence made of wooden elements is in demand in private areas for a number of reasons:

  • tree species can be used in domestic regions, regardless of the climatic situation;
  • slats are easy to combine with brick, stone, concrete and metal;
  • fences made of wooden planks will be maintainable - deteriorated elements are simply replaced with new ones;
  • the design will perform two functions - protecting the cottage from prying eyes and adding to the landscape concept;
  • around the building look great flower arrangements, climbing types of crops.

The decorativeness of the fence cloth does not reduce the indicators of strength, conciseness and reliability of high-quality lumber.

Tools and materials

To build a picket fence with your own hands, you will need the following consumables:

  • supporting pillars. A good option - pipes from a metal pipe rectangular section or thick wooden bars;
  • planks-shtaketiny from textured or planed boards. Reiki have sizes from 3 to 10 cm in width and variable height;
  • veins that connect the supporting elements. Optimal dimensions cross bars - section 40 mm and length 2 - 2.5 m.

The owner will be able to build a fence only from ready-made or self-cut planks. In the first case, the plates will be made in classic design, and in the second they will get their own, characteristic design.
The fence construction algorithm is implemented using a set of tools:

  • pencil, tape measure for marking the width, height and length of the canvas;
  • hammer, screwdriver and pliers;
  • construction;
  • nail puller and fasteners - nails or self-tapping screws;
  • kapron rope for marking borders;
  • electrical tools - drills, screwdrivers;
  • welding machine and drill;
  • scrap, shovel;
  • paints and varnishes and primers.

For convenience, place the tools in a special container.

Choice of plank installation

The fence can become decorative if you carefully consider the location of the elements. There are several ways to mount wooden planks.

Checkerboard

The technology provides for the installation of boards on both sides so that all gaps are blocked. The plates are arranged both vertically and horizontally. In private housing construction, two options are addressed:

  • support pillars are installed, and grooves for beams are cut on them;
  • guides are attached using fasteners. On the metal support special corners are welded, to a wooden one - they simply nail the slats;
  • when forming a vertical chessboard, the guides are set horizontally, if the laying is horizontal, they act the other way around.

Thick canvas is relevant for suburban areas and suburban estates.

lattice fences

Are you planning to start building a fence from a textured wooden picket fence with your own hands? Talk to the simplest technique- placement of slats with a lattice. Fix them on the frame with nails - and you will see how openwork, weightless and beautiful the design will become.

Herringbone technique

Fastening without gaps is relevant if the building is located near the road. The connection of the picket elements is carried out with an overlap at an angle. Before construction work it is advisable to carry out calculations - one section of the fence consists of 13 elements measuring 140x20 mm, 2 lintels from a bar.
The boards are placed one above the other, observing the slope and density of the web. The resulting ladder is decorated with wood.

Metal fence installation options

Owners, for whom it is important to correlate the strength of the enclosing structure and the decor of the site, should use the euro picket fence. The panels made under wood differ in quality, resistance to corrosion.

Varieties of eurostudent

The elements are fastened to supports made of a professional pipe measuring 20x40 mm. An extensive range of material allows you to choose profiles for the fence in several options:

  • classic pickets. A fence made of a metal picket fence will receive rounded ends and a dense arrangement of plates. The parts are mounted in two rows, and the design takes the form of a continuous web;
  • gothic profiles. The pointed shape of the product is arranged in a checkerboard pattern;
  • panels "Neptune" have the form of a trident. The fence is recruited, strictly observing the marking of the territory and the strength of the fasteners.

A fence made of metal picket fences will be durable and decorative - it is applied to the base material polymer coating resistant to ultraviolet, moisture and frost.

Ideas for building a metal fence

According to GOST 52246-2004, for the construction of a metal picket fence, rails 0.45 - 0.7 mm thick with a double-sided polymer coating are used. The owner of the cottage can choose the type of construction at his discretion or choose one of the ready-made options:

  • solid sheathing or ventilated construction;
  • a combination of strips of material with brick or stone;
  • sections with different lengths that form a wave;
  • arrangement in the form of a herringbone or arch.

The remaining modifications of the hedge are a matter of imagination and building skills of the owners.

The sequence of installation of a wooden picket fence

When thinking about how to build a fence in a summer cottage, start by drawing up a project. Indicate on the drawing the design parameters, the type of fastening of the elements, the intended design (solid, ventilated, combined with metal and stone, undulating or arched).

The construction of the enclosing product

The installation of the canvas begins after the preparation of the area - cleansing from debris, weeds, uprooting stumps. Further work includes:

  1. Mounting beacons-pegs and pulling the cord for marking.
  2. Drawing up the layout of the supports at a distance of 3 m. If you increase the gap between the supports, the crossbars may sag.
  3. Drilling holes with a depth of about 1 m.
  4. backfill gravel pad to the bottom of the trenches - this creates an obstacle for pushing out the supports in cold weather.
  5. fill supporting elements concrete mortar in alternation with the removed soil.
  6. Fixing shtaketin with screws or nails.
  7. Design of spans in a straight, beveled, arcuate, pointed form.

When forming a fence, correlate it with the gate leaves, the design of the gate.

The procedure for fixing the lag and shtaketin

Fasten the fence strips and crossbars when the support posts are already installed. Carry out the work in sequence:

  1. Mark the places where the crossbars will be fixed. Mount them from the treated timber using self-tapping screws. Control the placement of elements at the same distance.
  2. Focus on wind load terrain, based on which select the number of lags. Optimal amount rows - three.
  3. Mount the top and bottom elements at the same distance.
  4. Choose the way the shtaketins are located and fasten them to the logs.

On the last step consider the decor of the fence. Seal the cracks with putty, saturate the wood with an antiseptic and clean it with sandpaper. Open the material with varnish or transparent stain.
Fences built from wooden natural picket fence - great idea for DIY arrangement country house, cottages in country style. The construction will perform the tasks of zoning the boundaries of the territory and creating a unique landscape concept.

Picket fences are eternal timeless classic. Due to the low cost and ease of installation, the installation of such a fence is available to any summer resident. In the article we will tell you how the installation of a wooden picket fence goes, we will talk about the choice of materials, their preparation, the stages of creating a fence.

Advantages and disadvantages of picket fences

Picket fence skips sunlight and does not give streaks of strong shading.

Today's construction market is replete with fencing materials: corrugated board, concrete stacking sections, polycarbonate and much more. Wooden picket fence in comparison with them may seem rustic, "rustic". But this material has a number of undeniable advantages:

  • it harmoniously fits into the country landscape;
  • allows you to create an airy and openwork, but at the same time a solid structure;
  • little shade area;
  • inexpensive;
  • easy and quick to install.

Choosing a picket fence

In order for the fence to serve for a long time and be strong enough, the choice of material must be approached responsibly. When buying, you need to pay attention to the following points:


It is very important to avoid the following errors when choosing a picket fence:

  1. Buy material from low-quality wood. Any defects - black spots, knots, mold - will affect the strength and service life of the fence. It is necessary to reject pickets with signs of a slant layer - a wood defect in which the fibers deviate from the longitudinal axis.
  2. Buy dyed material. Under the paint, unscrupulous manufacturers often hide the above defects.
  3. Buy material without taking into account the characteristics of the area. Wood different breeds behave differently under conditions high humidity. If a country cottage area located in a lowland or in an area where it often rains, it is worth paying attention Special attention for this moment.

For operation in such conditions, it is better to choose a picket fence from the following types of wood:

Breed Characteristic
Spruce or pine Light shade of wood. High resistance to decay and splitting. There may be resin pockets that reduce the strength of the picket fence.
Aspen A popular type of wood for baths and well log cabins. It is practically not subject to rotting from moisture. Easily processed, resistant to splitting, has a slightly greenish tint. Can be affected by a fungus, requires treatment with fungicides.
Larch Exceptionally resistant to rotting rock, it turns to stone in water. The wood is durable, very strong, with a beautiful reddish tint. Difficult to process.

Tip #1 When buying a picket fence, you can ask the manufacturer when the wood was harvested. Practice shows that materials winter harvest differ more high quality than spring or summer.

Preparation of tools and materials


If thought carved decorative fence, at the stage of preparing materials, the desired shape is given with shtaketins.

Starting the construction of a wooden fence, you need to acquire the following tools:

  • jigsaw or hacksaw;
  • screwdriver or hammer;
  • screws or nails;
  • rope and stakes for marking;
  • plumb;
  • shovel.

You should also prepare the supporting pillars and veins to which the picket fence will be attached. For concreting the pillars will require a certain amount cement mortar. All wooden elements the future fence is pre-treated special formulations that prevent rot and mold:

Compound Characteristic
"Aquatex Soil antiseptic" Permanent alkyd coating with enhanced protection against biodegradation. It does not change the color of the wood, it can be covered with paint on top, retaining its properties.
"Euro Eco Wood" Finnish glazing antiseptic from the Tikkurila company. Provides protection of wood from moisture, fungus and ultraviolet for up to 5 years. Does not change the color of the wood.
"KSD" A unique impregnation that provides not only bioprotection, but also the resistance of wood to fire. Does not wash out, does not change the color of wood, can be covered with paint on top.

Tip #2 It would be useful to treat the lower part of the supporting pillars with liquid bitumen. This will provide reliable protection from decay, even if the supports are not concreted, but simply dug into the ground.

Installation of the base for fastening pickets


As an alternative to concreting, the support beams can be supported on U-flange metal piles.

Having cleared the area on which the fence will be installed, markings are made with the help of stakes and a rope. Then proceed according to the following plan:

  • With an interval of 2 m, dig holes for supporting pillars. Depth - at least 100 cm.
  • Drainage from sand and gravel is poured into the pits, supports are installed and their strictly vertical position is checked with a plumb line.
  • Pillars are concreted.
  • The supports are interconnected by horizontal veins.

As a standard, two veins are made: the lower one is at a height of 20 cm from the ground, the upper one is 20 cm below the support post.

Installation of a picket fence "Duga"


A picket fence is not necessarily a boring rural option with an even top cut. Give a fence interesting view it is possible, by mounting pickets with an arc:

  • Pickets are prepared, making out a rounded upper cut.
  • By adjusting the length of the shtaketin, they are mounted between the supports of the section in the form of a wave.

The horizontal laying of the planks successfully imitates expensive fences made of metal euro picket fence.

The difference with this design is that the pickets are not stacked vertically, but horizontally. If this mounting type is selected, the distance between supporting pillars need to be cut to length shtaketin. Another option is to dig additional ones between the main supports. horizontal veins in this case not required.


Fence "Blinds" is especially suitable for wet areas, providing them with good ventilation.

A rather complicated, but very effective type of laying a picket fence - in the form of blinds. However, to create such a fence wooden poles fit worse. It is better to take a metal channel and for each pole tie it in pairs with “backs” to each other. Horizontal veins, as for the Ranch fence, are not required.

The pickets are mounted in such a way that they are located horizontally, but at a slight angle. The finished canvas resembles half-covered Mediterranean blinds. This design is good in that it provides ventilation and light transmission, but at the same time it perfectly protects inner space area from prying eyes.

Installation of a picket fence "Lattice"

Another custom solution- laying the picket fence in the form of a lattice. It is more convenient to tie such a fence to the supports with ready-made sections at once, so the installation takes place “on the ground”.


The fence "Lattice" does not create a feeling of isolation and is in harmony not only with wooden, but also with brick buildings.
  • To make a lattice section of a picket fence, you will need a wooden or metal carcass. The strips are cut to the required length and attached to the frame crosswise.
  • If metal elements are used to create the "Grate" fence, it is better to paint them the same color as the picket fence. This will ensure the visual integrity of the structure.

Actual questions about picket fences

There is a special construction formula for this: N=L/(S+d). The value L here shows the length of the fence, S is the width of each fence, d is the interval between them. If there is a fence standard width 5 cm, which must be laid in one layer with an interval of 3 cm, then 125 shtaketins will be required for 10 meters of the fence.

Question number 2. How to care for a picket fence?

A wooden fence, assembled from well-prepared material, needs minimal maintenance. Once a year in the spring, it must be carefully inspected and the fences that have become unusable should be replaced. Fences older than five years may require cleaning from old paint and reprocessing antiseptic composition.


Question number 3. Which fence is better - wooden or metal?

A metal fence (it is called a euro fence) is more profitable than a wooden one, since its service life is practically unlimited. It is easier to take care of it - the polymer coating is reliable, and it will be necessary to paint the fence from this material no earlier than in 10 years. Its disadvantage compared to the classic wooden fencing- the complexity of installation.

Question number 4. How to paint a wooden fence?

First, you need to clean the wood of all contaminants and sand it. If it is not impregnated with an antiseptic, or the impregnation has expired, it is applied to the surface protective compound and left to dry. After that, the wood is covered with a layer of primer. This step can be skipped, but you need to remember that the primer saves the main coating. For a perfectly even painting, the dried primer layer is ground and the paint is applied with a roller.

Question number 5. Is it possible to make a picket fence with your own hands from the boards?

Of course. To minimize material consumption, you need to take six-meter boards with a thickness of 20 mm. Of the tools you will need a jigsaw, a grinder with grinding disc and electric planer. The boards are marked in length - usually into four parts of 1.5 m each - and sawn with a jigsaw. If the width of the board is large, each blank is spread lengthwise. The same tool can be used to shape the upper sections - at an angle, spear-shaped or rounded. The edges of the workpiece are processed with an electric planer, after which the entire surface of the picket is carefully polished.

If a Vacation home made of wood, it is most organic in landscape design picket fence will look: you can build it with your own hands using several simple options. At the same time, the construction will not require large financial and physical costs, and the right tools found in the stock of any home owner.

Advantages and disadvantages of a picket fence

Despite the fact that today many new materials have been created that are durable and reliable, many owners suburban areas prefer to use picket fences. And this is not surprising, because wood is not only aesthetics and environmental friendliness. The material used since ancient times is distinguished by such characteristics as:

  • decorative;
  • versatility, in which the tree fits well into any landscape and any style, combined with most well-known building materials, including concrete, brick and metal;
  • ease of installation;
  • easy care, which requires only timely painting or impregnation of the coating with special antiseptic solutions;
  • reliability, because a high wooden fence is difficult not only to overcome, but also to break.

During the construction of the fence, depending on its purpose, the picket fence elements can be placed both close to each other and with gaps of various widths.

A solid fence will completely close the site from prying eyes. The fence with gaps has a more decorative purpose, besides, garden and garden crops can be planted directly next to it.

The only drawback of wood products is their relatively short service life, which can be significantly extended using impregnation with antiseptics or varnishing. If you do not forget about the timely care of the fence, it can last more than 20 years.

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Preparing to erect a fence

Before you make a picket fence with your own hands, you need to decide what kind it will have and what materials it will be combined with. For example, the tops of a wooden picket fence can be left in original form or cut them in the form of an angle, a semicircle, etc. In combination with wood, brick and stone are often used to act as poles for attaching the fence. As an example, the construction of a fence with posts made of wood or metal pipes is described. In order to build a fence, you will need:

  • wooden fence;
  • wooden beams or logs (or metal pipes);
  • timber with a section of 5x8 cm or poles with a diameter of 6 to 10 cm;
  • roofing felt or tar;
  • primer;
  • varnish, antiseptic impregnation or paint;
  • bituminous mastic;
  • galvanized nails or self-tapping screws;
  • wooden pegs;
  • sand or gravel;
  • concrete mortar;
  • metal plates with a diameter equal to the diameter metal pipes, or special plugs.

In addition, you need to prepare the following tools:

  • nail puller;
  • a hammer;
  • screwdriver
  • pliers;
  • screwdriver;
  • tape measure and marker;
  • drill with drills;
  • sandpaper;
  • level and plumb;
  • kapron cord or rope;
  • crowbar and shovel;
  • metal brush.

Immediately after acquiring a picket fence and bars, care must be taken to protect them from decay. To do this, all the material must be impregnated with an antiseptic solution, and that part of the timber that will be in the ground must be covered bituminous mastic. If metal pipes are purchased for the poles, they must be brushed for metal, and then coated with a primer and painted with special paint.

In addition, it should be remembered that precipitation, falling into the cavity of metal pipes, sooner or later will lead to corrosion, which will most negatively affect the durability of the supports.

To avoid this process, upper part pipes should be closed with plugs, the role of which will be played by metal plates.

For sheathing the prepared fence frame with a picket fence, it is necessary to build a template.

It is a cross in which 2 pieces of board are nailed at right angles to each other.

The width of the board-stand should be equal to the width of the gap between the two strips of the picket fence.

The cross board has a length of 40 to 50 cm. By applying a template to the veins of the fence being erected, you can quickly fill the planks.

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Installation of wooden fence posts

When all the materials are prepared, it is required to mark the area for the construction of a wooden picket fence. Then the earth is cleared of bushes, branches and topsoil. Pegs are driven in at the installation sites of the fence posts. The distance between them should not exceed 3 m. Ideally, the distance should be equal to the length of the poles or beams that will act as veins.

If the gaps between the posts are too wide, the veins will sag, which will significantly reduce both the durability and decorative effect of the fence.

After marking the territory, they begin to install supports. First of all, they dig or drill holes with a depth of at least 130 cm.

For the reliability of the fence, it is desirable to make a small strip foundation, but when beams or metal pipes are used as supports, you can limit yourself to the following method of installing them:

  • sand or gravel is poured into the pits with a layer of about 20 cm;
  • sand is compacted and spilled with water;
  • the supports are smeared with tar or wrapped with several layers of roofing;
  • supports are installed in pits (verticality is checked by a plumb line);
  • the remaining space is filled with concrete mortar.

After fixing the supports and drying the concrete, you can proceed with the installation of the veins - the transverse parts of the fence, on which the picket fence strips will be mounted.

Recent years of fashion wooden buildings leads to the fact that more and more developers think that metal fence perhaps not the most best solution. In terms of durability, maybe yes, but in terms of aesthetics, it is inferior to wood. The wooden fence has somewhat lost its popularity due to its short life: wood, with constant exposure to the sun and water, quickly collapses. To increase service life, protective covering in the form of paint has to be constantly updated. With a large length, it takes a lot of time and requires a considerable amount of paint. This problem has become less acute, as the emerging recent times new antiseptics allow you to extend the life of the fence, and also guarantee the durability of staining for several years. The term is different - from 2-3 years, to 5-7. It depends on the type of antiseptic impregnation and the manufacturer, but finding "long-playing" ones is not difficult: in any more or less large store.

Moreover, these impregnations do not paint over the texture of the tree: all the veins are visible. They just change color, usually to a darker one. Such a fence made of wood looks solid and rich. Even a simple picket fence, and even a difficult one, even more so.

What is important is that you can put up a wooden fence with your own hands alone, if necessary, even without the involvement of assistants. Another important thing: a significant part of the work - the preparation of wood - can be carried out not on the spot, but, say, in a garage or workshop. And start it long before the start of construction. For example, from autumn to spring, and the construction itself should be started already when the weather is warm.

Wood is a very plastic material and the simplest thing can be done so that it looks like a work of art. This is true for fences as well. If you wish, you can make such a “candy”, which is a pleasure to look at. designs wooden fences several.

Fence

The simplest is the picket fence. This is a set edged boards or strips of the same, as a rule, width, which are nailed vertically to two or more transverse rails.

Scheme of a wooden fence made of vertically nailed boards - picket fence

The shape of the top may differ. A 90° floor cut is the easiest option, but far from the best, and not only in terms of aesthetics. The top of such a fence, even painted, is exposed to intense moisture, as a result, the coating in this place is destroyed first. And the wood pores in the perpendicular cut remain open. Rain, fog, melting snow / ice are absorbed by them, which leads to the destruction of wood. To avoid this, cut the tops not at 90 degrees, but at 45 degrees. If you look at such a board in profile, then the top will be beveled (see the figure below).

The distance between two adjacent fences is chosen according to your desire. You can make a solid fence, fitting one close to the other, you can make it translucent, leaving a gap of 1-2 cm, or you can make it completely transparent - with a large distance equal to the width of the boards or even more. Such options are popular for internal fences, which are more designed to separate zones and mark boundaries than to protect from something. For outdoor fences facing the street, they usually choose a solid installation, maybe with a very small distance so that the boards do not “swell” in wet weather.

Sawn tops add variety. They can be sharpened in different ways - with a rounded top, in the form of peaks, triangles, trapezoids. All this in different options and combinations.

Rounded top is the most popular It's coming soon openwork fence, but decorative - exactly Tops in the form of lilies - the fence will be beautiful Peaks and triangles - in combination and independently

Some even make truly works of art: a carved fence requires a lot of perseverance. The work is painstaking, but the result is worth it.

Carved fence slats - beauty Beauty - carved wooden fence

Make curly tops faster and easier with a template. Cut out a sample from a sheet of plywood, bring it to perfect condition. Then cut out all the rest according to this pattern. You can cut with a jigsaw or on a milling machine.

A jigsaw for such a case can be bought. All the same, even taking into account this expense item, it will turn out cheaper than buying ready-made carved pickets. The downside here is that it takes a lot of time, and the pickets turn out to be unequal: either the file will go a little to the right, then a little to the left. The edges then still have to be processed with sandpaper.

Buying a milling machine, if you don’t plan to use it later, is unprofitable. And those who already have one can buy cutters with a floating head and make a figured picket fence with it. The height of the cutting part of the cutter is equal to the thickness of the board that you will be processing, and the head rests against the template.

In both cases, you will have to somehow fix the template on the workpiece. This can be done with thin nails or by sticking double-sided tape on the template.

But if you approach the process creatively, then even from even thin planks you can make a beautiful wooden fence: nailing it at different angles.

The authors of this wooden fence made it even simpler: they only made the height non-linear, emphasizing the relief with a plank nailed on top. This, by the way, is the second way to significantly increase the life of a wooden fence - the plank blocks access for water to the most vulnerable open cross sections). Also, non-linearity is given by planks nailed to the surface in the form of frames, and the wood inside is painted in a more light color. Agree, original.

Wooden fence "checkerboard" or "chess"

In fact, this is one of the subspecies of the picket fence. The boards are stuffed alternately on one side, then on the other side of the crossbar. It turns out an interesting three-dimensional view.

The principle of installing shtaketin in the fence "checkerboard" or "chess"

If you look at such a fence exactly opposite, it looks like a deaf one, if to the side, then at a certain angle some part of the yard will be visible through the gap. The degree of transparency is regulated by the entry of one bar after another. You can make it so that the visibility will be zero. For example, with a plank width of 10 cm, make the distance between them no more than 6 cm. Here, no matter how you look, nothing is visible. The disadvantage is the high consumption of wood. But the fences are very beautiful, especially in combination with brick or stone pillars and figuratively made tops.

Checkerboard on the plinth - such a fence looks gorgeous

They make horizontal fences from chessboards. But here you need to keep in mind that it is very convenient to climb on such a fence: boards are like steps. True, any fence is not such a serious obstacle. Rather, it is a protection from prying eyes than from serious assassination attempts.

Wooden fence - horizontal checkerboard

Such "chess" looks decent and solid. Pillars can be anything: metal, wood, stone, concrete. If they put metal poles, they are made from a profile thick-walled pipe (3 mm). Above ground level, from the front and back, they are sewn up with boards (to the pillars with bolts or self-tapping screws), which are larger than the width of the profile: they should protrude on the sides by 3-6 cm. Thus, we get guides into which the boards are inserted. The boards are then fastened from the inside to the sheathing of the pillars.

Fence "Herringbone"

Another type horizontal fence- called "herringbone". It is named so because the boards are stacked close to one another, and with an overlap on the one below. In profile, it looks like a Christmas tree, as children draw it.

Wooden fences "herringbone" create a continuous covering

It is more difficult to climb up such a fence. Please note that the top protective visor. It protects the most vulnerable part of the fence, greatly extending its life, as well as pushing back the time for the next painting. After all, usually the top and bottom of the coating is the most damaged. From below, this fence is protected by a plinth, from above - by a visor.

Wooden fences "blinds"

They differ from the one described above in that the boards do not adjoin one another. They are fixed at an angle, but with some clearance. This type of fence does not create a solid wall and the yard can be viewed, although this will require you to sit down or even lie down - depending on the angle of inclination.

A fence called "blinds" - looking at its device, you will understand why

This type of fence is very uneconomical - wood consumption is usually high. The assembly is also difficult: fasten a bar (corner) under each board or cut a notch in the post.

But with such a construction, it is provided good ventilation site. This is important if the climate or terrain is humid. You can’t install a solid fence: there will be a puddle under it and the dirt in the yard will never dry out.

Wicker from the board - a beautiful fence

The fence made of boards bent between the pillars looks unusual. They are intertwined between the pillars like a traditional wattle fence. Only make it from long boards.

Fence "braid" from the board

Most often they are found in a horizontal version. There are fewer joints and bending long spans is easier.

There are also vertical braids. To give them a finished look, planks are nailed at the top and bottom - they both hold the edges of the boards and protect them from bad weather.

How to make such beauty, see the video. It's really easy, but it takes a lot of strength.

lattice fences

A wide variety of gratings are made from thin, and not very thin, slats: with different angles, frequency of slats, etc. These fences play a rather decorative role and are used either for indoor fencing - the waters of the thief, in the garden - or for the main entrance - to mark the borders, but not cover the beauty.

Fence made of wooden planks lattice “in a cage” Lattice fence made of boards - looks serious Double planks - such a lattice fence looks interesting

Photo of beautiful fences

You just wonder what beauty people can make from a piece of wood. Really beautiful. And some, while not very complex.

Maybe someone will be inspired by these photos of old wooden fences, they can be repeated ...

Disappearing beauty...