Measure and mark a point half way down from the top rail for the second rail and another mark as low as you intend for the third (bottom) rail to sit. Once the top rail is set, use that as the measuring start point for the remaining tiers of rail. (Or, as the situation may warrant, jam/force/wrestle it into a better position and refasten the screw.) If any point looks out-of-whack, loosen the ONE screw from the post (you’ll thank me for this) and let the rail section rebound naturally to where it wants to “sit”. Step back and eye the rail to identify any major waves or height differences. Move on to the next post…and so on…until the top rail is in place. Set it on the marked spot and fasten with ONE SCREW ONLY. Starting back at a corner post, begin running the 16′ rail. #DIY SPLIT RAIL FENCE INSTALLATION INSTALL#For our 48″ tall fence, we measured and marked at 49″ leave a little play for when it’s time to install the wire fencing. On each post and from the ground up, measure and mark a point slightly higher than the height of the wire fence. Even if it looks nice and level, it most likely is not, but you want the fence to follow the contour of the land, so at this point, the level goes out the window. ![]() Some of the holes were slightly out of place and/or the posts looked “off” due to uncooperative rocks.) Setting the Top Rail is Key (NOTE: During the post install phase, we were regularly checking the lengths/runs and making minor adjustments to the uprights. Once all the posts are in place move on to the rails. Then, using a level, run a string line between all corners and set, plumb and brace the remaining posts. It helps to set, plumb and brace the corner posts first so you’ve got fixed points to work off of. Our postholes had to be 42″ deep to make sure they went below the frost line (check your local building codes so you know how deep to dig) and other than a couple that fell a little short, we hit the mark. The ground our house sits on is rocky, so even using the auger was no piece of cake. Run a string line to indicate the fence perimeter and mark 8′ apart where the holes will go. ![]() This allowed for better stability with no butted joints. We decided on 8′ so that each 16′ rail would end up being fastened to, and spanning three posts. ![]() (Amount of material will vary depending on the overall dimensions.) We gained quite a bit of extra footage by butting the fence to a section of wraparound porch on one side and our deck on the other so that these two barriers act as part of the fencing. Bag of pre-mixed concrete per postholeĪn auger (or posthole digger and shovel if you happen to be a glutton for punishment)īuilding the Split Rail Fence Each post was braced during building.įirst, decide where the fence will run and get a rough layout so you know how much material to buy. Materials for the Split Rail Fence:Ĥ x 4″ x 8′ pressure treated lumber for the postsĢ x 4″ x 16′ pressure treated lumber for the railsĤ8″ x 100′ pet/pest galvanized steel gridded fence Whether you need to keep puppies in or pests out, this just might be an appealing alternative to the traditional split rail fence. The “Dog Whisperer” I am not, and I was clearly delusional in thinking I could have them trained to stay on command by the age of four months. This split rail looking fence with wire mesh was a necessity for us since the arrival of two puppies not long ago. Okay, so it’s not technically a true split rail, but it’s a sturdier alternative.
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