How to Build a Great Wooden Garden Fence
Building a garden fence is the best way to protect your trees, shrubs, and flowers from unwanted interventions of wildlife. It’s also a relatively simple DIY project that most homeowners can accomplish during the weekend! Below are all the steps you have to make to build a great wooden garden fence that will stand for years.
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1. Choose the Best Material
Below are the most popular garden fence woods and their specs:
- Cedarwood – this wood is well-saturated with natural oils that effectively deter moisture, rot, and pests. Fences made of cedarwood usually last 15-30 years.
- Cypress wood – similar to cedarwood, cypress naturally deters moisture and pests, but its lifespan is limited to 5-10 years.
- Redwood – the average lifespan of this material is 25 years, but it’s also the most expensive of the three.
All three wood types require staining or sealing before painting. You have to let the stain completely dry and remove the surplus if needed.
2. Plan the Layout of the Fence
This stage requires you to:
- Map out the perimeter of the fence with stakes (don’t forget to stake the gates).
- Measure the perimeter using a measuring tape to figure out the exact amount of material needed.
3. Gather the Tools & Materials
Here’s a basic shopping checklist for you:
- string;
- a budget miter saw (if you cut wood or metal posts);
- hammer;
- exterior stain & paint (for wood) + brush, roller, or sprayer;
- measuring tape;
- level;
- drill;
- post hole digger;
- Kreg Jig;
- gate hardware – latch, hinges, etc.;
- fencing roll;
- concrete (80 pounds for each post);
- exterior wood screws (2”).
4. Dig Post Holes & Set the Posts
Dig 2’ deep post holes on the spots marked with stakes. The diameter of the holes must be 2-3 times larger than the diameter of the posts. Double-check sizing with a tape measure and don’t forget to dig out the holes for the gate posts. Mix concrete in any old bucket separately for each post and cement every post.
5. Paint the Rails & Fence Panels
While the concrete is drying, you can take a nap or, if you install a wooden fence, stain and/or paint your fence rails and panels. You can use a brush and roller or a sprayer for the evenest paint layering.
6. Line Posts & Rails
When the concrete is dry enough, you have to line the tops and the bottoms of the posts of your fence with the rails. Make all the measurements and cut the rail planks with your shiny miter saw to make them fit.
7. Attach the Fencing Material
Installing wooden fence planks requires making precise markings all over the perimeter before nailing down the wood panels.
8. Install a Gate
Once everything is done, you can finally install the gate. You can find an instruction on how to construct it from wood on YouTube. We recommend constructing it while the concrete is drying.
Time to Work a Bit!
Now that you know all the essential steps to build a perfect garden fence, you have nothing to do but accomplish this project in your own garden. Consider it a small but long-term investment into the beauty and safety of your garden space.
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