Building a Basic Board Fence

Building a fence requires only basic carpentry skills and hand tools, though a circular saw, a power miter saw, and a power drill/driver will speed your work. If you're building the fence yourself, choose a design suited to your skills. Also recruit help to dig the postholes, plumb and brace the posts, and install rails or fence sections.

A hand-operated posthole digger, which may be rented, is usually adequate for digging postholes (a shovel will make too wide a hole). If you have many holes to dig, consider renting a power auger. This heavy, corkscrew-like digging machine will drill a perfectly round hole in about a minute. However, if the auger hits a large rock or tree root, the kickback can cause serious leg bruises or worse, so avoid using one in rocky soil or around large trees.

Use only fasteners rated for exterior use since rust causes ugly stains, loose joints, and eventually complete failure. Hot-dipped galvanized nails are best; avoid the less durable electroplated ones. Because of their holding power, screws often are better than nails for attaching rails to posts.

Gradually backfill each hole with soil and tamp every four inches. Then fill the area around the posts with a well-tamped mix of earth and gravel or with concrete for extra strength at corners and gate openings. Check for plumb.

4) Join the lower rails at corners
At the corners, inset intersecting rails and screw them in place (after predrilling to avoid splits) with galvanized deck screws. (Fig. 4)

6) Adjoin the upper rails
Center the joint between upper rails in the post notches, then predrill the rails before screwing them to the posts. (Fig. 6)

7) Install the pickets
Cut a 1/2-inch spacer to simplify installation of the pickets. Periodically check for plumb as you work along the rails. (Fig. 7)