A wood fence is one of the few components in any house that both beautifies the property and is very much functional at the same time. Many people pay hundreds of dollars in material and then pay another wad of money for installation. No doubt, top quality material costs a lot, but there is no need to pay for a job that that you can attempt as a weekend DIY project. The process is pretty straight forward.
The first step is to clear away all debris that can get in the way of the wood fence. This includes both the boulders and overhanging branches. Make sure that there is nothing that could hinder the straight laying of the posts.
Place a marker flag at one corner of area to be fenced. Repeat this process for each corner of the area. Once done, use a string to establish a guideline for the posts and fence. Make sure that string is pulled taunt to avoid any curves. When installing a wood fence, be very sure of your property boundaries. In case of any doubts, check the map or ask your neighbor.
Measure out the area between posts and place a marker flag at each point. Each of the flag marks the position of a posthole. It is absolutely necessary that these flags are positioned correctly and true to the guideline. Otherwise, the wood fence will become crooked and skewed.
When all the flags are in position, start digging the post holes. Dig to the depth of three feet and make the hole a bit wider than the post itself. This will make sure that there is enough space for the post and the concrete base. Continue till all the holes have been dug.
Posts form the backbone of any wood fence. To install a post, pour about 5 inch of gravel in the hole and temp it down with a 2x4. If this step is skipped, the gravel and the underneath soil will settle later, causing the post to sink. Pour about a foot of concrete and install the post. Use a level to ensure that the post is upright. Continue the process for all posts. Leave the concrete to set and cure overnight.
When the posts are firmly set, start nailing the fence boards. Usually, the manufacturer has marked out the positions of the boards on the posts. If not, use string as the guide. Stretch the string taunt and nail the boards using its level as a guide. Keep the bottom rail about 3 inches above the ground. This will control the decay of the wood fence and lessen the absorption of ground moisture. Install the picket board at the end of each fence section. This will mark the end of each section and add a bit of design to the wood fence.
After you are done, make sure that all the rails or boards are firmly fixed. Nail any loose section using extra nails. Give the whole area a careful once over. Make sure that there are no stray boards or nails lying about.
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