EASY STEPS TO A FRONT FENCE

Set the scene for your front-of-house makeover by building a front fence that oozes elegance.

2021-07-22 -

For you to note

• All cut ends of primed treated pine should be treated with wood preserver and painted before installation.

• Lightly sand and apply 1 coat of exterior paint on lengths of fence material prior to cuing.

Here’s how

STEP 1 Stretch a stringline along your front boundary. Use setout paint to mark post positions. Place a post at each end and at each side of path and driveway. Space remaining posts evenly between these, not exceeding 1.8m apart. Here, a section of fence also goes down the driveway at right angles to the front.

STEP 2 Use a post hole shovel to dig 600mm deep holes for each post.

STEP 3 Cut posts 1800mm long so they sit about 1200mm above ground. Sit in holes so front face meets stringline. Use spirit level to make plumb, then concrete posts in holes using rapid set concrete (see DIY tip, below). Recheck for plumb once done.

STEP 4 Use spirit level and square to mark desired tops of posts, here 1m above ground. If your site slopes, step each fence panel for a consistent fence height along slope. Here, the step down is 40mm per panel.

STEP 5 Use circular saw to cut off top of each post at correct level.

STEP 6 Screw 25mm brackets to posts to support top rails. For first rail, make top of brackets 27mm below top of posts where rail is flush. Add distance of any step down on other posts.

STEP 7 Cut top rails to suit distances between posts. Sit on brackets and use combination square to check they are centred on posts.

STEP 8 Use 3mm drill bit to drill angled pilot holes going through rails into posts. Switch to a 10mm bit to drill shallow countersunk holes to accommodate screw heads. Screw rails to posts using 60mm screws.

STEP 9 Cut boom rails to length, siing between posts 875mm from top rails, and make level. Predrill, countersink and screw rails to posts as you did for top rail.

STEP 10 To determine exact gap between pickets, first decide on a nominal gap, say 45mm. Add this to width of a picket, then divide this number into distance between posts, less your nominal gap. This will give you the number of pickets you need and from there you

can calculate how big the gap will be between them across fence panel. Cut spacing blocks to this width.

STEP 11 Cut pickets to length. Place first picket in channel of top rail and sit on boom rail. Use spacing block between picket and post. Use spirit level to make plumb, then nail through picket into top and boom rails using nail gun.

STEP 12 Keep installing pickets along fence panel, using spacing block to get correct gaps between them. Occasionally check that pickets are still plumb and spacing is on track so last gap won’t be too small.

STEP 13 Cut capping to length to suit each panel,

plus 12mm to overhang post. Spread glue on top of post and rail, sit capping on top and nail in place. Also screw up through post into capping with 40mm screws. At corner where fence returns into driveway, mitre and glue join in corner. STEP 14 Mark pickets near gate for leerbox opening and cut as required. Cut a length of picket to sit horizontally at boom of opening to support box and pickets. Glue and nail.

Spread construction adhesive around opening and press leerbox in place. Use a temporary prop to support back of box as glue dries.

STEP 15 Cut top and boom rail and gate sides material to make gate frame. Width of frame should be 25mm less than the opening and leave 25mm clearance to paving at boom. Glue and screw frame together and measure diagonals to check for square. Cut and fit diagonal brace going from boom hinge towards latch. Add pickets and capping. STEP 16 Aach gate to adjacent post using tee hinges. Cut notches out of corners of capping on gate and fence to enable gate to swing open. Aach latch to

gate and adjacent post. STEP 17 Fill all nail and screw holes. Use a heavy-duty filler for screw holes and exterior timber filler for nails. Let dry, then sand smooth.

STEP 18 Touch up filled and sanded areas, then apply a second coat of exterior paint to full fence. Let dry aer each coat.

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