When well designed, a garden fence can protect delicate plants from snow and wind, deter nosy neighbors, then keep your children and pets out of the garden and protect your plants from unnecessary foot traffic. As a partition, a garden fence divides flower and vegetable beds from recreation and outside living room. A do-it-yourself wooden garden fence requires planning, a couple tools, quality stuff, a budget and a couple of friends willing to spend a weekend digging holes, pouring cement, setting posts and wielding a hammer.
Anatomy of a Fence
A wooden garden fence includes 3 parts: the vertical posts, horizontal rails along with the siding. The posts can be square or round, but should be made from pressure-treated timber or naturally decay-resistant redwood or cedar heartwood. Redwood does not have to be painted or maintained and can be left to weather naturally, however fir or pine should be painted or stained and maintained. Rails could be rough-hewn or cut timber, and the siding can be a pre-assembled panel or just boards or pickets.
Styles
A solid board fence needs more timber and tends to make a boxed-in feeling. A picket fence is usable as it adds visual appeal while developing a definite delineation between garden lawn and space or living room. An alternating-board fence protects your garden area whilst still allowing ventilation and it is appealing from either side. A post-and-rail fence needs less timber, but has a inclination to simply define the fence line — it wo not always keep animals and children out of your garden. A grape-stake is created from rough-split redwood, and is suitable for mild slopes and curved terrain.
Installation
A fence is set up in three stages: plotting or quantifying the fence line, installing the posts, then inserting the rails and siding. The most physical element of setup is sinking the posts. When you have a lengthy run, use a power auger to make the job simpler. Each corner and end post location should be marked with a bet and then a mason’s line run from stake to stake, letting you accurately ascertain and bet all the post places. After all the posts are level and set, install the flat rails. Article and rails have to be flat if you want the siding, and finally the entire fence, to be flat.
Care
Weather is the fence worst enemy, particularly water, wind and sun. Use penetrating stains and paints to prevent water damage, discoloration and decay. Clear penetrating resins, polyurethane and varnish will soak into the wood, making a good seal, even though you may have to apply a few coats and the finish will have to be applied every couple of decades. The only region of the fence that is in the ground should be the pole; attempt to maintain the flat rails and also the shield from touching the floor to prevent decay.