Summer Projects… Finally Over (Part 2)

Last week I finished our backyard projects we had planned for summertime – 3 months late, yes, but better than never.

With what I like to classify as minimal help from others, I managed to build a deck and a shadowbox privacy fence “from scratch” (this is mostly a recipe blog, after all).  On that side note, here are some step by step instructions on how to build exactly what I did – FENCE EDITION:

HOW TO BUILD A SHADOWBOX STYLE PRIVACY FENCE
Way simpler than building a deck, but takes loads more time.
This is not very detailed.  Sorry.

Tools Needed/Recommended:

• Circular Saw
• Sawhorses
• Level
• Tape Measure
• Nail Gun
• Framing Hammer
• Post Hole Diggers
• String

1. Plan out where you want your fence, clear out any trees, bushes, etc.  We had a big old mulberry tree to dig out, which Phil (our neighbor) basically did by himself. 
2. Order all your lumber.  We chose not to use panels to build this fence, but it would have been much easier.
   
3. Stretch some string between two stakes on the line where you want the fence to be, and spray marks every eight feet so you know where to dig the holes. 
4. Dig the holes.  I recommend renting an auger if you have more than ten holes to dig.
5. Put in the end posts, or at least one end and maybe a middle post – make sure you dig down deep enough, and use plenty of concrete.  Stretch a string between the two posts, and mark the center of each hole.  This is so you can line up all the posts on the same point. 
   
   Getting the holes and all the posts lined up is honestly the hardest part, because it’s the most crucial part for having a straight fence.
6. Once the posts are in, you can start putting up the stringers that hold up the pickets. 
   
   We chose to use 5 2x4s per section – 2 up, 2 down, and one in the middle.  We decided to attach 2 “up and down” at the top and bottom so they would resist warping better over time. 
   
7. After the stringers are up, attach the pickets.  It helps to make a spacer – we had ours about 3” apart. 
   
   We tried 5”, but after I put some up, we decided to take them down and put them closer together. 
   
   I found it better to use the spacer on one side, and then sort of eyeball the other side – otherwise, the spacing tends to get out of alignment.
   
8. Once your fence is up, build any gates you need. 
   
   We have a large vehicle gate on one end of the yard, and a smaller people gate near the house. 
    
   We had to attach the large gate directly to the garage, and it worked out very well.  No sag at all!
   
9. Stain your new fence!  Looks super nice.
   

 

The whole thing took a long time, mainly because I did most of it myself.  Having a nailgun helped out loads. 

I had to work a few things out, like how to attach stringers by myself (I just tacked a small piece of 2x4 on one end, and rested the stringer on that while I nailed in the other end), and techniques for installing posts and whatnot will vary depending on who you talk to. 

It was pretty fun, though, and really nice to be able to say I did it myself.