Building Wood Fences - Selecting the Fence Style

Here is our final step to building a wood fence in your backyard.  Just in time for the warmer months!

Ace Hardware Carlsbad would like to share some tips on building wood fences and take you through our step by step guide to doing this.

In our 3 part series, we are showing our readers how to build wood fences.  This is our final step and today we will be discussing how to select the fence style you are looking for.

These tips can save you time, money and effort while building wood fences. Read all suggestions carefully before beginning the job.

Selecting the Fence Style

• There are literally hundreds of variations in fence styles and construction materials. There is pre-assembled wood fencing sections as well as fencing materials made from recycled milk jugs. The type of fence you use depends primarily on the purpose.
• Fences like the type shown in this image are used primarily for barriers. They are easy to build and provide an adequate barrier. However, they are usually not very decorative and they provide very little, if any, privacy.

• Fences like those illustrated in this image provide barriers and are more attractive than an ordinary fence. With a little shrubbery or plants, such fences can provide very attractive barriers along property lines.
• Fences such as those illustrated below are primarily privacy screens. They can be built as tall as needed out of many different materials. Their primary purpose is privacy.
• Consider your needs when selecting the style of your fence. If you want a simple barrier, a wire fence or a simple style fence such as illustrated above will work fine.

• For a barrier that enhances the appearance, consider styles similar to those illustrated above.
• For added privacy, consider the styles illustrated in this image.
• Regardless of the type of fence you plan to build, be sure you know exactly where your property line is located. If you are uncertain about the location of the line, check into it or work out an agreement on the fence location with your neighbor.
• Also, check any local ordinances applying to fences before beginning construction. Call the building department of your local city hall or ask for the local government office that regulates construction to be sure you abide by city codes.

• Try to keep the bottom rail of any fence at least 2″ above the ground. This helps eliminate the problem of decay and makes it easier to trim grass around the base of the fence.
• This image illustrates four basic styles of easy-to-build fence. Each style has the same basic top, center and bottom rail construction. However, the fences look entirely different with the various rail treatments.
• Study the design carefully. Decide which of these styles you prefer, or use a little imagination and create your own fencing design to apply to the basic rail fencing structure.

• Picket fences are very popular and easy to build. With a little ingenuity you can create attractive picket designs. Study the designs in this image. Use the designs shown or your own designs to create a distinctive picket fence.
• Make sure that all the pickets are spaced by inserting a loose picket between the picket previously nailed into position and the picket to be nailed. Use this easy method throughout the entire fencing construction (see first image below).
• A basket weave fence is often used on a sloping terrain (see second image below). This style of fence allows you to raise or lower each post.
• Use a good-quality board to build a basket weave fence. Boards full of knots may break easily when placed under the stress of basket weaving.
• A simple board fence is easy to build and can be quite attractive (see third image below). You can place the boards on one side or alternate them from side to side.
• The board fence provides both a barrier and privacy. It can be built as tall as needed and then stained, painted or left natural.
• You can design a siding fence to match the siding on your home of this style. In fact, you can use the same siding that was used on the home to build the fence.
• The siding fence can be covered on one side or both. Then, you can paint it to match or harmonize with the paint on your home.
• These are only a few of the many styles of fencing available. Fences are easy to build, and the materials are readily available.

TOOL AND MATERIAL CHECKLIST

Boards and Posts	Power Saw
Post Hole Digger	Paint or Outdoor Stain
Steel Tape	Marking Pencil
Small Axe or Hatchet	Gravel or Sand
Nails	Hand Saw
Hammer	Work Gloves
Level	Ready-Mix Concrete
Wood Chisel	Tamping Rod
Wood Preservative

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