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A picket fence is a structure consisting of support pillars, horizontal connections and narrow planks, performing an outlining, protective and decorative function on the site. Traditionally, slats are nailed with a gap to allow views of the outdoor area. We’ll talk about ways to build a fence of this type in this article.
A traditional picket fence is not very high and rarely exceeds a height of 1.5 m. Therefore, there is no need to talk about the reliability of the fence. In most cases, such a fence is erected to mark the boundaries of the territory. To increase protection against uninvited guests The length of the boards can be increased and the ends sharpened.
A picket fence consists of the following elements:
Fences are manufactured in the following designs:
At first glance, it is impossible to build an even and beautiful fence without experience in such work. It's actually simple. The secret of a high-quality fence lies in the correct placement of supports and adherence to the technology for fastening the main elements. Stages construction work are given below.
Cut the supports from beams that have a cross-section of 100x100 mm. Determine their length as follows: underground part - 1-1.3 m; aboveground part - the height of the planks plus 15-20 cm for the gap between them and the soil.
Make load-bearing elements from beams with a section of 50x80 mm. You can also use poles with a diameter of 50-100 mm. Their length should be such that they fit between the posts. If the size is not enough, you can connect the beams anywhere in the run, for which one of two methods is used: the first method is half a tree in width, the second is an oblique frame in height. The ideal length of the sleigh is 6 m, so that it can be installed on three poles dug in at 3 m intervals.
You can make a picket fence yourself or purchase factory-made blanks. If you choose the first option, you save a lot of money, but it will take a lot of time to cut out the blanks. The result will be a product that will fully correspond to the owner’s idea. Planed boards are best suited for planks. They are more durable and also more convenient for painting. To obtain good result, the workpieces must be dry. Before making a picket fence, the lumber must be additionally dried in special dryers. If you use raw material, the boards will “lead” after drying.
A traditional picket fence is not very high - 0.9...1.5 m, the height of the slats should also be within these limits. The most common width of boards for decorative fence- 4.5-5 cm with a thickness of 2-2.5 cm. The fence, which performs protective functions, is made 100-120 cm wide and 2-5 cm thick. The tops of the pickets must be sawed down and sanded.
Factory products may have a significant drawback - low-quality raw materials, and soon after installation these defects will appear.
Perform the following operations:
To attach the posts, dig a hole 1-1.3 mm deep and the width of a shovel. You can also use a drill.
Place a layer of crushed stone and sand 20 cm thick at the bottom of the pit. The pillow must be thoroughly compacted. It prevents soil swelling in winter.
Place the post in the hole in a vertical position and secure it with layers of soil and concrete mortar.
Repeat the operation to attach the stand on the opposite side. Pull the cord between the supports and repeat the operation with the remaining elements. After installing the picket fence, check its straightness - the stretched cord should touch the posts on one side. Make sure that the supports protrude the same distance above the ground.
Carry out further work after the concrete has hardened.
Secure it to the posts using any method - nails, screws, etc. It is allowed to use special corners on which they are installed and fixed load-bearing elements.
First, carefully position the first picket fence. It should be located in a vertical plane, and the top should be at a given distance from the ground. In this position, secure it to the legs with nails or self-tapping screws at four points.
Stretch the cord between the posts, ensuring it is horizontal. It should touch the top of the picket fence. Using the T-shaped template, align and secure the remaining strips, aligning them with the cord.
For the manufacture of metal fence The following details are needed:
Concrete is prepared from sand, cement and gravel in a ratio of 1:2:2. After pouring, further work can be carried out only after the mixture has completely hardened. Horizontal logs are attached to the posts by welding, and the pickets are attached to them with self-tapping screws. After assembly, the fence must be painted.
How to make a picket fence - watch the video:
Not a single territory can exist without a fence. These are not necessarily high and impenetrable walls. Metal bollards around a supermarket parking lot or hedge from bushes in a park are also artificially created obstacles, the purpose of which is not only to delineate the boundaries of the site, but also to separate zones of use.
The most versatile and affordable of these fences has been made from wood for centuries. Not only accessibility, but also ease of processing, durability, and environmental friendliness have made wood an indispensable material in any construction. Fence from wooden picket fence Nowadays, any man can build it with his own hands, having at his disposal a minimum of tools.
All wooden fences are divided into solid and clear. It is precisely the skylight structures that are called a wooden picket fence. There are many varieties of them. According to the main differences, a wooden picket fence can be divided into the following types:
1. According to the location of the slats
2. By type of installation
3. By laying the picket fence
These are only the most popular types of installation; in practice, you can also find barriers with mixed methods of stuffing elements, and with the use of additional decorations in the form of rhombuses, carved inserts, combinations with other materials, etc.
The acquisition of all materials requires careful calculation. After all, there will simply be nowhere to put the surplus, and the money will already be spent on it. The shortage will entail the need for additional trips around construction stores and selection of wood similar in texture, species and quality of cutting. Moreover, purchasing this material in compliance with all the listed parameters will be very problematic.
1. So, the first thing you need to decide is the height of the fence. The frequency of installed poles will directly depend on it. After all, the heavier the sections, the more often you need to install pillars. Typically, they are installed every 2-3 meters to a depth of 1 meter. Based on these parameters, you can calculate how much material is needed for supports.
2. A wooden picket fence for a fence includes the picket fence itself and the bars (another name for their bars or veins) to which it will be attached. When calculating, you need to take into account:
The size of a wooden picket fence can be from 3 to 25 cm in width and up to 2 meters in height. The supports, ideally, should have a length that is a multiple of the distance between the pillars, so that their joints fall exactly on the body of the support.
3. From the necessary tool you will need:
Having selected a suitable type of arrangement of the elements of the future structure, you need to start purchasing the material. There are many types of wood. Each region has its own more or less accessible breeds, both in terms of availability and price. There are elite types of wood that have a high cost, regardless of where they are purchased, but they can also be used to build a fence. It should be noted that, in addition to the price, the density of the wood should be taken into account.
Not every expensive brand will necessarily be durable for outdoor use. Therefore, if you can afford it, it is better to buy oak. The most classic and most acceptable would be to choose one of coniferous species. Such wood, due to the content of resin in its structure, will not rot for a long time, and the price, for example, of a pine board, is almost everywhere at the lowest level. For support materials other than wood, metal or concrete are suitable.
The fence consists of posts and intermediate sections. Preparatory work include:
Processing of racks
In the described design, supports can be used from wood, metal or concrete. The latter do not require any special preparation before use. Wooden posts need to be oiled, and the part that will be buried or concreted and the upper end should be covered with bitumen mastic. Metal supporting elements should always be coated with at least a primer, and best of all, also painted. The end that will be facing the sky should be welded with an iron plate, cleaned and also covered with anti-corrosion materials.
Preparation of spans
All planks and bars that will be components of hanging structures need:
As with any other fence, the first thing to do is install the load-bearing supports. Here the factor of unevenness of the landscape should be taken into account. If the owner of the future fence has the desire to build according to the level top line, then you need to think about how to seal the uncovered gap at the bottom of the picket fence. This could be the foundation or longer boards of the picket fence itself. Just keep in mind that the boards can be increased by no more than 25 cm. For larger figures, more frequent installation of pillars and additional veins will be required.
All these components will require significant expenses. Therefore, with large differences in height in the trajectory of the future structure, it is preferable to install it in the form of steps. That is, each subsequent flight will be higher or lower than the previous one. So, to install the support:
The next stage is fastening cross lintels. They, as mentioned earlier, must be attached directly to the pillars. If this is not possible due to a discrepancy between the sizes of the veins, then the joints of their upper and lower rows must be separated into different spans. Docking occurs by making L-shaped cuts on each of the ends being fastened and then aligning them and fastening them with self-tapping screws.
Pay attention to the range of brackets on construction market for fences. Above, you can see an example of attaching logs to poles using special brackets. Thus, you can reduce the installation time of the fence and achieve an aesthetic appearance.
Others are simpler, but less aesthetic option There will be screwing from above and below from the joint of the bars. When using concrete pillars for a Eurofence, the veins are simply placed in the grooves, and to separate them, a beam 40x40 mm thick and a length equal to the required distance between the legs can be placed in the groove between them.
The wooden picket fence is attached to the fence using nails (depending on the material of the log), or better yet, self-tapping screws at a distance of at least 15 cm from each other. An exception may be a wooden checkerboard fence, where the vertical elements of the fence are mounted in a checkerboard pattern on both sides of the cross beam.
In this case, the distance between the picket fence on each side will be equal to the size of the elements placed on the opposite side, or as indicated in the schematic picture below.
If the veins were attached to posts with outside, it makes sense to calculate the installation of the picket fence in such a way that one of its elements covers the junction of the crossbars. Additional screws screwed through one board, but into different veins, will make the structure stronger.
After completing the installation of all structural components, painting can begin. As already mentioned, priming of all elements should have been done just before assembling the fence, since the area of contact between the transverse bars and vertical boards cannot be coated with paint, and the constant moisture that will accumulate there can quickly render the wood at the joints unusable. Almost always, improper painting of the picket fence is the main cause of loosening of these types of fences.
Can be used for painting special paints for wood, as well as universal enamels and nitro paints. It’s beautiful when the wood is varnished, but it’s worth considering that in order to keep the fence in a presentable condition, it will have to be completely stripped of the old coating every two to three years and a new one applied.
This video talks in detail about the entire technology of building a wooden picket fence with your own hands.
Below you can see the photo beautiful fences from a wooden picket fence. Please note that every master and home owner tries to make his fence unique and unrepeatable by using various techniques laying and color combinations of picket fences
If all stages of constructing a wooden picket fence are approached responsibly, all work is carried out efficiently and safely, then the result obtained will be able to bring benefits and delight the eye with its appearance for many decades
A garden fence made of metal picket fence fits best into the image of a relaxation corner. Simple and unpretentious in shape, it is perfect for fencing the site and for the front of the house. This example of a metal fence is still relatively rare on the market. But for the construction of euro-fences (metal pickets), there are already several options for constructing fences with great design and interesting implementation.
Beautiful hedge of a private house
Usage metal elements as the basis of a fence, support posts or piles for fencing personal plots and dachas have been known for a long time. But a metal picket fence as the main material for spans is a relatively new and quite interesting idea.
A fence picket is a shaped metal strip with stiffening ribs and holes for fastenings.
Fence with brick pillars
The dimensions of such strips may vary slightly depending on technical specifications manufacturer. The basis of production is galvanized rolled steel or profiled sheets with a thickness of 0.8 to 2 mm.
The length of the slats, depending on the purpose of the fence, can be from 0.25 to 2 meters.
The range of manufacturers includes the following varieties:
And this is just one of the varieties
Fences made of metal picket fences or European picket fences are just one of the types of fencing. In fact, types of metal picket fence include:
Each of the presented types of material has its own characteristics both in terms of installation and in the form of the profile of the plates, the shape of the upper part, and the method of fastening.
According to the shape of sheet steel slats, the most popular type of material among summer residents, they are:
Decorative hedge option
For those who decide to make a picket fence with their own hands, the following points will be important:
A fence made from metal unpainted plates is much cheaper than with plates that have polymer coating.
Unpainted elements are painted:
Painting is done in two or three stages: the first is priming, the second is enamel painting, and the third is varnishing.
Possible variety of colors and patterns
Among possible types classifications of fences are worth highlighting:
Installation of a metal picket fence has several ways of attaching the slats to the fence frame. In one case, the technology involves fastening to transverse strips, just as it is fastened. In another case, you can attach a metal picket fence to the frame in special seats.
Vertical checkerboard
A metal fence for a house with a sparse arrangement of plates is installed on a slatted base of two slats - upper and lower. This installation option is universal; it can also be used under a fence, when the plates are installed in a checkerboard pattern.
The design elements taken into account are:
As a result of the calculation, initial information is obtained for entering into the online calculator:
Multi-colored option
When calculating how to make a metal fence and how much material it will take, you can take as a basis standard option, the scheme of which provides:
The fence goes well with brick pillars
The calculation will be incomplete without the fact that options for filling the spans may make adjustments to the final calculation. Types of filling may include:
The photo shows a beautiful hedge.
Recently completed fence installation
So, how to make a fence from a metal picket fence with your own hands, you need to understand in detail. Fences, gates and gates made of picket fences in a checkerboard pattern have a wider gap between the plates. This is done through the use of elements with a width of 10 or even 12 cm. In this case, the calculation and installation must be made as accurately and accurately as possible so that all distances are maintained both in the width of the gap and in the height of the installation of the plates.
A beautiful hedge option for a private home
To install a metal picket fence, you will definitely need a screwdriver with a set of bits, an electric drill with drills and a level. The presence of these tools and the ability to work with them determine the features of the installation of all elements.
How to make a fence from a metal picket fence? The best option prefabricated structure protrudes a fence made of metal picket fence on screw piles. For a more ceremonial version of the fence, it can be the construction of fences with brickwork as a base and design of pillars. For both cases, universal techniques and work methods are used, shown in the video of the installation of supports and frames.
Installation is quite quick
According to the layout of the site, a fence installation line is marked with space for the entrance gate and wicket. Further work proceeds according to plan:
Installation work
The set of spans begins with marking using the level of plate mounting points.
The first plates are installed from the edges of the span at the same distance from. The distance between them is divided by the number of slats and the equal distance of spans between them.
Another option for installation
Installation of each element is carried out after checking the distance in the upper and lower parts between the plates. Double option installed first with outside, and then with the inner one. For more details about the set of spans, see the video.
To make a fence from a metal picket fence with your own hands, a photo of which is presented below, several operations performed after installing the spans will help:
Vertical checker board installation diagram
If Vacation home made of wood, it is most organically in landscape design a picket fence will look great: you can build it with your own hands using several simple options. At the same time, construction will not require large financial and physical costs, and necessary tools will be found in stock of any home owner.
Despite the fact that today many new materials have been created that are durable and reliable, many owners of suburban areas prefer to use picket fencing. And this is not surprising, because wood is not only aesthetics and environmental friendliness. The material used since ancient times is distinguished by such characteristics as:
When building a fence, depending on its purpose, the picket fence elements can be placed either close to each other or with gaps of different widths.
A solid fence will completely cover the area from prying eyes. A fence with gaps has a more decorative purpose; moreover, garden and vegetable crops can be planted directly next to it.
The only drawback of wood products is their relatively short service life, which can be significantly extended by using antiseptic impregnation or varnishing. If you do not forget about timely care of the fence, it can last more than 20 years.
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Before you make a picket fence with your own hands, you need to decide what type it will have and what materials it will be combined with. For example, the tops of a wooden picket fence can be left in original form or cut them in the shape of an angle, semicircle, etc. Brick and stone are often used in combination with wood, acting as posts for securing the fence. As an example, the construction of a fence with posts made of wood or metal pipes. In order to build a fence, you will need:
In addition, you need to prepare the following tools:
Immediately after purchasing the picket fence and beams, care must be taken to protect them from rotting. To do this, all the material needs to be soaked in an antiseptic solution, and the part of the timber that will be in the ground needs to be covered. bitumen mastic. If metal pipes are purchased for poles, you need to brush them with a metal brush, and then coat them with a primer and paint them with a special paint.
In addition, it should be remembered that precipitation entering the cavity of metal pipes will sooner or later lead to corrosion, which will most negatively affect the durability of the supports.
To eliminate this process, top part pipes should be closed with plugs, the role of which will be played by metal plates.
To cover the prepared fence frame with a picket fence, you need to build a template.
It is a cross in which 2 pieces of board are nailed at right angles to each other.
The width of the stand board should be equal to the width of the gap between the two picket strips.
The cross board has a length of 40 to 50 cm. By applying the template to the veins of the fence being built, you can quickly fill the slats.
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When all the materials are prepared, you need to mark the area for the construction of a wooden picket fence. Then the ground is cleared of bushes, branches and topsoil. Pegs are driven in at the locations where the fence posts are installed. The distance between them should not exceed 3 m. Ideally, the distance should be equal to the length of the poles or bars that will act as veins.
If the gaps between the posts are too wide, the veins will sag, which will significantly reduce both the durability and decorative value of the fence.
After marking the territory, they begin to install supports. First of all, holes are dug or drilled to a depth of at least 130 cm.
For the reliability of the fence, it is advisable to make a small strip foundation, but when beams or metal pipes are used as supports, you can limit yourself to the following method of installing them:
After fixing the supports and drying the concrete, you can begin installing the veins - the transverse parts of the fence on which the picket fence strips will be mounted.
Wood has long been one of the most popular materials in construction. They build from it log houses, make interior items and window frames. This list is far from complete. The material is environmentally friendly and can be used to create an atmosphere of coziness and comfort indoors.
Wood can also form the basis of a picket fence, which acts as one of the most common types of fencing, which is especially true in the question suburban construction. With the help of such a fence you can mark the boundaries of the site without obscuring the territory. By building a wooden picket fence with your own hands, you can give it any shape and height. The distance between the elements can also be selected individually, thanks to this the design takes on an original and attractive appearance, complementing the exterior of the suburban area.
The popularity of such fencing is explained by several parameters, including:
By making a wooden picket fence with your own hands, you can fit the structure into any landscape. It combines perfectly with other materials and looks organic even with products made of brick, stone, metal and concrete. Installing such a fence is quite simple; any home owner and summer resident can do such work. There is no need to resort to the help of professionals.
Caring for such a fence is quite simple. Its surface can be painted, and, if necessary, some elements that have been damaged during the season can be replaced. By making a fence from a wooden picket fence with your own hands, you can create a fairly tall structure that will reliable protection possessions. One of the main advantages of a picket fence is the ability to plant plants at its base.
In order to build a fence, you should prepare some materials, including:
The pillars can be made of thick beams or metal pipes. As for the picket fence, it has the form of separate slats, the width of which is quite small. Pickets can be made from planed or edged boards. The transverse slats for the fence will be positioned horizontally, their length should be equal to the limit of 2 to 2.5 m.
The veins will be based on bars, the cross-section of which is 40 mm. If you decide to make a wooden picket fence with your own hands, you can purchase the material ready-made or make it yourself. The first approach saves time. The fence can be installed on the day of purchase. However, the disadvantage may be raw, low-quality wood, which formed the basis of the picket fence.
If you have time, you can make a picket fence yourself, spending a few days on it. You can guarantee the result. First you need to determine the length of the fence, the pitch between the supports, the height of the structure and the size of the picket fence. If you decide to purchase lumber, then preference should be given to well-dried products. When the material is prepared independently, craftsmen usually saw down and sand the tops. made of wood from below are treated with hot pitch. This will prevent rotting and significantly extend the life of the wood.
A wooden do-it-yourself one, a photo of which you can see in the article, is made on the basis of support pillars. But first, the area in the direction of the fence should be cleared of tree branches, bushes and weeds that could interfere with construction. On the site, laces are tightened and places for installing poles are marked. The distance between them should be 3 m or less. If the spans are made too long, the crossbars may sag under the weight of the picket fence.
The supports are usually installed in the ground, but if you want to make the structure more durable, you should use the technology of pouring a solution of cement and sand. Making a fence from a wooden picket fence with your own hands involves installing supports on a gravel cushion, which will prevent the posts from being squeezed out when the ground freezes. The pillars should be fixed vertically, covered with layers of soil and concrete.
The posts should be positioned as evenly as possible along the fence line. Sometimes veins are installed between them. usually carried out according to one of two methods, the first involves fastening crossbars between the supports, as well as installing a picket fence. The second technology involves assembling the spans separately, after which they are attached to the supports with blocks. Usually the pitch between the pickets is equal to the width of the boards. The cross bars are fixed on using self-tapping screws, nails or bolts. The veins are attached to metal poles corners for fastening beams.
Before starting work, be sure to read the instructions. A do-it-yourself wooden picket fence is assembled only after installing the posts. In place of the pegs that are driven into the ground at the marking stage, holes should be dug. Their depth should be 50 cm or more. When installing supports, you should not trust your eye; it is better to use a plumb line or level. The bottom of the pit should be concreted. To prevent the pole from sagging, it is recommended to make temporary spacers that will hold the product until the mixture hardens.
If you are thinking about the question of how to make a fence from a wooden picket fence with your own hands, then it is important to become more familiar with the technology of assembling structures. You need to start this process only after the pillars are securely held in place. concrete mixture. To do this, after pouring you need to wait about 2 days. Further work will resemble the assembly of a construction set.
The fasteners are installed on the poles. The veins are fixed to the fastenings with self-tapping screws. At this stage, it is necessary to mark the places where the picket fence should be located on the veins. You should use a marker or pencil for this. This will allow you to ensure that the distance between the picket fence elements is maintained. It is better to use a screwdriver to screw the slats.
Before starting work, experts recommend familiarizing yourself with the ideas. A DIY wooden picket fence can look very original. In many ways it appearance determined decorative finishing. In addition, applying a protective layer allows you to extend the life of the structure. If we're talking about Regarding freshly planed boards, you should not use film-forming agents, as they do not adhere well and do not last long. You need to clean the surface of the wood with medium-grain sandpaper. Applying varnish will protect the material from moisture. You can use it transparent variety or stain.
Installing a wooden picket fence with your own hands may involve the use of supports made of different materials, among them:
In any case, the same distance must be maintained between the elements; finished sections will be located between the supports. For additional rigidity, the pillars can be supplemented with bases in the form of stops that will go to the side. After pouring the concrete and hardening, the resulting depression can be filled with soil.
Quite often in Lately A metal picket fence is used to make the fence. It has a polymer coating, so it does not require painting. But if you want to make the exterior more natural, then it is better to use wood, it final stage covered with stain and special antiseptics. This way it will be possible to preserve the natural color of the material and eliminate the impact of negative factors on it.
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