I'm planning on putting up a 6ft privacy fence for the first time. I've done quite a bit of research but I'm still rather new to it. I have a concept but it's quite minimal. What I'm looking to figure out is whether this design is sturdy and will withstand the test of time.
For materials, here's what I've decided to use:
For Posts: 4x4x8 treated pine (rated for ground contact)
For Boards: 2x4x8 treated pine (I'm on the fence with this one – pun intended) This is where most of my uncertainty lies. I've considered doing a couple of different combinations.
Combo1: 1x(2×6 kick-board), 2x(2×4 board)
Combo2: 3x(2×4 board)
Combo3: 1x(2×6 kick-board), 3x(2×4 board)
My biggest consideration for this is price though. I want quality but I don't want to over-engineer.
For Pickets: 6ft Cedar (from Menards or Lowes or ?)
Method: I'll be burying the 8ft posts about 2.5 feet down (below the frost line). I plan to line the hole bottoms with gravel and cement the posts in. I'm still uncertain on whether to bring the cement above ground or cover it up with dirt. The latter is certainly more appealing to the eye, but the first is more functional. Not sure which is better.
This is the design I had in mind, although I do have a few questions. I know that kick-boards are important, but wouldn't they also serve a structural purpose? If I did a kickboard in say, 4" or 6", couldn't I get away with only have 2 addition 2×4 boards in the middle and top of the posts? In this picture below, they have a kick-board in addition to three 2×4 boards. To me that seems excessive but I'm wondering.
So in terms of the general design, type of wood used and planned methods, is this a good design? With proper maintenance, I'd like this fence to last a minimum of 30 years. I think it should for what it is.
Best Answer
For 30 years, assuming concrete, I'd go with un-boxed metal u-channel posts. I'd put bevels on the rails. A 45 degree bevel on the top. It should slant away from the pickets to shed water and dirt away from the pickets. And a 15 degree drip-edge bevel on the bottom to keep the water from running back towards the pickets. I'd get full inch rough sawn air-dried pickets from a saw mill, not the 9/16" pickets from big boxes, though there is something to be said for more rails and thin pickets.
And since price/labor is a function of the number of pieces, I'd use (2) 2x6's for the rails instead of (3+) 2x4's.