We install a wooden picket fence - an inexpensive wooden fence for your summer cottage. How to make a wooden picket fence with your own hands Fanned picket fence

Euro shtaketnik is a relatively new type of fencing for houses and summer cottages, which is a galvanized metal strip made of profiled sheet, covered with a colored polymer for protection and beauty. Such a fence is inexpensive, can be installed quickly, and has served for over 30 years. The demand for euro shtaketnik is explained by its main qualities: aesthetic appeal, durability, democratic price.

How much does a euro picket fence cost: materials plus work

On average, a running meter will cost from one thousand rubles along with installation work. If you mount a picket fence with your own hands, then its installation will be cheaper. The price of a fence depends on several factors:

type of euro shtaketnik - the manufacturer's brand, workmanship, coating thickness affects;
plank height - from 1.5 to 2 m;
the width of the shtaketins and the distance between them, which affects the number of strips per 1 running meter. m fencing.

We calculate the amount of material for the fence

It is not difficult to make a fence out of euro picket fence yourself. Before purchasing components, you will need to calculate their number. You will need:

euroshtaketnik;
bearing support pillars, usually a professional pipe with a cross section of 60 * 60 mm is used for these purposes;
frame transverse logs - professional pipe 40 * 20 mm;
fasteners - self-tapping screws 4 pcs. on one bar (two on the top lag and 2 on the bottom).

To determine the specific number of planks, you need to know several rules for installing a fence from a picket fence.

The total length of the fence is measured around the perimeter of the area to be fenced.

It is necessary to subtract the length of the gate and wickets from the total indicators (their total length is summed up).

The number of support pillars is calculated taking into account that the distance between them is 2.5 m, according to the following formula:

Number of posts = (length of perimeter fence - length of gates and wickets) / distance between posts (2.5 m).

To this indicator, the required number of pillars is added to install the gates (wickets).

The number of planks is calculated according to the formula:

Number of euro shtaketin = length of the fence / (width of the slat + the width of the gap between the slats).

If you plan to install a double-sided picket fence, then this number is multiplied by 2.

Pillars from a profile pipe for a fence

If it is decided to use professional pipe, and not make brick pillars, then it can be of any kind - with a round or square section, 60 * 60 or 80 * 80 mm, with a wall thickness of 2 or 4 mm.

Euro shtaketnik, in contrast to solid corrugated boarding, does not create windage from the wind, power and wind loads are less, therefore, the requirements for the support posts are not so stringent. In most cases, their concreting into the ground is not required.

Installing support pillars

Do-it-yourself installation of a picket fence begins with the installation of pillars. The step-by-step instruction of the process is as follows.

Drilling(digging) wells with a depth of 1.1-1.5 m.

Post installation... It is better to strengthen the bottom of the hole with hard stones. Backfill the well with gravel, compact with earth.

DIY metal picket fence. Photo step by step

Concreting required only if the soil is loose sandy (or at the request of the owner to increase strength).

Install rain protection on top of the supports - plastic plugs.

Installation of transverse lags, fastening of the euro shtaketnik

If the pillars were concreted, then the procedure for securing the transverse frame lags is started only the next day. The transverse lower and upper logs are a frame for the installation of the euro-barrels. Their installation is possible in any sequence: first the upper, and then the lower, or vice versa. The crossbars are welded or fastened with self-tapping screws. You will need the following set of tools: level, tape measure, marking pencil, screwdriver. Step-by-step instructions for work are as follows.

Mounting upper transverse lags at a distance of 50 cm from the upper edge of the support post. The levelness of the cross member is controlled with a level.

How to make a metal picket fence with your own hands. Photo step by step

Installation lower cross members level at a distance of 30 cm from the surface of the earth.

After carcass mounted, proceed to fixing the picket strips on it. Each strip is attached to the log with 4 self-tapping screws: 2 in the upper and 2 in the lower transverse log.

Fence made of euroshtaketnik. How to make

Euro fence for a fence. Photo

Distance between the picket fence. Types of picket

The distance between the strips of the Euro-shtaketnik determines the degree of openness of the fence. It can be from 2 to 10 cm. The average indicator is 5 cm. With a double-sided arrangement of the euro-fence, a step of 8 cm is made on each side - in this case, with a slat width of 11.8 mm, an almost deaf fence is obtained.

Advice. In the garden area or between vegetable gardens, more light is required, therefore the gap between the euro-fence is made large.

DIY metal picket fence. Photo

According to the type of top coating, euro shtaketnik is produced with a polymer layer or powder coating (this is a more durable option, it is not prone to scratches). Coloring can be one- or two-sided. According to the method of processing the edges, there are strips with curved edges (rolled) and non-rolled. The shape of the relief and top edge can also vary. All differences and decorative "excesses" affect the price of the material.

Height of a fence made of euro shtaketnik

The standard length of the strips is 1.5, 1.8 and 2 m. The height of the fence is determined by the owner of the site, depending on his needs - if the task is to hide the territory from prying eyes, then it is advisable to choose slats 2 m long and make a double-sided blank fence. For open garden plots, a fence height of 1.5 and 1.8 m is acceptable with a large gap between the individual slats.

Advantages of a fence made of euro picket fence

Euroshtaketnik is a promising material with many advantages:

wear resistance- the fence will last from 30 years and more without changing its appearance;
unpretentiousness in care - the fence does not require painting, does not rot, therefore, no repair or replacement of elements is needed;
ease of installation- the fence can be installed by yourself in 1-2 days;
neat appearance;
low cost is one of the most inexpensive and durable materials.

A wooden picket fence is a simple design option for a fence. And decorative elements will make it very attractive. If you use certain types of wood as material for the fence, for example, larch boards, you can get an almost eternal fence.

Benefits at a glance

Each design has clear and hidden advantages / disadvantages. If we consider a fence made of a picket fence, then first of all it is necessary to highlight its versatility, since the scope of application of such a fence is quite wide: the private sector, a temporary fence, delimitation of the territory (flower beds, a garden, a vegetable garden, etc.), any objects, a functional fence with protective functions.

In addition, there are other benefits:

absence of harmful substances, since the material is natural, this means complete safety of its operation;
acceptable price;
a simple process of erecting a fence, which allows you to do all the work yourself;
short installation time;
strength, especially if a larch picket fence is used;
aesthetic appeal;
variety of design solutions;
does not shade the area;
combined with other types of materials: brick, stone, metal;
ventilation of the site due to gaps in the fence.

Among other things, fences made of larch or other materials can be easily repaired and restored. Therefore, the fence is literally eternal.

How to choose a material?

At the initial stage, you should decide on the tool. To build a fence from a wooden picket fence, you will need a hammer, a saw, a screwdriver, pliers, a tape measure, a building level, and a nail puller just in case. You also need to prepare a screwdriver, a shovel, sandpaper, and a stiff brush.

The amount of required materials is also determined:

a picket fence of small width - made to order or prepared with your own hands from an edged board;
logs or crossbars on which the picket fence will be attached;
support legs: metal or wood.

In addition, paints and varnishes, sand, crushed stone, cement, wooden stakes and a rope for marking, a primer are procured for work. It is important to choose the right type of wood for the picket fence. For the fence, the best options are: boards made of larch, oak, alder, beech. With faultlessly executed wood processing and installation of a fence, you can get a perpetual fence.

To give the structure strength, you need to use logs with a section of 40x20 mm or 40x25 mm. Metal posts or timber can be used as pillars. Recommended section dimensions: 60x60 mm, 80x80 mm. If the support has a circular cross-section, the diameter must be more than 60 mm. For a wooden fence, the distance between the posts in the range from 2 to 2.5 m is sufficient. Another important nuance is that a board made of larch or other material must be well dried.

Installation sequence

You should start with cleaning the area, as well as with its marking. It is necessary to prepare the surface: remove large debris, dried weeds, level the soil if necessary, if there are pits, bumps. The marking is carried out using stakes and a cord. First, the perimeter of the future fence is determined, the cord is pulled with our own hands. Then the points of installation of the supports are outlined.

Wooden fence scheme

For a wooden fence, there are two main ways of fastening poles: the pit is covered with soil; poured with concrete. The second option is more reliable. Holes in the ground can be drilled with a garden drill or dug with a shovel, which is not always convenient, since the recommended depth of the holes is up to 1.5 m.

It is quite possible to work with a drill without an invitation from a professional, with your own hands. When installing supports in holes, it is recommended to check their position with a building level. For reliability and in order to fix the pillars, spacers are used.

If you plan to use wooden poles, the lower part, which will be immersed in the ground, is covered with bitumen mastic to prevent wood from rotting. You also need to treat the racks with an antiseptic solution with your own hands.

At the base of the pits there should be a gravel pad, sufficient layer thickness - 20 cm. After pouring with concrete, it is necessary to wait some time until the mortar is completely dry, as a rule, 3 days are enough. And you can start installing the crossbars.

The assembly is carried out in two ways: sequentially or in sections. In the first case, logs are first mounted, then a board of larch or other wood species is stuffed. The second option involves a separate installation of a section of logs and pickets, after which the finished block is installed on the supports with your own hands.

To fasten a wooden structure to metal posts, a special part is used - in the form of a cross from a corner or channels. It is welded to the post if it is not possible to bolt it. And in places of contact with wooden cross-members, a standard set of fasteners is used.

Fence decoration

To make a literally eternal picket fence, it is recommended to take care of the wood covering. Only two types are involved: primer and paint / varnish. If the task is to change the natural shade of the wood, paint is used. But the transparent finishing material allows you to preserve the natural color and structure of the tree.

First of all, you need to prepare the surface of the boards for painting. Roughness will provide improved adhesion. To do this, with your own hands, you need to grind the surface of the wooden pickets with sandpaper.

The end part of the support legs must be closed with special plugs or a metal plate. The upper edge of the pickets is sanded and covered with moisture resistant compounds.

Of course, this requires regular maintenance: remove peeling paint, restore the protective coating. When preparing material with your own hands and erecting a fence without the involvement of professionals, the cost of the fence will be small.

Not everyone can afford such a high cost. The most economical option is a wooden fence. In addition to its low cost, the picket fence has a number of advantages:

Wood is an environmentally friendly type of material.
There is room for imagination - the shape of the planks, the height of the fence and its color depend on the wishes of the owner.
Easy to install, maintain and operate.
The fence is not always able to protect from thieves, but for dogs and freely grazing animals, it will become an obstacle.
Nice view.

The disadvantage of a wooden fence is its fragility. With care and timely repair, the picket fence can last 15 years. In spring and in dry summer, when there is a high probability of a fire, a fence made of wood, unlike and, will not be able to stop the fire.

Financial question

The cost of a picket fence in different regions

Picket fence prices differ in the regions of Russia. It depends on how rich in forest the area is, and on the number of timber harvesting enterprises. Another factor that determines the cost of a picket fence is the breed from which it is made. Usually these are conifers - larch and pine. The fence from the second option will cost the owners less.

Price of a picket fence with installation

If finances allow, a simple way out of the situation will be to call the team, which will bring and install the fence. The price depends on the degree of urgency and how long the company has been in this area.

When the fence is handed over on a turnkey basis, the craftsmen perform work on and finish the fence, hang up the gates, attach locks and handles. At the same time, the cost of the fence increases by several hundred rubles per linear meter. But the owner does not have to worry about the quality of the building. Companies give a guarantee for a certain period of time. If the customer finds a defect, the workers undertake to correct it as soon as possible.

It is necessary to calculate how much the fence costs individually. It all depends on the region where the owner of the estate lives, and the prices of the companies involved in the installation of fences.

Do it yourself: the necessary materials

To erect a fence made of wood on the site, you will need:

Support posts- metal pipes or strong wooden beams.
Veins- beams with a cross section of 40 mm and a length of no more than 3 meters. You need 2 pieces for each span of the fence. One is attached at the top, the other at the bottom.
Fences- slats from planed boards. Their width and shape depends on the owner's idea.

If the arsenal of tools allows, you can prepare all the material yourself.

The wood must be well dried, otherwise the finished fence will be deformed. For this, the boards are stacked. The place where this structure will be located is cleared of grass and debris. The area for the stack is made as even as possible, otherwise the board may lose its shape during the drying process. Wide thick boards or several logs are laid on the ground so that in the spring, when the soil is loose, the pile does not "leave" to the side.

The base of the stack is covered with a film or roofing felt so that moisture evaporated by the ground is not absorbed by the wood. The first boards are placed at least 30 cm from the ground. "Floors" are separated from each other by wooden or plastic slats 2-5 cm high. The stack should not exceed 80 cm wide. You should not build too high - there is a high probability that the supports will not withstand, and the structure will collapse. Ideally, the boards should be under a canopy, but if the owner does not have such an opportunity, then it is enough to cover the material with slate. How long it takes to dry depends on the type of wood. Average process takes 2 years.

To speed up, you can contact the timber processing plant, where there are installations for drying timber. Or plan the installation of the fence so that there is enough time to prepare the wood. All cuts must be sanded to avoid cuts and scratches.

In the absence of a tool, desire and time to do it yourself, you should contact a woodworking company and order what you need there. This will save time, but it will require serious cash costs. A well-dried, sanded "constructor" should come to the owner's site to create a fence.

Installation of the fence

Before starting the installation of the fence, each element of wood should be treated with a protective agent. This will allow the picket fence to serve for 10 - 15 years without requiring major repairs.

When everything is ready, you need to determine where the fence will rise. The area should be cleared of stumps, grass and bushes. Necessary outline the places for the installation of support pillars... It is not worth making a span longer than three meters - over time, the vein will sag under the weight of the rails, and the fence will tilt to the side. The part of the racks that will be underground is treated with hot varnish, tar or a special solution that protects the tree from decay, or pasted over with tar paper.

A hole 1.3 - 1.5 meters deep is dug under each pillar. So that the support does not "leave" to the side or sag during the period of precipitation and snow, a layer of gravel 20 cm is poured onto the bottom. The stand is fixed in an upright position. Earth, concrete or cement is poured into the pit in layers.

There are two ways to complete the next step: either the veins are attached to the posts, and then the slats are nailed, or I collect the spans separately and then hang them on the supports. There is no big difference in the cost of time and effort.

Important: when working on an uneven area, it is necessary to make a fence with "steps", evenly distributing the difference over the entire length of the side of the fence.

To make the fence look pleasant, the distance between the pickets should not be greater than the width of the slats themselves. The fence can be mounted both with nails and with the use of screws - self-tapping screws. The metal posts have special angles for securing the cross beams.

Finishing work

When the fence is ready, you can paint it. The natural color of the wood is pleasing to the eye and seems perfect. But as soon as he spends some time in the rain, snow or the scorching sun, there will be no trace of this beauty. Therefore, a zealous owner is obliged to choose a paint, the color of which he likes and fits into the general exterior of the house, or stain... The latter, in combination with a colorless varnish, will help imitate a tree of any species or "preserve" the native color.

Moreover, it is better to apply the paint with a brush, and first spray the stain with a spray bottle.

The top of the fence can be shaped into an interesting wave or semicircle. To do this, you will have to arm yourself with a pencil and a drawing tool. You should not rely on your "diamond eye", since the consequences of failure will be very difficult to fix. On the front side of the fence, decorative elements of various shapes made of wood or metal are suitable as decoration.

Good to know: If the fence is conceived with the usual even borders, then the ropes should be pulled along the lower and upper edges. Then there will be no problems with the correctness of the lines.

Options for decorative solutions for the top of the fence.

For those who like to profit from the good of others, great inconveniences will be delivered by pickets with a conical top. Also, nothing prevents the owners from stretching the barbed wire over.

This wood creation should be crowned with a reliable wicket or gate - it all depends on the wishes of the owners. In any case, the "doors" in the fence must be locked. If necessary, there can be several gates.

If the person building the fence is the happy owner of the whole farm, and on the site, in addition to the house, there are hectares of beds, a mini-farm, a pasture, and then it makes sense to consider a picket fence for zoning the territory. Low wooden fences near flower beds and bushes with flowers also look very cute.

In order for the owners of the plots to be inspired by the idea of building a new fence, below are presented in the photo beautiful fences made of wooden picket fences.

Classic. Arched spans, pillars with decorative tops.

Another solution for the top of the pillars. A small detail is a different image.

Reverse arch.

A gate made of the same material and an arch above it fits very nicely into the canvas of a picket fence.

Above the gate, you can place not only an arch, but also a pergola.

"Flowing" fence. Wooden picket fence is one of the few options for fences that make it easy to beat difficult terrain.

Step solution.

Luxurious option on a stepped substrate.

Sometimes a style sets an unusual color.

A radically different style solution. Although the focus is also on color.

A bright yet classic color option.

The tree is rarely painted in dark colors, but why not.

Unusual black fence.

Chameleon fence. Art coloring makes it like that.

Another creative color option.

Colonial style fence colors.

The original version of the spire. Nothing prevents you from coming up with and implementing your own.

Variations with the direction of the picket are possible. They are mounted not only vertically, but also horizontally.

… .And also a grid option is possible.

It is difficult to say how long the entire process of installing the fence will take. If the materials are prepared, the site is small, and there are assistants, then you can handle it in a day. The same number will be required for a team of specialists. A person who does everything alone and has to fence in a large area will not have enough even a week.

About assembly on video

How to assemble a fence from a ready-made picket fence - in the material below.

The picket fence is distinguished by its reliability, variety of colors and high-quality coating, while you can easily build a fence from a picket fence with your own hands. It is a great alternative to brick or wrought iron fencing. Installation of a picket fence is carried out in a short time, and this structure can serve for more than 30 years.

Wood option

During the construction of a wooden fence, the screws for fastening the rails must be moistened in drying oil. This will help extend the life of the fence.

The order of the picket fence can be done in various ways. The most popular are:

Blinds. This is a horizontal view of the fence. The planks are mounted at an angle and have a small gap.
Herringbone. A horizontal fence, which is made by fastening the planks close to each other with a slight overlap of the picket fences (approximately by a third of the plank width).
Chess. This is the staggered order of installing the planks. The picket fence is stuffed in turn on both sides.

There are many ways to make a fence out of a picket fence with your own hands, but it is almost impossible to implement some design versions of fences (without skills in building fences). The easiest solution is to buy a beautiful picket fence (you can design the sketch yourself), and then simply fix it vertically.

Wooden fencing

This is the most common type of garden hedge. Wood is the most affordable and environmentally friendly building material. The installation of a wooden fence does not require special tools or extensive construction experience.

Fence scheme

In addition, experienced builders will be able to install an original carved wooden fence with a beautiful arch above the gate at their summer cottage, which will be almost impossible to build from other building materials.

Metal fence

In this case, the picket fence is made of metal treated with a protective polymer coating. Picket fences are of different sizes, taking into account the need for the height and width of the structure.

Unlike a corrugated sheet fence, the picket fence has gaps. Between them, sunlight will be able to penetrate to the summer cottage. The metal euro-shtaketnik can be made with tops in the shape of the letter W. This solution is a certain protection against intruders.

Metal construction

Plastic fences

Today, the plastic picket fence is gaining immense popularity. Most often this is due to the low price of the material and a large assortment of different designs from manufacturers.

The plastic strips have a hollow profile. Because of this, the picket fence is very fragile, especially during low temperatures and constant exposure to sunlight.

But technology is constantly evolving, and now manufacturers can supply durable and resilient plastic. At the same time, a fence made of such a material turns out to be as reliable as that of metal products. For example, polyvinyl chloride is a strong, resilient plastic that can withstand significant stress.

Metal structure installation diagram

Step-by-step instructions for building a hedge have several stages.

Installation materials and tools

Before you put a picket fence with your own hands, you need to prepare the following materials:

timber - 45x45 mm, approximately 230-270 cm long;
wooden pillars are used as supporting structures;
rope for marking the territory;
ready-made pickets;
mastic;
cement and crushed stone for fastening support pillars;
wheelbarrow;
garden drill;
ramming tool;
concrete mixer;
shovel.

Installation diagram of a wooden structure

When purchasing ready-made wooden picket fences, you need to pay attention to their smell. Damp wood with a moldy smell indicates that the material is beginning to rot.

If you plan to build a fence from metal strips, then you will need the following tools:

electric drill;
welding machine;
level;
self-tapping screws;
ready-made pickets;
Bulgarian.

For a wooden fence you will need:

jigsaw;
support posts;
cement;
pallet (for the convenience of connecting different structural elements on the ground);
garden drill and other accessories for the construction of the frame of the fence.

Drawing of a fence made of wood

If you decide to install a plastic fence, then it is advisable to immediately buy an already assembled structure. In this case, the installation of a fence from a picket fence is reduced to fixing the support pipes and attaching finished panels to them.

You can purchase the entire fence separately, but in this case, you will need to fix the plastic strips yourself with glue or rivets. The tools are the same as during the installation of the above structures.

Installation diagram

Moreover, you need to pay attention that the interval between the supports must correspond to the size of the sections and the cross-section of the supports - this can be checked on the first span so that in the future it is not necessary to re-mark. After that, the cord is removed and proceeds directly to the installation.

Fastening support pillars

Reliability depends on the quality of the fastening of the supports, as well as the duration of the fence. Supporting metal pipes or wooden poles can be driven into the ground with a sledgehammer, cemented, but ideally, fixed into a concrete parapet.

Pillar installation drawing

This installation method has the following advantages:

water from the street does not flow into the backyard area;
the structure does not come into contact with wet soil, this significantly prolongs the service life;
the fence turns out to be more durable and stable.

The spacing between the posts is 2.4–3 m. The supports are deepened by 1.3–1.6 m, but this is not a clear requirement. Professionals recommend deepening profile pipes or wooden posts into the ground by a third of the support length.

Post installation

Wood pillars must be treated with mastic and antiseptic composition. This will extend the lifespan of the supports, since ordinary wood can quickly rot (this time also depends on the type of wood).

In addition, wooden posts can be wrapped with roofing felt. It will not allow excess moisture to penetrate.

Iron supports can be concreted without additional coating, just like plastic ones. These two materials do not deform too much from contact with a concrete base or soil for a rather long time (more than 20 years).

Fence installation diagram

When attaching posts made of metal or plastic, it is imperative to put on a special decorative cap over the supports for protection. It will prevent water from entering the pipes.

When fastening, it is imperative to control the vertical of the pillars by level, otherwise you will get an uneven fence. It is best to fasten the transverse battens a week after the installation of the supports (if concreting was carried out).

If the pillars were simply driven into the ground (without concreting), then the logs can be fixed immediately.

Fasteners for transverse lags

One span requires at least two transverse rails (taking into account the height of the fence), which are fixed parallel to each other. Metal logs are fixed by welding or anchors.

Diy installation diagram

The first method is suitable for those who have experience in welding. After the completion of the fastenings, the transverse battens are treated with a primer (prevents the appearance of a corrosive process).

If logs made of wood are installed, then they are pre-treated with an antiseptic compound, and then painted. Wooden battens are also anchored.

But if the fence is low and it has only a decorative purpose (not subject to significant loads), the slats can be fixed with self-tapping screws.

Self-tapping screws

Plastic logs can be fixed with glue or rivets. But usually for hedges made of plastic, special fasteners are initially mounted on the support pillars, where the transverse slats are inserted.

Just 50 years ago, wooden picket fences could be seen around most country houses. But, these were the same type of vertical structures. Now a reliable and durable picket fence can be erected in various configurations and even in combination with other materials. It is quite easy to erect fences with the correct calculation and preparation of the material. It will serve as a reliable protection of the site, and decorate it with its appearance.

Dignity

Everyone wants to make their home beautiful, and the fence is the element of the suburban area that is paid attention to in the first place. Therefore, it is important to give this element maximum aesthetics. One of the materials that fall into the category of aesthetic and malleable for unique buildings can be considered wood. If you have the skills to work with wood and the desire to independently build a fence around the site, then the question of how to make a fence from a picket fence will be decided by itself.

A do-it-yourself fence made of picket fence, with applied imagination and a little skill, will look great on any terrain and against the background of any building.

The reliability of a wooden fence depends on the selected type of wood for its manufacture, as well as on the size of one picket fence. If you make the right choice, the fence will last for many years.

Taking proper care of it is not difficult at all. All the owner has to do is apply protective substances to the surface in a timely manner. It is also important that a picket fence almost does not shade the area and has excellent air throughput. Any plants that need sunlight can be planted near it.

Basic types of styling

Vertically and horizontally

Traditionally, in the manufacture of a wooden fence, the pickets are installed vertically. But horizontal installation is also possible. This design is made from several planks or poles. In another way, this type of fencing is called "ranch". It works well for creating a rustic look.

You can even tilt the slats to one side, and then you get an even more unusual fence. And given that the angle of inclination can be different, there are countless options for creating unusual designs.

Staggered

The chess fence also has an attractive appearance. It looks beautiful not only from the outside, but also from the inside. The peculiarity of the arrangement of wooden parts is that the pickets are installed on both sides, but are displaced in relation to each other. The gap, on the one hand, is closed by the rail on the other, and vice versa.

Preparation and calculation of material

A wooden picket fence is so easy to install that you don't even need a lot of tools to install it.

To make the picket fence itself, in addition to wood, you will need:

fasteners - nails or screws;
hand saw or jigsaw;
screwdriver;
protective substance for application to the surface. These products include water-repellent and antiseptic impregnations, as well as varnish, stain and paint;
shovel for digging a hole under the support pillars;
hammer if nails were selected as fasteners;
building level, so that all elements of the fence are set evenly.

You can buy wood and make pickets out of it yourself, or you can buy a picket fence ready-made. In the latter case, you will have to pay more, but there will be less work.

Note! Before making a picket fence, it is important to perform the correct calculation of the wood material. Based on the perimeter of the territory, as well as the width of the shtakentin and the gaps between them, the required number of wooden elements is calculated. For example, if the width of one picket fence is 4 cm, and the width of the gap is 6 cm, and it is planned to make a fence with a length of 30 m, then to calculate the amount, 30 m must be divided by 10 cm, that is, by the total width of one gap and one shtakentina.

How much shtaketin is needed depends on the chosen design. For example, if a fence is to be erected with gaps, then less material will be needed for it than for a blind structure of the same length.

It is important not to forget to calculate everything in the same unit of measurement. It is easier to express meters in centimeters, and then 3000 will need to be divided by 10. After the calculation, it turns out that such a fence will require 300 pieces of fence. In addition to the material for the manufacture of the picket fence itself, beams for the supports will also be needed. These posts must be long enough and strong enough. It must be remembered that they will submerge at least half a meter.

Stacking the picket fence

You can install a picket fence by working in the following order:

Markup. It is necessary to determine where the support pillars will be located. A strong rope stretched around the perimeter can help in this matter. The optimal distance between the supports is 2-3 meters. Considering this, it is necessary to make marks on the ground in those places where holes will be dug.
Digging grooves. Their diameter should be greater than the diameter of the support pillar. The calculation of the depth of the pit depends on how much the height of the future fence will be. Most often, it exceeds 1 meter.
Installation of pillars in prepared grooves. If they are wooden, you can simply get by with the application of protective agents to the surface. It is possible to lay a wooden picket fence and, using metal pillars, in this case, you will have to lay a concrete mixture in the recess.
After the supports are installed, you can begin to attach veins or slugs to them - thicker boards that should be located parallel to the ground surface, that is, perpendicular to the support pillars. At least two veins are required. Their number depends on the total height of the building.
The calculation of the distance between them can also differ. It also depends on the height of the mounted fencing and on the method of fastening the pickets to them. The main thing is not to bring the lower sledge closer to the ground by less than 25 cm, and the upper one should not be raised too high so that the edges of the hammered pickets rise above it by at least 25 cm.
When the installation of the veins is complete, you can start attaching the picket fence itself. When installing the very first picket fence, it is better to use a building level so that the entire fence does not turn out to be crooked. If there is no level, you can use a plumb line instead, which is easy to make yourself using a heavy weight and thread. To attach all the other pickets, it will be enough just to determine the width of the gap. You can make it equal to the width of the pickets and easily measure the required distance by applying one of the rails. But you can specially make a rail of the required width, so that it can then be used only to make gaps.
When slats are nailed along the entire length of the fence, you can be content with the work already done, since, in essence, the classic fence is already ready.

To make a "checkerboard", you will need to go to the other side to install another row of pickets. In order to avoid distortions and inaccuracies, it is necessary to correctly install the first rail. It should be located strictly opposite the gap between two adjacent pickets on the other side. After installing this rail, all that remains is to nail down all the others, measuring the length of the gaps using a template.

Painting secrets

Painting the finished structure

It is not difficult to paint a picket fence with your own hands, but nevertheless, you need to be careful about the details. The durability of not only the paint layer, but also the entire structure depends on the quality of this work. For a high-quality coating, you need to clean the wood from dirt, and then prime it with a substance that can deeply penetrate the structure.

Multiple coats can be applied. Wait until the previous coat is dry before applying the next one. Many manufacturers can assure that there is no need to prime the surface before painting. But, nevertheless, it is better not to pay attention to this statement, and to carry out a primer. This will have a positive effect on the durability of the wood and on the economy of the base coat.

It is also better to paint in several layers. After applying the first layer, it is better to sand with sandpaper after drying. For painting, it is better to use a brush rather than a roller, as it will allow you to get to hard-to-reach places. But if there is a desire to speed up the process, you can take a roller, but only in this case it is necessary to bear in mind that then you still have to paint many places with a brush.