Board Fence

   / Board Fence #1  

willy1947

Silver Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
109
Location
Solsberry, IN
Tractor
Kubota L3830 GST
Can anyone suggest some cost saving ideas for a board fence? I want to put a board fence around part of my property. It will be used to define the property lines and be decorative. It won't be used to fence in livestock. I just think it would look really nice.

I was thinking buying 4"x96" round treated post and using 5/4 deck boards (x3). I think 3 boards high is what I want. Rough guess is about $3000 for 1000' of fence per Lowes prices.

Are there deals to be had when buying fence post? Is there a certain lumber/board to use? Should I consider split rail instead? What is a acceptable distance between poles?

One thing I did notice is my neighbor had some logging done on his place. About 1 year later he put up this beautiful fence. I wonder if the fence is from his logging?
Thanks,
Dave
 
   / Board Fence #2  
Dave
I am in the process of figuring out the same for my place. Looking at 2000'. I used Carter Lumber for my pricing.
Treated Lumber
4X4X8 post $6.79 @
5/4X8 board $3.89 @
5/4X16 board $9.09 @
My price came out to $6700.00 including 212 bags of cement, 4, 12' gates, 17, 6X6X8, and nails.
Sure would like to better that price.
Still looks good after I a got a price for plastic fence. The same project was $11,500. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
   / Board Fence #3  
Here in Maryland, the typical fence is locust posts, which run about 8 each, and rough sawn 1 x 6 x 16' oak boards, which I just priced at $8 each. Sometimes 4 x 6 x 8' treated posts are used. I was watching some professional fence guys put in some 4500' of such fence up the lane, and I learned they fill the holes with fine crushed stone- drains, packs and holds well. Pneumatic nail guns would be good, considering the number of fasteners!
 
   / Board Fence #5  
Down here in Fl, 1x6x16 coral boards are the most common. either PT or cresote.

I've got about 2500' of fence.. 3 board black and 2x4 no climb wire..My fence has been up for years.. it was augured in and simply backfilled.. no concrete was needed.

Paint the tops of your fence posts either with copper napthenate, for the pt posts.. or asphalt fence paint if cresote.

Rain rots/erods the fence post out from the top down.. the paint seals the tops good. My neighbors PT fence is rickety compaired to mine, and they are a similar age.. all his pt fence posts are hollowing out at the top..

Soundguy
 
   / Board Fence #6  
Soundguy:

I usually just cut the tops of the posts off at an angle, so water runs off, instead of standing on top of the post. Works for me /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif.
 
   / Board Fence #7  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I was thinking buying 4"x96" round treated post and using 5/4 deck boards (x3). )</font>

Actually, 4X4 or half-round posts will give you a better surface to nail to, unless you are rounding a corner. Also, to keep wood fences looking nice, you will probably have to paint or stain any of them -- otherwise, they weather unevenly and in our Virginia climate, rough-cut oak boards will actually rot even when they are not touching the ground.

Do you have any small sawmills close? They can usually give you a good price on rough-cut 1X6 lumber, that will be a full one inch thick. They will usually be green, and may warp some after you put the fence up, but can be replaced relatively cheaply. I would still go for the PT posts, unless they have locust or cedar posts available. Good Luck. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Board Fence #8  
I wouldn't use 5/4" for the rails, I'd use 1" x 6" x 16" PT. The rails are staggered, i.e., the first top rail is a full 16'rail, the next one down is an 8', the next 16', etc. You don't want all the joints between rails on the same post.

For posts, as has been mentioned, I'd use half round 6" posts available at TSC. Why? Since you are doing a board fence, the posts not only have to be in an almost perfect straight line, their faces have to be lined up, i.e., no twisting when they go in. Typically, the posts are placed 8' apart. I spaced mine a little less.

I would not use concrete, except maybe for the posts that have a gate hanging on them. I'd refill the holes with limestone (1.5" down to fines) then tamp, tamp, tamp.

Is 1000' the total linear feet, i.e., 3 rails of 333' each or is it 1000' feet of fence and you will need 3000 linear feet of rails?
 
   / Board Fence #9  
<font color="blue"> I want to put a board fence around part of my property.... Should I consider split rail instead? </font>

Their prices are a little on the high side, but they have an excellent website for ideas and it is a great resource for other fencing questions...
http://www.hooverfence.com/
 
   / Board Fence
  • Thread Starter
#10  
The total length of fence is 1000' +. I have to find a measuring wheel to get a better measurement.

I'll look around for the half round post and see about the other boards. 99% of the fence around here is barb wire. Most can't afford the board fence, now I see why.

Thanks for all the help,
Dave
 
 
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