Board fence ideas?

[2manyrocks]

Would be awesome if there was a power tool that would do the tamping and avoid mixing 24 bags of concrete.

 

[Yander]

You can just dump the concrete in the hole dry, and it will set up from the moisture in the ground. That's what I do now.

 

[duffer]

Don't know where you're located, but I'm in the heart of SC horse country. There are wooden fences everywhere. Nobody uses 4x6 posts. They use 5" diameter round posts (cheaper). Everyone uses 2x6 boards, not 1x6. In 2-3 years the 1x6's will become much weaker with rain, and much easier for horses to break thru them.

If you're not going to electrify the fence, consider putting the horizontal boards on the inside of the posts. It will help a little with the horses pressing on them, and working them loose. (esp if you use nails, vs screws)

 

[scootr]

For livestock you do want the 2x6 rails on the horse side so they do not push the rails off the posts. Also suggest moving the fence a little further away from the trees. Make it so the riding mower fits easily between the fence and the trees...

 

[CH4Ohio]

Fuddy,

Consider a four-board fence. Looks much better and the spacing is better for animals -- in my opinion. The extra 4th board doesn't really add much to the cost after you have the posts and the rest installed anyway. (The classic horse fences that you see in KY are always at least 4-board fences.)

You're not talking about a lot of fence here, but it's still a lot of work. We had a bunch of fence installed last year. I hired it out and the guys that did the work really knocked it out of the park. They showed up with all the right equipment, materials, etc. Worked very efficiently. I'd still be tamping posts if I'd done it myself . . .

They nailed all the boards. No screws. We also installed 4"x2" no-climb wire because our main concern was keeping dogs in and coyotes out.

They drove all the posts. No tamping, no backfill, no concrete. Used a chain hanging from the post driver as a plumb-bob and a depth-gauge. The "helper" kept the post plumb in the other direction as they pounded it. They were driving a post about every 5 minutes.

This is one of those jobs that I used to do but now prefer to hire out. Wasn't cheap but worth every penny!

--

As far as materials -- they used 7' long 5" round posts. They're driven 3' deep. Poplar boards -- rough sawn full 1" x 6" x 16'. Boards are staggered so two end on each post and 2 span each post. A trim board covers the nails and face of the posts. For a board fence, you don't need any concrete or braces on the corners unless you're hanging gates, etc. The boards provide support. If you pull wire on a fence you'd have to use anchors and build corner braces to keep from pulling your corner posts out of the ground.

The contractor bought his posts by the truckload from a place in Southern Ohio. They were much straighter and more uniform than posts I could find locally. Same with the boards.

Have you gotten more than one estimate from a contractor? Prices varied widely with our job, as did my confidence in the contractors that I was talking to.

However you tackle it, good luck!

 

[jyoutz]

It’s interesting that board fences are popular in the East, but in the west it’s more common to see pipe fences with wire. When I travel to the east I love the look of the board fences, but wouldn’t want the maintenance that comes with them.

 

[ponytug]

Would be awesome if there was a power tool that would do the tamping and avoid mixing 24 bags of concrete.

It's called a post driver. PT makes one and it is awesome. If you are in rocky soil, it can help to predrive a 2-3" metal rod and then pull that out to put the post in. Some folks bevel the bottom of the post, but in my heavy clay soil, I haven't bothered. Once I get going I can do a post in 2-3 minutes start to finish by myself, a bit longer if I am on a steep (20-25 degree) slope.

Here's an example of a Scottish self propelled unit putting in high tension woven fence in very rocky soil.

Check out the self latching New Zealand T-posts for woven wire. No clips needed.

I think many American fencing techniques are long on labor and time compared to the rest of the world.

@Fuddyduddy1952 I think that there are a two schools of thought on whether boards should go inside (stronger) or outside (less likely to hurt horses if they bolt through the fence). I put mine on the outside, and it was never a problem for our horses. I did electrify two small sections (20' &40') because our bull liked to itch on the boards there. (Go figure. He never touched any other section.)

I personally dislike using round posts for fencing for two reasons; one the round posts here are very soft peeler cores with no guarantee on how much preservative is in them (2-4 year life span in my soils), and two, unless you notch them, get board ends fastened and to keep them fastened is tough, as it is the weakest part of the board (end grain), and you can nail or screw from any great distance. I used some when starting out on curves, and I have a stockpile that is going to get sold with ranch because I hate the rework needed.

Tip: treat any post from 6" above to 2-3' underground with copper naphthenate against insects and fungus. I do 2-3 coats. It will really help under those trees on a slope.

All the best,

Peter

 

[MMC]

It's called a post driver. PT makes one and it is awesome. If you are in rocky soil, it can help to predrive a 2-3" metal rod and then pull that out to put the post in. Some folks bevel the bottom of the post, but in my heavy clay soil, I haven't bothered. Once I get going I can do a post in 2-3 minutes start to finish by myself, a bit longer if I am on a steep (20-25 degree) slope.

Here's an example of a Scottish self propelled unit putting in high tension woven fence in very rocky soil.

Check out the self latching New Zealand T-posts for woven wire. No clips needed.

I think many American fencing techniques are long on labor and time compared to the rest of the world.

@Fuddyduddy1952 I think that there are a two schools of thought on whether boards should go inside (stronger) or outside (less likely to hurt horses if they bolt through the fence). I put mine on the outside, and it was never a problem for our horses. I did electrify two small sections (20' &40') because our bull liked to itch on the boards there. (Go figure. He never touched any other section.)

I personally dislike using round posts for fencing for two reasons; one the round posts here are very soft peeler cores with no guarantee on how much preservative is in them (2-4 year life span in my soils), and two, unless you notch them, get board ends fastened and to keep them fastened is tough, as it is the weakest part of the board (end grain), and you can nail or screw from any great distance. I used some when starting out on curves, and I have a stockpile that is going to get sold with ranch because I hate the rework needed.

Tip: treat any post from 6" above to 2-3' underground with copper naphthenate against insects and fungus. I do 2-3 coats. It will really help under those trees on a slope.

All the best,

Peter

Think all the advice is excellent. I won't add much except what my experience has taught.

I put up these fences here in KY on our farm (but we use mostly page wire or barbed). We have cattle and a four board fence works well. I used to use white oak, but now I get 1x6 16' pressure treated poplar from our local Southern States. And it's not perfect... I put planks on the inside for cattle...except for the yard fence my wife loves. That counts.

For posts, we use "faced" posts (round with a flat side), pressure treated. I usually go with 6-8" posts, not 5." I would use screws (decking type). Nails often corrode just enough to loosen the clamp action of the board to the post. Ring shank will work, but they are h... to get out for repairs. Screws go easy and last (although I admit I like to pilot, too).

I use a Rhino digger with a 12" auger - works well with 6-8" posts. I don't think you need concrete, but I don't know your ground. But put in dry will work fine (if we ever get enough rain now).

The trees are a problem. Yes, I have done it like you show, covering an old fence line with new. Your auger will only work between root leaders (and you will still shear a lot of bolts). Unless you literally cut them out below ground with a chainsaw, axe, digger bar, grubbing hoe, handsaw, or your teeth. I've done all but the teeth. The advice on "stepping out" is good advice.

Last, I set my posts on 7 foot centers. This lets me cut some off each 8 foot plank and that's where the splits and ugly stuff shows up. As an opinion, I would not use a "face" plank over joints, nor would I use a pretty flat/angled tabletop board on top. It guarantees moisture and rot. I got that from a very old farmer forty years ago who had done it - he was right. Paint it and no one really sees much difference.

If you use a contractor with a driver, suggest looking at his work first. I have a Shaver driver and use it on other fences, but you probably won't get the accuracy you will setting by hand...

Looks like a great looking area for your pasture. Best of luck.

Did not mean an 8' board as I said above - I cut one foot off each end of a 16' board. So, 7' centers, 14 foot fence plank, cut down from 16'. Also makes a considerably stronger fence for not much extra money.

 

[paulsharvey]

So, assuming the 4x6x8 posts are actually 4-6"×8 ft round posts? That's overkill IMO for the running posts; probably 48" or 54" fence? That leaves us 42" of imbedment; you can use a 7 ft post (or 6'8" depending on how they sell them) for the running posts. Corners, and more so, Gate posts, you want more like an 8"×8 ft corner, set with about 2-3 bags of concrete.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Post driver!
When my horse stable was being built the main builder's helper didn't show up and I felt sorry for the guy working alone so I pitched in, helping him for a few weeks. The guy just bought an expensive house and there was a garage full of all sorts of stuff. One day he asked if I'd be interested in buying a like new Danuser post driver for $500. Sure I said. So when he quit for the day I said I'll follow him home to get it.
He then said..."Well, I listed it on Facebook and I got a text from a guy in Maryland who's coming to get it!". I said text him back...it's sold already. He said he couldn't because the guy's on his way.
So I lost out on a very expensive post driver which would have made this job simple.