A fence with rustic charm

Southern Living, Mar 2003 by Thigpen, Charlie

This handsome wooden fence wraps the backyard and keeps the dogs in.

After 10 years of thinking my two dogs were full-blooded English setters, I found out they had a little bit of Houdini in them. My furry friends, Mac and Spud, turned into escape artists and began to disappear from the backyard. The old fence was only 4 feet tall and had developed a few low spots, making it easy for the dogs to jump over. The time had come to put up a new one.

I decided it had to be at least 6 feet tall to prevent the dogs from getting out. The taller fence would also create a little privacy. Plus, I wanted it to have a rustic look to match the tree-- covered setting.

Many houses in our neighborhood have split-rail fences wrapping their lots. I thought it might be neat to buy cedar split rails and attach them vertically instead of horizontally. The rough-cut cedar rails have lots of knots, and their irregular look adds character to any yard. Here's how to install this simple fence.

Place pressure-treated 4 x 4s in concrete to make sturdy and long-- lasting posts. Position two posts 3 feet apart for the gate. That opening is wide enough to allow a garden cart or wheelbarrow to maneuver through it, yet keeps the gate easy to operate. Then space the rest of the posts 7 1/2 feet apart.

Once the concrete hardens and all the posts are secure, stretch 6-foot-- tall wire fencing, and nail it to the posts. Attaching fencing to posts is a two-person job, unless you have a come-a-long (handheld winch puller) to help pull and hold the fence in place. Use U-shaped nails to tack the wire to the posts.

Attach 1 x 6 pressure-treated boards horizontally to the top and bottom of each post with wood screws to complete the framework.

Add the cedar split rails to the 1 x 6s with wood screws. Space the cedar strips 1 foot apart on center. Cedar rails are available at many hardware stores and home centers. They usually come in 10-foot lengths. Cut them into 6-foot pieces with a saw.

Don't waste any scrap cedar; use it to top the small arbor over the gate. Cut 2 x 4s at a 45-degree angle, and nail them to the top of the gateposts to frame the pitched arbor. Then nail the cedar sections to the 2 x 4s. To tie it all together, tack a salvaged piece of copper to the front of the arbor. An arched gate, built of 1 x 6s and Z-- braced on the back side with 2 x 4s, makes a nice entry point. Hang the wooden gate with heavy-duty hinges.

Use a steel cable, a large eye-- screw, an S-hook, and a pulley to make a homemade weight to close the gate automatically behind you. Our weight is an old tin -pot filled with concrete.

After the construction is over, you can complete the project with whatever detailing you wish. Inexpensive terra-cotta pots would make great finials to top the 4 x 4 posts and give a finished look. Note: When purchasing pressure-treated lumber, check the label on the wood to see if it was treated with arsenic, which can contaminate soil. If this concerns you, select another wood such as cedar or redwood that is not treated with arsenic. Look in the marketplace in the near future for lumber not treated with arsenic. CHARLIE THIGPEN