Material and tools for a picket fence
Made from local woods, the picket fence is the most natural version of an enclosure for the farmhouse and natural garden. We would therefore like to particularly recommend oak or chestnut wood, as it can last 15 to 25 years even without an impregnation agent. Using the following materials and tools, you can build a 10 meter long and 120 cm high natural fence yourself:
- 1 fence element made of untreated sweet chestnut stakes
- 6 to 8 posts, sharpened at the bottom, 75 to 100 mm in diameter
- 1 to 2 smaller support posts per corner post
- Crowbar, sledge hammer, saw
- Spirit level, string, wooden sticks
- galvanized wrench screws, screwdrivers or cordless screwdrivers
- galvanized wire or wood screws
also read
- How to build a wooden garden pavilion yourself - construction instructions for beginners
- Cottage garden: build your own fence
- Build a garden gate yourself - How to build a wooden gate for your garden
Please saw the support posts for the corner posts diagonally in advance so that they can be screwed flush later.
Building instructions for a picket fence
In advance, mark the exact course of the picket fence with a cord that you stretch between two wooden sticks. The orientation aid guarantees precise alignment of the post and fence element. How to build the natural fence correctly:
- Use the crowbar to loosen the soil for the corner posts
- Hit the sharpened posts 150 to 200 cm apart with a sledgehammer 50 cm deep into the earth
- Check the vertical alignment of the wooden posts with the spirit level
- Screw the corner posts with 1 or 2 support posts
- Roll out the picket fence element and lean against the wooden posts
- Fix the first batten with wire or screw
- Align the fence element again with both hands
Now take the spade in hand and put it between the post and the stake in order to stretch the fence into the correct position with pressure. This way you can easily connect stakes and posts together with wire or wood screws. Incidentally, the wooden slats can touch the floor, as oak and chestnut wood are particularly robust against external influences.
Tips
Add the finishing touches to your natural fence with suitable plants. Summer blooming flowers like the black-eyed Susanne or lavish sweet peas transform your self-built picket fence into an authentic eye-catcher.
