Building Rustic Fences

How to Build a Rustic Wood Fence

Building a rustic wood fence is a good way to visually define an area such as a yard or garden. In some cases, the fence may be intended to keep animals out or in, and in other cases they just may be for aesthetic reasons. Cedar, because of its natural resistance to rot, is a good wood for outdoor fences. Rustic fences are technologically simple to erect, but the process requires extensive physical activity, especially when digging the post holes and installing the posts.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Graph paper
• Pencil
• Cedar fence posts
• Posthole digger
• Shovel
• Level
• Saw
• Cedar fence slats
• Hammer
• Nails

1. • 1
     Plan the path of your fence. Use a pencil and graph paper to make a scale drawing.
   • 2
     Mark the location of the post holes on your fence path. The distance between the posts should not be more than 6 feet or the structural integrity of the fence may be compromised.
   • 3
     Dig your first post hole using your post hole digger and shovel. Your posts should be set 3 feet deep, so dig the holes at least 3 feet deep. If you use 8-foot fence posts, this will make your fence 5 feet tall.
   • 4
     Mark the 3-foot mark on the post with a pencil and put the post in the hole. If the hole is too deep, replace some soil until the post is at the right level.
   • 5
     Backfill dirt around your fence post. Concrete is generally not needed for deep set cedar posts.
   • 6
     Make sure that your post is level. Use a standard bubble level to check.
   • 7
     Continue placing your fence posts until they are all in. Again, they should be no more than 6 feet apart.
   • 8
     Measure the length needed for the slats between the first two fence posts.
   • 9
     Cut three or four cedar slats to the length between the two fence posts. The number of slats will depend on how you want your fence to look. Three slats will have wider openings and four will be a more dense fence.
   • 10
     Nail the top slat between the first two fence posts.
   • 11
     Decide the placement of the bottom slat and nail it in place.
   • 12
     Nail the middle slat(s) between the top and bottom slats.
   • 13
     Continue the process by measuring between the second and third fence posts until your fence is complete.

Rustic Fence Design Ideas

Consider adding a rustic fence to your property if it is well outside of the city, or if your house is over 100 years old. Because a rustic fence is usually a wood fence, they are fairly easy to build and maintain. Study these rustic fence design ideas, then copy or adapt one to your particular landscape.

Consider Your Home's Architecture and Your Neighborhood

When thinking about adding a rustic fence to your landscape, look closely at your home's architectural style, and the size and location of your property. Balance privacy with function and elegance when choosing your rustic fence style.

Picket Fence

This wooden fence dates from the 1850s, and were built in areas where finished wood was plentiful but growing trees were scarce. They were made originally of the wood scraps left over from building clapboard houses.  For a tall house, make your picket fence with widely separated planks, squared on top, supported by concrete pillars at the driveway. For a ranch house, build the classic arrow-tipped low picket fence, with the planks close together.

Split-Rail Fences

The advantage of the stacked split-rail fence is that it needs no nails or screws to hold it together. The tree trunks are cut to similar lengths, with the bark left on them, and laid atop each other two sections at a time. At a corner between 30 and 90 degrees, the rails intersect each other like joined fingers on two hands. The disadvantage of a split-rail fence is that you cannot build several sections in a straight line.
However, they are wind and water-resistant and will stand for decades. Variations include the tenon and mortise split rail, where the logs are split and squared off at the ends to fit into square notches in the vertical posts. Long straight sections of these fences crossed the western prairies a century ago.  A second design is the cross-rail fence, with two rails crossed in an X-shape between two upright posts. This type was popular in Texas and the southwest USA.

Driftwood Fence

For a property by the seashore or on a large lake, build a fence of vertical posts spaced only 4 to 5 feet apart, and attach slender branches of driftwood to the posts. This fence is friendly to the environment in many ways, from helping clean beaches to using local wood sources. Use unfinished pressure-treated wood for the posts. As it ages, it will mimic the natural gray color of the driftwood.

Bamboo Fence

The preferred "wood" source in hot tropical climates, a bamboo fence could also make a great privacy screen for a pocket-sized yard on an uptown street, or for a Florida or California property. Stand the bamboo canes vertically for a palisade, or lay them horizontally in front and behind closely spaced vertical canes for a woven wicker effect.
If you live in a suburb with modern houses, consult your neighborhood association before finalizing plans for your rustic fence, as bylaws and other regulations might restrict the type of fencing you can build.

1. No Trespassing

   • Fences were one of the earliest indicators of ownership. From the living hedgerows of England to the stacked-trunk worm fences of Lincoln-era America, to the white picket fences surrounding Cape Cod cottages, fences have been made of a variety of materials.
     Rustic fences take elements from hedgerows, worm fences and picket fences to create a range of looks that complement all but the most modern homes. They use wood that has not been milled or kiln-dried, sometimes with the bark still attached. Rustic fences are often constructed using mortise and tenon joinery, with the tenon going all the way through the mortised piece. The joint is usually pinned or bolted for added stability.

   Seasoning

   • Cut your fence wood a year ahead, and store it in the rafters of your shed or garage until it has time to season. Do not leave it outdoors in the weather, or it will crack, draw insects or grow mold, all of which will weaken the wood and greatly reduce the lifetime utility of your fence. When the wood has had time to dry, decide whether to use a stacked construction, typical of worm fences, or a mortise and tenon joint.

   Style

   • A stacked worm fence does not require fence posts, saving a great deal of labor. Rails are stacked at an angle to one another, with the ends overlapped and crossed 6 to 10 inches. The fence gets its name from the back-and-forth shape resulting from the crossed poles. The irregular construction does not appeal to everyone, however, and may not pass muster with your neighborhood association. For best aesthetic results, use rails that are as uniform in diameter and length as possible. Drill a 1-inch hole from the top of the stack to the bottom, and slide a length of rebar through the posts. Pound it into the ground 1 to 2 feet, to anchor it securely.
     A second design uses posts with the bark still attached, as far apart as 8 feet. Three mortises are cut into the post, about a foot apart, and the tenons of three split rails are then thrust into each post. This type looks good with the larger, Federal-style farmhouses of the 1850s.
     A third style uses a top and bottom rail with a mortise and tenon joint and two crossed rails. These fences are typical of the haciendas of the Old West. Posts are spaced about 6 to 8 feet apart, and the cross point is reinforced with an upright brace. This is the strongest of the three types and is often used for fencing horse pastures and building gates.