I’m going to show you in some very short, basic steps how to build a picket fence (my very fast and easy way, of course…other ways do exist).
This method will result in the posts being visible between sections of fencing. This looks great when you add some character to the top of the post with a finial.
After you’ve taken a look at the method in this post (which is pretty easy), check out these videos I found to help you get a little better feel for building a picket fence. click here
Step One – You Can Dig This
Install 4×4 posts made out of pressure treated pine.
- Use posthole diggers or a power auger to create holes about 24″ deep, four feet apart.
- Determine how tall you want your fence (usually between 24″ and 42″) and add just over two feet to that. (you’ll go back and cut the tops off level later)
- Set the posts, plumb and square to the line of your fence, and set the base in concrete.
Step 2 – Hanging Out
Once the posts are all set and the concrete has dried. Run A level string line along all your posts at a level one inch below the post height you want. Use a “line level”, a water level, or a regular level and a helper to make sure your string line is level.
Mark each post at the height of the string. That is the height of the TOP of a standard 2×4 joist hanger, available from your local building supply store. Since the fence will be completely painted white, I don’t worry about that little bit of metal that will still be showing. Using the hangers makes the job much faster.
Step 3 – On The Level, but board.
Run pressure treated 2×4 boards from hanger to hanger, between the posts. If you did your string line right, there is never a need to bring out the level again. And the hangers will give you some lattitude with your cuts. A little short is okay as long as it is well seated in the joist hanger.
Measure down from the top hanger and set all of your bottom hangers at the same distance down. Approximately 6″ above the ground to the bottom of the hanger.
Step 4 – Slat Happy
Cut slats out of pressure treated 1×4’s. I would place a board directly against each post (to cover much of the metal hanger), then measure between them and figure out even spacing. Don’t worry too much. If you have to “rip” a board because your spacing gets out of whack, it’s not a big deal. Life goes on.
You can either screw these on or nail them with a nail gun. You really can’t nail them on with a hammer very easily because of the bouncing and shaking around. If you decide to use screws you have to decide if you want to go from the front or the back.
If you have a helper, you can screw it from the back side and not see any fastners from the front, but it takes two people because the board has to be pressed firmly in place.
The easy way… air nailer. Bam. Bam. Bam… about that fast. It’s over in no time.
Remember, you can get totally creative with the top of the pickets! And you can top-off each of the post with a pre-made decorative finial type thingy-majig from Home Depot, Lowes, etc. They are made out of pressure treated lumber and have a lag bolt embedded. You just drill a hole in the top of the post and screw them down. Finishes off the post nicely.
Step Cinco – I’m Drawing a Blank
Pintura la valla blanco.
This is just what I was looking for! I am building a bckdrop for our pet burial area and this will look awsome. Thanks for adding such wonderful instructions!
Works good if it’s level tops, but I need to find out the quickest way to do a 3 panel 28′, 4 post slope top fence, any ideas?
this is somewhat helpful. You left out key thigs like length of the slats, spacing, how to keep them all at the same height; without this data, the other data is useless.
@ron,
I find comments that use insulting language like “the other data is useless” a bit hard to respond to. But since you provide a real email address and didn’t link to any spam sites then I assume your comment is genuine and you really are interested in building a fence. So I want to help. Not that it’s my job to help… I provide this site for free…but that I want to help.
The reason I didn’t provide any of the information you mentioned is because it’s all “up to you”, My drawing shows that “height varies” meaning you can choose a reasonable height that works for you. A design like this would work for fences approx. 24″ – 42″ high, which is mentioned in my post.
Keeping them all the same height is a job that depends on a number of issues such as ground level, type of top on your posts, and whether or not you need your slats to touch the ground. It’s really not that hard to figure out since there is already a structure in place that is level which can be used to measure from.
Slat spacing requires use of tools such as a tape measure or a scrap of wood.
These items were left out because individual situations vary. Hopefully this additional information helps.
wouldn’t want to be useless…
It’s really up to you…what an irrational question
@Ron
The reason I didn’t provide any of the information you mentioned is because it’s all “up to you”, My drawing shows that “height varies” meaning you can choose a reasonable height that works for you. A design like this would work for fences approx. 24″ – 42″ high, which is mentioned in my post.
Keeping them all the same height is a job that depends on a number of issues such as ground level, type of top on your posts, and whether or not you need your slats to touch the ground. It’s really not that hard to figure out since there is already a structure in place that is level which can be used to measure from.
Slat spacing requires use of tools such as a tape measure or a scrap of wood.
These items were left out because individual situations vary. Hopefully this additional information helps.
Hi, I thank you for showing how to build a picket fence, Im a 72 year old grandma trying to build a fence useing the panels from Home Depot. I thought I’d have to figure out how to cut out a chunk in each of the posts to rest the rails in. That makes me nervous. I think I’ll use the metal joist hangers. Thanks you’re a very nice youong man to take time to help us. Norine
i’am not a spammer!
do you have plans for a gate?
Fantastic thank you for taking the time to put this up I feel a lot more confident building my front fence now 🙂
I currently have a white picket fence that needs repaired because where the pickets meet the top board and bottom boards, some are rotted and have come loose, so I am in need of replacing the top and bottom boards and have enough extra pickets in storage to replace the bad ones…. My question is “I surprisingly have boards that are the proper length to be able to replace all of them but they are 1 x 4 inch where I am pretty sure what is there now are 2×4…. I have already painted the boards and then it dawned on me “Would the 1×4 ‘s work well and hold up the pickets as well as 2×4? Or should I buy all new ones?? ”
Any thoughts? Do I use stronger nails (using an air gun) or just add way more nails?
Thanks in advance.
Lizz
Hi Liz,
Good to hear you’re getting out there and fixing up that fence! You’ll be glad you did I’m sure. So the answer to your question is a challenge because there are a few factors involved. What type of wood? Pressure treated, white wood, or some sort of hardwood? If it’s pressure treated, then 1×4 for pickets is probably fine, although I’m not sure it would look good mixing 1×4 and 2×4 pickets, but it might not be very obvious. No matter what kind of wood it is, thinner wood will generally not last as long as thicker wood so I can’t really say it’s “as good” as 2×4 lumber. But I would say that 1×4 is the standard for picket fence pickets. If possible I would suggest screws rather than nails for outdoor use because they hold better, but if you use nails, the same number of nails would be called for in either size board. Two or three nails per connection point would be about right. If you’re using an air nailer, is this a “framing nailer” or a “trim nailer” because trim nails are too thin for outdoor use and will rust away and fall off soon, especially in treated lumber. If you don’t have a framing nail gun, I would use screws and a driver/drill.
Hope that helps,
Tim
Tim,
Thanks for a great tutorial. I see it’s been a few years and sometimes we change how we would do things differently.
Would you change anything if you were to do it now?
thanks!
gail
I’ve had this bookmarked for a year now; hoping to get ours put up next spring as we finally have the garden in. I found this very useful as a guide. We have a significant slope on a portion of the yard so I’m hoping to have a nice finished fence, without “steps” (and resulting gaps underneath).
One question: what type of nail would you recommend? Would a 6d (or shorter) work? I need to use an air nailer in the near future, and if I wind up buying one, I want to make sure it’ll work for this project as well. I’m looking at cordless at the moment, thanks in advance!
Thank you for a simple easy tutorial. Hadn’t thought of the brackets! Was thinking of going with a angled nail but much better. and I must say after reading the comments- WTH People! If you can’t figure a fence from this you’d better start by just getting pre-made or hire a fencing company. Sheesh! Nice site- don’t let those others get you down. I’m a mural and fine artist by trade and am remodeling (yay salvage- yay vintage) hand built stone cottage- it must have a picket fence!