The Long, Hard Fence

We've had in our plans to build a privacy fence along the north side of our property for years.  We've been lucky for the most part over the years with neighbors, but the last couple of ones "encouraged" us to build a fence to block the view from the north!  We had earlier built a partial one but it just didn't hold up so we next priced a new one but it was a little out of our price range.

So, this summer we decided to tackle the job ourselves.  The hardest part was just getting started. We wanted to use 4X4 steel posts and 2X4 metal rails this time because no matter how straight you get the treated lumber, it is going to curve and bend over time.  I had most of the post holes dug when Jordan was here for Father's day, so he helped me get the last few finished giving me the incentive I needed to get going!

Beverly and I cut and set the new posts in concrete and Landon Bullard came and welded the rails for us. We first wanted a level fence from front to back but had to change plans because of the severe drop in elevation.  We opted for a series of  four step downs to make it workable. Next, we had to prime and paint all of the metal.

In the mornings, we would sit at a tarp-covered picnic table and stain and seal all of the fence pickets before putting them on the rails.  It took both of us working together to hold, mark and screw all the self tapping screws into the rails.  There were days when we started early and quit early but most days we would work until noon or one o'clock.  Working off and on for about a month, we finished it on July 30. It was a hot job and if I were to do it again, I would definitely do it in the winter.

Now we want to finish it off by laying rock underneath the parts of the fence that is off the ground, plant some new grass and small plants in front of it and we will be happy campers, or at least happy fence builders!

 Presley checking out the lumber options at Home Depot!

 Because of trees, roots and other obstructions, we set the new fence

further in on our property to make the operation go easier.  The old 

fence was torn down and the pickets stained and used on the new one.

 My knees suffered from the constant getting up and down!

 First sections of the nine section fence completed!

 We had to step down the fence in sections as we worked towards the back,

otherwise it would have been four to five feet off the ground at the back!

The old man taking a break.  It was too hot for working some days, especially

behind a privacy fence that blocks all the breeze.  Bev said this is my Robert Duvall look!