Correctly fasten wooden fence battens
A wooden fence is always something extraordinarily beautiful. Of course, it should also last a long time and look great. To do this, all parts and especially the fence slats must be properly attached.
In the past, a fence was relatively easy to build. The bars, posts and pickets in the forest were cut from trees and their branches and then simply nailed together. Today much more value is placed on a beautifully designed garden fence. There are different slat profiles and shapes and many fence patterns. Whether you're repairing your fence or building a new one, be sure to attach the fence battens properly.
Replace or fix fence pickets
- Today our wooden fences are usually all screwed on. This provides greater stability and is also easier to repair. If the fence pickets are loose, carefully tighten the screws. Make sure that there are two screws at the top and two at the bottom, otherwise the slats will twist or become unstable. The screws should only be so long that they do not protrude from the locking bar, otherwise it is easy to injure yourself.
- If tightening does not help, you should unscrew the batten completely and fill the hole for the screw with wood putty or wood repair spatula and screw it back on after it has become solid.
- If you want to replace the fence slats completely, unscrew the old ones and prepare everything for the new ones. Smear the holes in the latch and drill two holes in each of the battens so that the wood does not burst open through the screws. Work with a spirit level and a guide line when adding, so that after the appropriate paint treatment it is not even noticeable that repairs have been carried out here.
Build a new fence out of wood
- The fence posts are set and the locking bars are screwed tight. Now you need to properly attach the fence pickets. Regardless of whether the slats should be straight or perhaps crossed at an angle - like a hunter's fence - you should prepare everything well.
- Measure everything correctly and use a spirit level to stretch a guide line so that everything is straight. Drill two holes at the top and bottom of the fence slats, slightly offset and always the same, so that the screws look evenly.
- Now you can measure and screw each lath individually. The best thing to do is to build a kind of gauge so that you can create it for the correct spacing and direction in each case. That makes your work easier.
- Pay attention to the correct screw length. The thickness can be 4 mm. Work carefully so that it doesn't drive the screws too far into the wood.
Some people don't like fences, love space and openness. Every now and then it works ...
If you have worked conscientiously, you can now marvel at your work and then edit it with the appropriate color. You will enjoy your fence for a long time.