Fence
Outdoor & decks

Fence

DIY OK
Posts, rails, pickets or panels, concrete and gate hardware for a wood, vinyl or aluminum fence.
Sheet A-1 · Fence

50′ wood fence, 6′ tall

DIY OK
Posts
11
4×4, 2 at gates
Rails
27
3 rows
Boards
116
1×6 × 6′
Concrete
44
50 lb bags
23–36 h of work
Two weekends: dig and set the posts, then the rails, boards and gates. Stain once the wood has dried.
Draft
The rules behind this Sheet are waiting for a licensed pro’s sign-off.
Call 811 first — it’s the law
Call 811 a few business days before digging (your state sets the wait). Free. Wait for the utility markings.
Know your property line
A fence over the line can be ordered removed. Find the property pins or get a survey, and set the fence inside your line unless you and your neighbor agree in writing. Many towns and HOAs want the finished side facing out.
Post depth
Holes 42″ deep (36″ of post in the ground, on 6″ of gravel), gate posts 48″. Where the ground freezes deep, posts go to the frost depth (up to 4 ft) so they don’t heave: ask your building department for yours.
Height limits come from zoning
Zoning usually allows about 4 ft in front yards and 6 ft in back and side yards — Minneapolis: 4 ft in front, 6 ft at the side and back; Fairfax County, VA: 4 ft in front, 7 ft at the side and back. Check your town’s rules and your HOA’s. Many towns want the finished side facing the neighbor or the street.
Ask about a zoning permit
No building permit for a fence 7 ft or lower in most places (IRC R105.2), but many towns want a zoning or fence permit, and HOAs have their own rules.

Drawing

Elevation + posts
1
Gate Z-frame: the brace runs down to the hinge side.
2
Post 4×4, 36″ in the ground, plumb.
3
Concrete 10″ hole, crowned just below the ground, on 6″ of gravel.
4
Rail 3 rows of 2×4 per bay.
5
Boards 5-1/2″ side by side, 2″ off the ground.
Elevation to scale; the post plan only shows the order.

What to buy

13 items · 1 if needed
Save to your jobs to check things off in the store.
Lumber
Posts
Pressure-treated 4×4 post · 4×4 × 10′, ground contact
11 posts
Railing posts.
Rails
Pressure-treated 2×4 · 2×4 × 8′
27 boards
Treated against rot — for wood touching concrete or outdoors.
Gate frames
Pressure-treated 2×4 · 2×4 × 8′
3 boards
Treated against rot — for wood touching concrete or outdoors.
Fasteners
Ring-shank fence nails, hot-dip galvanized
2″ (6d) ring-shank, 5 lb box (≈750)
1 box
The rings stop pickets working loose. Hot-dip galvanized (or stainless) is required with treated lumber.
Coated deck screws
3″ coated or stainless
≈126 screws (2 boxes of 100)
Exterior-rated screws for treads and risers.
Hardware
Heavy-duty gate hinges
heavy-duty strap or T-hinges
3 hinges
Galvanized or black strap or T-hinges, with their screws. Self-closing hinges for a pool gate.
Gate latch
gravity latch
1 latch
A gravity latch, or a self-latching pool-safe latch where the fence guards a pool.
Anti-sag gate kit
cable + turnbuckle
1 kit
Cable and turnbuckle that pull a wood gate’s latch side back up as it settles.
Paint
Fence stain and sealer
semi-transparent or solid
1 five-gallon bucket
Semi-transparent or solid exterior stain for rough fence boards. Rough wood drinks more than the can’s smooth-wood coverage.
Concrete & landscape
Post footings
Fast-setting concrete mix, 50 lb · 50 lb bags
44 bags
For posts: pour it dry into the hole and add water, no mixing. Sets in 20–40 minutes; about 0.375 cu ft per bag (Quikrete).
Under the posts
Drainage stone, ¾″ clean · 0.5 cu ft bags
6 bags
No fines, so water drains instead of pushing on the wall.
Fencing
Boards
Treated fence pickets · 1×6 × 6′ dog-ear
116 boards
Pressure-treated pine pickets, ⅝″ thick, dog-ear or flat top. They shrink as they dry, so side-by-side boards open small gaps.
Wood post caps
If needed
4×4 flat or pyramid
11 caps
Keep the receipt — return it if you don’t use it.
Flat or pyramid caps that keep rain out of the post’s end grain.

Tools

You own 0 of 19 must-haves
Tap the ones you already own. That builds your Tool Shed as you go — no setup.

Must have

The job stalls without it.

Rent it

Costly to buy for one job. Rent it for a day.

Nice to have

Faster or cleaner, not required.

Order of work

23–36 h of work
01
Call 811 a few business days ahead and wait for the utility markings.
02
Find your property line (the pins or a survey), check the height limit and the side that must face out, and talk to the neighbors.
Check first
Pins found or a survey in hand; the fence stays on your side unless the neighbor agrees in writing.
03
Stake the ends and corners and pull a string line between them; mark a post about every 8′, and leave 4′ openings between gate posts.
04
Dig 11 holes 10″ wide: 42″ deep, 48″ for the gate posts.
Check first
Hand-dig near the locate marks: no auger inside the tolerance zone on your ticket.
05
Put 6″ of gravel in each hole; set the end and corner posts plumb, 36″ in the ground, then pull a string between them at the top for the line posts.
Check first
String pulled tight between the end posts before any line post goes in.
06
Set each post plumb and pour the fast-setting mix in dry, about 3.6 bags a hole, then add the water; crown the top so water runs off.
Check first
Each post plumb both ways (a post level) before the mix sets; brace it.
07
Let the concrete set before any rails or weight go on: about 4 hours for fast-setting mix, a day for regular.
Wait 4–24 h — post concrete sets before any weight goes on
Fast-setting mix takes rails after about 4 hours (Quikrete); regular concrete wants a day before any strain. Brace the posts meanwhile.
08
Cut the posts to height with a level line and screw on the rails: 3 rows of 2×4, two 3″ screws at each end.
09
Nail the boards on tight side by side, 2″ off the ground, two nails at every rail; check plumb every few boards.
Check first
A spacer block cut to the gap, and a straight 2×4 on the ground for the 2″ clearance.
10
Build each gate on a Z-frame — rails and a diagonal brace running down to the hinge side — then hang it with 3 hinges, ½″ clear at the latch side; add the latch and the anti-sag kit.
Check first
The diagonal brace runs from the bottom of the hinge side up to the latch side.
11
Cap the posts.
12
Let the treated wood dry until water soaks in instead of beading, often 1–3 months; then stain both sides.
Wait 14–90 days — treated wood dries before stain
Sprinkle a little water on a board: when it soaks in instead of beading, stain. Often 1–3 months; kiln-dried-after-treatment lumber is ready sooner.

Mistakes that ruin the job

5 mistakes
1
Building on the wrong side of the line
A fence over the property line can be ordered moved at your cost. Find the pins or get a survey first.
2
Posts set too shallow or out of plumb
They lean in the wind and heave in frost. 36″ in the ground here, plumb both ways before the concrete sets.
3
Water sitting at the post
Concrete flared over the ground gives frost something to lift, and a cupped top holds water against the wood. Gravel under the post, concrete crowned just below the ground.
4
Boards touching the ground
They wick water and rot. Keep them 2″ up; a straight 2×4 on the ground is an easy spacer.
5
A gate brace running the wrong way
The diagonal must run from the bottom of the hinge side up to the latch side, or the gate sags.

Plan it

The load

To haul
3,670 lb
from the store to the room
Helpers
1
for some steps
Heaviest
Fast-setting concrete mix, 50 lb · 44 bags · 2,200 lb
Treated fence pickets · 116 pcs · 418 lb
Pressure-treated 4×4 post · 11 pcs · 385 lb
Bring a helper: unload and move materials
About 3,670 lb to move — have it delivered, or bring a helper and a hand truck or wheelbarrow.
Rent: Power auger

When you’ll finish

Pick when you can start and how many hours you have.
Hours you can work
Each weekday evening
0
h
Each weekend day
8
h
Saved for every Sheet. Waits run overnight and on days off; work only fills the hours you have.

DIY vs hiring it out

Estimate
Typical US store prices and labor rates, not a quote. A real price can differ a lot.

Do it yourself

Materials
$1,300–$1,750
Tools to buy
19 must-haves you don’t own
Tape measure (25 ft), Mason's line + stakes, Line level, Post level, …
Rentals
1
About $40–$90 a day each
Your time
23–36 h
Total
$1,300–$1,750 + tools

Hire a pro

Materials + 15%
$1,500–$2,000
Pros mark up what they buy
Labor
12.7 h × $65–$95
$830–$1,200
Their time
12.7 hours
Permits
ask your town
Total
$2,300–$3,200

Before you go

0 of 8 checked
The small stuff that causes a second trip to the store.

Rules used

5 rules · Draft
Every number on this Sheet comes from these rules. A licensed pro reviews each one before a Sheet is marked verified.

Save, share, print

Project
Fence
Sheet
A-1
Date
Scale
Not to scale
DIY time
23–36 h
Rules
Draft — pending pro review
Other common sizes
100 ft
150 ft
200 ft