Picket Fence

[trenyboy]

Hi Guys,

I'm in the middle of putting up a picket fence, just got a question about attaching the rails...i'm putting an entrance where the gate is, so the posts for the gate are approx 0.8m back into the yard to facilitate the entrance.

What I want to know is what is the best way to attach the rails to the posts for this entrance area, as its not as simple as checking in the post to slot the rail in due to the angle. I dont want to cut too much out of the post as i dont want to weaken it...

Whats the best way to go about attaching these small sections of rail???

Cheers
trenyboy

[Clinton1]

I'm not too sure as to what the problem is, mate. A bit more info would help me understand it.

I take it that the 'wings' will angle in from say 2m wide to the @ 900mm gate width - over the 800mm 'set back'.

Is the fact that the checked out joint is angled that creating the problem?

[leeton]

I used gal angle brackets on all my rails...not sure if that suits you, but worth a thought.

[trenyboy]

Clinton1, spot on, even with dimensions! Yeah, its the angled checked out joint causing the issue...

leeton, you mean you used brackets on all of you rails, so you didn't check any of the posts in at all? I did think about doing that...

[Clinton1]

treny,

Is it the marking out of the angled checking and the cutting of it;
or the amount of material that will be left in the post after the front rails and wing rails are checked out - that is giving your the trouble?

I cut suitable lengths to fit between the rails out of excess rail material, and screwed the rail material up vertically along the posts. The 'normal' rails (I put up a 3 rail fence) would 'slot' between the vertical screwed on pieces to act as rail supports, then fixed the rails with long screws into both the post (screw on an angle) and into the vertical rail (straight down). It worked well and takes the fat kid from over the road climbing over it to get his tennis ball. (must add some barb wire!)

Later I disguised the look of the posts that had the pieces of rail material attached to them by covering it with a picket.
I did it all on the inside, and it presents quite well.
It was that or shift the rails down, so they all didn't line up on the posts to get over having to cut out som much material all at the same place.

Angled brackets like leeton said would probably have been better, but I didn't think I'd like the look, + I had spare rail material and didn't feel like driving to the hardware store.

[trenyboy]

Clinton,

Its more about taking so much out of the post, my posts are only 90x90, so by the time i take out enough for the 'normal' rails (whats your view on taking half out of the post and half out of the rail? I have 45mm rails, i was thinking of taking out ~22.5mm from rail and post so the post isn't so cut into)

That sounds like a reasonable solution, and it doesnt require that you take out too much from the posts! I'll checkout some brackets and make my decision.

Thanks mate!

[Clinton1]

Mate, I don't like cutting into posts at all.

I used TP posts and cutting into them exposes the inner part which IMO (rightly or wrongly?) is not as treated. When looking at hardwood posts, the majority of the splits are around the checked out part. Anyway, I slapped creosote into the cut parts and made sure I painted over really well.

You can cut the mortice and tenon so that they are both angled, and cut the tenon down, so its smaller than the rail size (like you suggested). That reduces the amount of wood removed in the post. Its a strong joint, stronger if you screw or nail through the rail and into the post.

In the end, the solution I described is what I went with, and its going well. My theory was that if my way sucked, then I haven't weakened the post and have only 'wasted' the rails. Better than having to remove the post.

[trenyboy]

Thats my dilema as well, its much easier to replace a rail or 2 if needed than to replace a post!

So the solution you went with was for all of your rails or just the angled rails?

[Clinton1]

For the entry gate area.

I don't know what fencers would make of the way I did it.

Another pro is that the rail can be centred anywhere so the pickets are wherever you want them, without worrying about having an exposed lap join showing, or removing any post material.

I know a picket fence is not cheap, hate to have you do it my way and it ending up a poor decision. Not too much harm if its just for those two posts though.

Ask me in a decade how it stood up, and I could tell up if its a good idea or not.

[trenyboy]

Thanks for all your advise mate, I like your thinking and I will probably go that way with the entry rails. Certainly aint cheap, but can be a nice looking fence!!!

I'll stick to my original idea (half lap joints) for the rest of the rails, at least then i'm not taking too much out of the post (i've only 90mm to play with, don't want to be taking 45mm out)...i'll let you know how it goes when i'm done!!!

Cheers
Trent