Building a Horizontal Fence

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[@AprilWilkerson]

Check out my website where I have tons of templates, products, and plans! bit.ly/2JqP7C6

[@maxximumb]

April, why didn't you put the tube with the preservative in one of the post holes in the ground? It would have made the dipping easier as you wouldn't have to life the pole so high to get it in and out. Maybe a tip for the next fence.

[@eatshit2863]

This fence is absolutely gorgeous ! Seriously stunning ! One question , why not place the verticals above the concrete posts rather than into them ?

[@BradGump]

My dad loved his fraction to decimal in blue, I've heard him bicker to others over a 32nd of an inch. It received a good hearty laugh!

[@____________________________.x]

"Fractional to decimal conversions" - ...laughs in metric ;)

[@georgedoolittle7574]

Do you know it? "The Mending Wall" by Robert Frost?

[@johntotten4872]

April "I can literally do anything and make it look amazing" Wilkerson. Thanks for sharing another great video April.

[@jimmyjames3220]

I like that you shared on Instagram how others were stopping by and asking "who built your fence?" That says a lot and that's one hell of a fence April. Beautiful!! :)

[@idmooseman]

Dipping technique = fantastic tip. For the "vertically-challenged" individuals, a step-stool or short ladder might help with the reach angle, too, and still give a great shoulder workout. Love your projects/videos, April. Keep 'em coming.

[@linamatthews512]

We "vertically challenged" will also work out glutes, calves & thighs at the same time with that work-out on step-stool or ladder ☺

[@fredericrike5974]

Also set up your sonotube with liner in the last hole you drill- gets the same result without having quite so much back breaking and sweat- signed a 145 lb whippersnapper.

[@rosemcommm]

I would not want to seal the bottom. Sides OK, but would need to brush or roll.

[@KuroInside_]

My mom (Argentinian, 45) doesn't even know English, but loves watching this kind of videos and inspired her to make more and always better things in our house. Keep up with the good work!

[@mitchmizerie]

Thank God for you April! I will probably never personally build my own fence but this world is crazy right now and you bring such a welcome relief from the daily chaos in this country. Your videos are genuine and your projects bring you so much joy. They put my mind back in a place where I can think about my wood working hobby and the better things in life.

[@Matthew-zy3yb]

Absolute perfect choice for the tracks and their volume. Background noise, gorgeous music and your voice. Each one with their importance and don't compete with each other. These details separates a good from an awesome video. And oh, yes, great fence 😂❤

[@sweetkiwi728]

Man this is an insanely good and thorough video.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Glad you liked it!

[@LogHouseFarm]

I like the shoulder workout technique - who needs a gym when you can build stuff!

[@weAreNotAloneHere]

Log House Farm what’s a gym says the person who lived doing day to day garden jobs

[@iamjimgroth]

If you live out in the country you don't need a gym. There's ALWAYS things to do that will be a workout.

[@hhanger1]

Back in the mid 70's, I worked my way through my first two years of college building cedar fences and patio covers. We didn't have lasers back then and we didn't have any money for air nailers. I still have my 22oz Craftsman framing hammer but the claw is considerably shorter from chipping concrete that was too high. My partner and I charged $8.50 a linear foot for #2 cedar. I think it's about $50 a foot now. Thanks for taking me back.

[@jasone9]

How ironic, I just shared you other fence series to a friend of mine this morning. The reason your holes were off was because of the rocky soil. You can start the auger in the correct spot but as you go down it will walk when it encounters rocks. Of course you try to correct for that as you go down, but usually the reality is exactly what you experienced. My suggestion is if you know the soil is rocky have them drill the holes using a larger auger, allows more room for error. You will end up needing more concrete, but way better than trying to enlarge by hand.

[@specialtrades12]

Even with a bobcat mounted auger? That's a lot of weight to shift from rocky soil.

[@JoshuaRoslansky]

specialtrades12 Sometimes even more because of the Bobcat. It’s usually hard to see if you’re drilling straight and once you get off, the auger can tip or slide pretty easily because it hangs on a pivot.

[@sjscreations2608]

Looks terrific April! What is fantastic, is you do a LOT of research before every project, so you don’t give incorrect information, and that is very much appreciated. Cheers, Sean

[@unclefuddelmer9224]

THE MOST attractive "builder" on YT by far AND, most knowledgeable of course. Personally, I don't use concrete for Any in-ground posts even if I treat the bottoms as it draws & holds too much water.

[@rolandkeys8297]

I've been fencing in the UK for years and I've never seen a fence post rot out at the bottom before its rotted through at ground level. This is where it is moist and has the most air for fungus and microbes to feast on the wood. 3x3 post seem a little thin for a fence of this size that will have a lot of force put on it by the wind. The finished fence looks awesome in the video

[@titan5535]

I agree, I build all of my fences w/ 4x4 PT 48" in ground, 2x 30KG bags of concrete never had an issue after over 5000 linear feet of fence even with Frost/wind

[@robertclark2714]

Venice, Italy is built entirely on submerged logs that have not rotted in 500 years. Rot only occurs at ground level and above in the presence of oxygen.

[@AlMartins484]

Hi Roland your comment makes total sense, in fact we use Postsaver a UK product sleeve that is heat shrunk to the post protecting at the ground-line and 12” below, that band is where the rot happens. Cheers

[@tchevrier]

exactly. They always rot at ground level where there is moisture and oxygen for the microbes to do their work

[@danwebster5439]

Looks so much better than the old vertical fence. Great tips and craftsmanship.

[@pauledwards9493]

One lucky neighbour! Thoughtful new neighbour, beautiful fence and added security.

[@hottractor1999]

I learned a lot from watching this. I really like how you did the top and bottom horizontal parts, 6 foot and 12 foot on the top.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks! Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@deborahnorthover5304]

Your neighbour is going to be looking at one beautiful fence, I love red cedar wood too. Take care and stay safe.

[@FranksDIY]

One thing I have to say to you April . You are definitely a hands on hardworking Gal. 👍👍👌

[@DanielLeon-hf2lr]

The picket on picked fence you did an excellent job. On this one the posts are not even the same height. One post on each end and you can shoot straight from there , "eye ball them". Post are level and once leveled you can pour concrete in. The outcome it is beautiful. Usually on horizontal fences posts should 8 feet apart, on these it should be 6 or 5 1/2 apart. The wind might knock your pretty fence down. Your whole were off because of the Rocky soil, that's why you don't digg all your wholes just yet. You build the ones from the ends, put one in the middle middle, and you go from there. You build them as you go so you don't have the same problem you had.

[@indyhotdog7652]

Hi April, love your videos. I am a chemist. The protectant that you applied to the bottom of the posts was copper NAP-THENE-ATE

[@BeckyBlanton]

Thanks for including the explanation of the transit, laser, etc. I wondered how you got such a great level over that distance! Beautiful fence!

[@royreynolds108]

Most of those laser systems will allow a grade to be dialed in so laying sewer line, etc. is very easy. The grade has to be in the direction of the trench or pipe. When set for level, the laser can be placed anywhere out of the way..

[@tonitomei6323]

I am replacing my old wrecked chain link fence at my front road, it's only going to be about 50 feet.. This fence is nice. I will keep it in my top 5 picks. Thanks April. Glad to see a new video! The first one I ever watched was way back when you did the lean to on that old house with the small cement pad and the next one was when you cut all the fence posts off with the cutting torch, and I said, if she can do that, maybe I can too, although, I am much older........ think, no indoor electricity.... ok, not that old, but I am still getting it done. Thanks again for the inspiration!

[@weekendhomeprojects]

The plumbing method is so complex and amazing...it's hard to follow 4 beers in. Going to have to come back after a morning coffee to log this into the plank bank.

[@cspann2872]

hoo-boy! I helped build a few decks and fences when I lived in Texas. We didn't have a bobcat with an auger but the two man rig we used trying to cut through that Caliche stuff almost yanked our arms off! That is a very nice fence !

[@Sullivan_Owen]

we just had a horizontal fence installed at our home, on paper it looked like a possible DIY but we have grade changes, hidden tree roots and all sort of obstacles so in the end we hired a local company. It was 3 weeks of work, they actually went post by post because the grade made some sections shorter than 6ft wide, they also recommend a vertical strip because horizontal boards can torque. Having been researching this for years, you see a lot of badly aging horizontal fences but it's such a striking design. I have some videos of my garden renovation that feature the fence.

[@ericwolske5549]

Great video. Gonna get me a laser tape. I spent a year or two installing fences in AZ. Couple of things I learned from the pros: 1. We always played with the depth of the holes to set the tops of the posts to the correct height. We NEVER Cut the tops of the posts off after they were set. I’ve had to cut off post tops on an Eagle Scout project because I wasn’t there when they set the posts and it was much more difficult. 1a. Another thing the pros do is eyeball the horizontal and vertical alignments. Sounds crazy, but the human eye is extremely accurate. And besides, what standard is going to be used to judge the quality of the finished product? The human eye! 2. Concrete mixer is a great idea. I’d suggest that on your first hole, you measure the amount of water needed to get just the right mix using a gallon milk jug. That way, for the next 50 holes, you can simply fill the milk jug up to the same level each time, add it to the concrete mix and flip the switch on the mixer. You can’t believe how much time this can save you and you can be certain the mix is just right every time. Concrete mixing is a completely deterministic process. My son and I just used this method on his Eagle project and it worked great. Anyway, keep up the good work. I really enjoy watching your videos.

[@garysmith4311]

I love your design April !!!!! Thanks for sharing. God bless TEXAS and long live the Republic.

[@gergemall]

Very cool. You’ve worked so hard. Congratulations on your continued success.

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thank you so much! And thanks for watching.

[@edwardholmes91]

Nothing beats a new video by April on a Sunday afternoon :) Great work on the fence, it looks stellar!

[@blackdog850]

Great video April! I have been planning a section of fencing on my property...and the thought that came to mind is...I always like building a fence with a SOUL. This fence is not just functional art, but it has Soul! Well done & thanks for sharing! :)

[@jefflassitervlogs3349]

Ive been putting up privacy fences here in arkansas for years an easy trick to level posts is to break up cement blocks and use them in the holes it helps level the post and you use less cement. Plus T25 screws hold better than nails

[@jefflassitervlogs3349]

Just a trick I learned hope it helps

[@wazowski6709]

Amazing work as always April. Your projects always inspire me. I love your attention to detail & your voice is so easy to listen to 👍

[@badmilk96815]

Its so crazy to finally watch this video after watching the progress and just how nice it came out on Instagram - its amazing!

[@juliemdc5585]

This is very helpful - thank you for all of the detailed steps. Great job!

[@AprilWilkerson]

Thanks! Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@ianmarsden8568]

I loved the video. What a good neighbour you are, April.

[@tyrehester5550]

Thanks April! I just built a vertical fence but I still used those brackets which I heartily recommend. Great design, as always on your projects..

[@BoomerKeith1]

Always a good day when a new AW video comes out!

[@johnglenn7941]

I have seen GOBS of fencing, that is by far the nicest ! Wonderful Job !

[@MarioLopes182020015]

another very good job, April, and an excellent finish

[@sixdsix5028]

Clamps are a great idea for flexibility when making your plumb adjustments. I hope to remember that technique for my future projects.

[@evslone]

Wow, that looks like a seriously healthy workout. So many smart tips: dipping the posts, using laser leveling and the laser tape (I love my Bosch laser tape). And so smart to notch between and save scrap by planning ahead on board length. Great job.

[@debretaevans8049]

I pray that you keep making these videos I love it some of the comments are funny

[@maurarodriguez3432]

So informative, my husband and I are going to attempt this also. Much love from a fellow Texas girl 🤠

[@donmedford2563]

For your next fencing project may I suggest you have 12" post holes dug? I had a 955 JD compact utility tractor with a post hole digger and 12 auger. It worked great to set even 6" X 6" posts. By being oversize you do not need the holes to be quite so precisely located. It takes some additional concrete to fill the holes but I consider that to be much cheaper and easier than having to dig your holes over to get the location precise like you had to do.

[@leatherelectric]

Wowser. Beautiful Fence. Great Design and execution. We recently replaced the 150' of raggedy chain link fence with a 5' tall privacy fence. We choose to emulate the beautiful western cedar fences with the horizontal board orientation. In Ohio, cedar just isn't economically feasible, though I bet due to increased Pressure Treated lumber prices it's no longer 2X the cost and more like 1.5X. Anyways, we went with treated poplar, also called Kentucky board. It's about the cheapest hard wood you can find. I was only ever able to find it at fencing supply stores and not big box or specialty lumber stores. It's beautiful, we also installed a batten on every vertical 4x4. My neighbor gets the benefit of the batten side. Fences like these are head turners for sure.

[@jdgindustries2734]

Found the video before KZbin announced it to me... Talk about timing luck. Hey, first comment! Edit: as usual, awesome project & execution, and great walkthrough. I live how you make your projects seem so relatable, no matter how complicated.

[@davidneel8327]

So a couple of years ago a company came in to put up new power poles along the road that I live on. The poles are over 100 feet tall. I saw them use a plumb bob to check them if the poles were straight.

[@lautricky90]

April, this is a great looking fence. I want to make one exactly like this in my backyard. Could you share a video or pictures of how it held up after three years as well as what maintenance you have done on an annual basis??

[@AprilWilkerson]

Still looks great and have not done any maintenance. Thanks for watching.

[@LuisYax]

You attention to details is awesome. On my next deck/fence project I will be reaching out to you. Great content by the way.

[@eddieb35]

Watching people set post always cracks me up! As long as it gets done right?

[@squeekhobby4571]

Fantastic design and looks

[@iamfitniss]

Wow you had such cool tools I want that laser thingy

[@beastly_brisket_man6249]

Good lookin fence! Had to do a job once in San Antonio. We used a jack hammer for that Rocky stuff.

[@user-gc1dh9hb1u]

Like the treatment of the bottom of the posts!!! Kick ass idea thank you!!!!

[@donnaclayton8644]

Thank you! I want to do the same with the back of my property. 150+ feet across. I will be replacing a 4ft chain link that was installed in 1999. Can't wait for the next part.

[@elvispowell8471]

Very well explained and looks great

[@GoodwillCriminalsOfDallas]

Most important cut on a fence is to have the top rail cut at a small angle on both sides so water sheds off. Just make sure to coat the top well with sealant.

[@martyclack8782]

Great job April.

[@jackostergaard4624]

Years ago I saw a This Old House episode were Norm was setting a wooden mailbox post. He was of the opinion that wooden posts should not be set in concrete. The argument is that the concrete acts as a cup which holds water - leaving the post sitting in water which promotes early rot. You may have solved this problem with the gravel at the bottom of the hole changing the cup into a tube giving a place for the water to escape. Also I can't imagine effectively back filling that with that rocky spoils. Another thought would be to backfill with the same gravel you used on the bottom. That looks like it could be adequately compacted to hold the posts upright while promoting drainage. A little sand would tighten things up if needed.

[@chriswhite4596]

Girl you are a BADASS , Fantastic job

[@HabitualButtonPusher]

I’ve been becoming more fond of expanded metal fencing filled with aggregate. So many neat patterns you can make with zero maintenance.

[@bjer39]

I agree! I first saw that type of fence at a zoo!

[@ORSkie]

Sturdy... but Not cheap....

[@GoodwillCriminalsOfDallas]

One thing to mention that should have been near the beginning was to call and get utilities located before you start digging. Knowledge is POWER April. Nice fence....!

[@upsidedowndog1256]

Nice job, April. That is probably the straightest and most square thing in several counties!

[@johngrossbohlin7582]

While it wouldn't have been as much of a workout, you could have put the cardboard tube (sonotube) for the copper napthenate into one of the post holes. That would have lowered the tube by 3-4 feet... Also, the general rule of thumb for fence posts is 1/3 of the length should be in the ground. In this case with the hard rocky soil they may be OK in all but the heaviest winds. Others should consider their soil type when deciding how deep to place them... All that said, it's a nice looking fence!

[@SaycoPworrell]

Noted!

[@tryxlr8m8]

Hi April, thanks so much for all your videos! I hope you don’t mind that I’ve mentioned you in my first KZbin video ever! Really appreciate the inspiration I gained from your old workbench video. So good to see how you have evolved things! Look forward to ur next video, thanks again!

[@MrSteppingstone888]

AWESOME looks fantastic , boy that ground is tough lots of rock.

[@Twangg1]

another beautiful asset of W. Red Cedar is that it weathers out to almost silver in color... very highly sought after here in the PNW...

[@NGinuity]

I like your 12 foot span idea. When I built my fence about a decade ago, I did something similar but used metal poles 6 feet apart, but the 2x4 cedar stringers were 12 feet. I staggered the rungs so that there was not a full vertical break at any point along the run.I think that (As well as the poles being an extra foot in the ground) is what has helped it and at one point it was the only fence standing on my street after a downburst during storm season. These were the same neighbors who I got ridicule from when they saw me building. Uhuh... I still have a huge cheese grin from that. Also, anyone NE of Dallas with shrink/swell black clay, good luck. It's hard as a rock during dry months, and about as sticky as aggressive paste when it's wet. It's a battle even getting it off of your shovel when it's wet, only to find that it's stuck to the bottom of your shoes now. The only way to win is not to play the game...haha. I do recommend you sink your poles in concrete during dry months because if you do it when the soil is damp, the shrink will pull away from the concrete. If you did it right the structure will be fine but it won't look good.

[@TammieFulmer]

That is looking awesome! Time to re think our chain link fence !

[@augustreil]

That's going to be a really sweet fence ! Thumbs up.

[@fillg]

Thank you for premixing your concrete and not falling for the "just dump the dry powder in the hole and it will get wet over time" joke.

[@dch.projects]

Beatiful fence. I have the same dilemma, going from an 8' to 6' span qith existing posts. What I'm thinking is, I'll just need to rip out the middle two posts between 24' (or three 8' sections), leave the first and last post standing, then replace the two along with a third middle post at 6' intervals. That would work right?

[@JRFrancisco20088]

I could totally do that, as soon as I finish my fourth Budweiser. Cheers.

[@davidjames3777]

I really enjoyed this video,you have some nice carpentry skills.

[@Indiandiecast495]

Thats a clean work. Great going April 😊👍🏻💯

[@MRwilliamsjw4]

I can tell yall are in Central Texas with all the scrub oaks and limestone in the soil. Fence looks great despite the challenges.

[@oodoodoopoopoo]

I'm impressed at how the detail in your workflow is always so well thought out. There's only one thing different that I would have done which is to attach the transit level receiver to the story stick to do all of the marking at once instead of a separate first pass level line followed by a separate pass of transferring all the offsets from the stick. Beautiful fence ✌️😁👍

[@TheRPhelps24]

Would have needed an extra set of hands or a clamp to clamp it to the post while marking. I agree that her workflows are what tend to impress me the most as well :D

[@oodoodoopoopoo]

@@TheRPhelps24 - @7:38

[@moeszyslack4676]

Wow that's a lot of work. Looks incredible. Well done April! Side note, surprised you weren't wearing gloves with that preservative. It STINKS and the stench lingers forever!

[@Robert8455]

I just think you are an amazing woman and that fence is just awesome. I remember the fence you put up at your old house... I just thought that was fantastic and this one here perfect for your application and of mutual benefit to your neighbor.

[@barryirby8609]

Nice job. Great looking fence. I can't remember seeing any piece of land around here where I could build 196' fence and have it be level all the way. At some point the bottom would be ten feet off the ground. Next time just brace the posts and dump in the concrete dry out to the bag and wait for it to rain. Or you can pour some water in top of the hole if you can't stand waiting. Actually, I would have just put sharp gravel in the holes. Almost as strong as concrete and keeps the posts dry.

[@neeosstuff7540]

If you do this again. May I suggest putting the pipe full of preservative in one of your already dug holes? Then the shoulder workout technique would be much easier.

[@ChakaLove]

Love how u explain EVERYTHING!!

[@nordyfamily]

Great work, thanks for taking the time and sharing.

[@HeavyboxesDIYMaster]

Awesome, dipping the preservative. WOW! Highly instructional and well explained! Your KZbin videos have excelled. Super nice to watch a strong work ethic. 🤩

[@MyClutteredGarage]

Beautiful job. I look forward to seeing part 2.

[@oleanderson3693]

Great looking fence April! I missed the part where you should verify where your property line is by locating the property markers (Irons or monuments) or having a surveyor stake the property line if you can't find the correct markers. As others have said, hope you don't get any strong winds with those posts less than 24" in the ground.

[@tyrehester5550]

Ole Anderson ... on Instagram I’m pretty sure she talked about getting a survey. I did recently and gained a few feet. 🦶

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Awesome job April !!👍👍 Really going to be nice around there for everyone when it’s completed. Looking forward to seeing the second part of your fence build. Thanks for sharing with us. Fred.

[@OG_Jack]

All of your videos are awesome!

[@OldReddingFarm]

wow thats a good looking fence!! So different! Very cool!!

[@usefulworktips5976]

Thanks for turning us on to those simple straps. Most useful things ever! So much great info. Going to use some of these tips for a fence we are making.

[@ronfuentes428]

I absolutely love western red cedar! I've worked with it lots and it's does exactly what I need!

[@thesplinteredfinger]

I love the fence, it will do so much for the property! Also like the way your logo appeared at the end of the video for some reason.

[@MCsCreations]

Really beautiful work, April! It's looking fantastic! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@pteddie6965]

April, this is a great looking fence. Kudos for the well thought out planning that you did. Stay safe.

[@aliabdurrahman]

Looking forward to part two

[@jerseygirlvet]

Beautiful.

[@JT_70]

You are amazing! I love all your videos.

[@projectthetruth385]

I'm about to try to build a fence like this. Having never built a fence before, I'm not sure if what I'm thinking of doing is going to turn out to be structurally sound. The plan is to use Ozco 4x4 post anchors to hold up 8 ft posts (8ft on center) and then simply screw or nail 1x6x8 deck boards (not the standard, lightweight picket-grade lumber) to the posts. I wasn't planning on installing any rails...just the deck boards. The substructure (if you can even say that there is one in this case) certainly won't be as strong as what you've built here, but I'm thinking it might work for what I need it to do...which is just to create a visual barrier between my (very close) neighbor's back porch which points on an angle directly into our backyard. We have zero privacy back there. Note that the deck boards would have 2 to 3 inch gaps between them to let allow for some air-flow, so if high winds kick up we're thinking that the fence will remain stable. Are we making a mistake not using rails? Note that the final height would be 7'9" since the Ozco posts are driven in until 3 inches are showing above the surface. I wanted to go with 8' posts because I'm 6'7"...a 5'9" fence kind of defeats our purpose. Plus, the neighbor's back porch is 2 feet off the ground, so they'd see over the shorter fence pretty easily. An 8 foot fence seems huge for this property (we've considered cutting the posts down to 7 feet), but we're also a few hundred feet from a major highway with 18 wheelers rolling by at all times of the day and night and need to block them out visually. The higher the better (and 8 feet is our max if we don't want to get a permit). I chose the Ozco post route because they seem much easier to install than digging holes and pouring concrete...I'll be doing this job pretty much by myself, so I wanted to make it a little bit easier. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

[@bekabeka71]

You’re simply the best female carpenter