The construction of privacy fences made of wooden elements requires little from the gardener in terms of craftsmanship, but does require many compromises in the design planning. If you like to take things into your own hands from scratch, choose a wooden fence made of posts, boards and screws. The following instructions explain step by step how to build a wooden privacy fence yourself.
How do I build a wooden privacy fence myself?
To build a wooden privacy fence yourself, you need posts, boards, screws, post anchors, crossbars and spacers. Plan the route of the fence, place the posts and screw the boards to the crossbars. Make sure the alignment and spacing is correct.
Planning and building permits – this is what you should pay attention to
Please measure the route of the fence precisely on your property. So that you and your family are safely protected from prying eyes, plan a height of 180 to 200 cm. If the fence is also intended to function as noise protection, we recommend building it with a double layer of boards. The choice of type of wood largely determines the visual effect. You can achieve a rustic style with simple, rough-sawn boards. A privacy fence made of oak, Douglas fir or larch wood looks elegant.
Once the planning work has been completed, please contact the building or public order office in advance. Privacy fences are usually subject to local building regulations and require approval. Regionally, the regulations sometimes take into account the specific design, right down to the type of wood used.
Material, tools and preparatory work – checklist
If you and the building authority are at peace with yourself about the new privacy fence, the following materials and tools will be brought in:
- Wooden boards cut to size with a slightly beveled top edge so that rainwater runs off easily
- Wooden cross bars cut to size so that the joints rest directly on a post
- Wooden posts
- Post Anchor
- As a spacer: wooden blocks with half the width of the slats (for double-sided boarding)
- Quick concrete, water, vat
- Stainless steel screws
- Screwdriver, cordless screwdriver or drill
- Spirit level, ruler, string, wooden sticks, sticky notes, plumb bob
- Shovel
Mark the fence line with strings that you stretch between wooden sticks. Please check the straight alignment repeatedly using the spirit level. If you also create a slight slope on the top of the crossbars when cutting, rainwater cannot collect here and cause rot or mold to set in.
Pressure treated wood lasts longer
When purchasing slats and posts, please make sure that they are pressure-treated wood. In this process, the wood is partially or completely treated with a wood preservative under high pressure. A privacy fence made of this wood is better able to withstand stress from weather, fungi and insects.
Since the green or brown color of the impregnation fades quickly, a coat of wood stain is still recommended. In this case, please use a solvent-free product marked with the environmental seal 'Blue Angel (€22.00 on Amazon).
Setting posts – tips & tricks
You can calculate the number of posts required using this formula: fence width + post thickness + 1.5 cm=post spacing. Mark the calculated position on the stretched cord with a sticky note. You hang a plumb bob on it, which shows you precisely where to dig. For perfect stability, concrete the anchors for the wooden posts. This is how you proceed professionally:
- Dig a pit 35 cm long, 35 cm wide and 80 cm deep
- Insert post anchor in the middle and stabilize with strips
- Mix quick-mix concrete, pour it in and smooth it out with a wooden board
- Check the alignment of the anchor with the spirit level
If the concrete surface ends a few centimeters below the ground surface, you can later spread soil or lay pieces of grass here. Please note that it takes some time for the concrete to harden. Only then do you screw the posts to the anchors. Place the spirit level again for a perfectly straight alignment.
Build a privacy fence – This is how it works step by step
In practice, it has proven to be a good idea to screw the vertical fence slats with the crossbars to the ground in advance and attach them to the posts as a complete wooden element. If you build a double-walled wooden privacy fence yourself, then attach the second layer of boards. How to proceed professionally step by step:
- Lay the cross bars on a solid surface
- Position the fence slats on top for the first layer of boards
- Get the right distance using the wooden blocks as spacers
- Mark the position of the screws with a line and pre-drill holes for the screws
- Don't screw the wooden boards on until all dimensions are correct
In order to screw the finished crossbars with the first layer of boards to the post, you should have a helping hand at the latest now. First fix the second layer of boards to the crossbars with screw clamps. Again, the spacers serve as a practical tool to align each slat straight and flush. Mark the positions of the screws, pre-drill and then screw each wooden board into its final location.
Tip
Are you looking for a natural alternative to a wooden privacy fence? Mother Nature presents you with a colorful array of magnificent shrubs that form an opaque hedge. Classic and noble, conifers fulfill this task brilliantly, like the tree of life 'Brabant' (Thuja occidentalis). With their lavish blooms, panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) shield the property from prying eyes.
