I run a professional fence installation company and I have to say, you didn’t necessarily go through easiest route as that comes over time and doing numerous jobs and learning the “tricks of the trade”. However, you did an amazing job for someone who doesn’t do this professionally. It looks great and should last you a long time...Good work sir!!!
Thank you friend!!! This vid never intended to take away From business owners like you! As a matter of fact I would encourage to use a Small business like you rather then Big Box. Also this isn’t for the faint of heart! If someone remotely thinks they can’t do it..... DONT!!! It could cost them thousands of dollars of wasted money!!! Hire Local!!!
Excellent job. Looks great. Considering a fence project myself. Got a quote from pros and is was $20k 🤢 and my wife said “I guess you better learn how to build a fence yourself,” 😂
Great job! I installed the first fence to my house back in 2004 to contain my 3 and 2 year old son and daughter. Sixteen years later my son just completed his first year of college and my daughter is going to be a senior. I live in the northeast (Lake George, NY). Where we get lots of snow and ground heaving when the ground freezes. If I were to offer a tip to your viewers, it would be to dig a 4-feet post hole, pour in about a foot of gravel (#2 stone), apply plastic roofing cement to base of your posts (getting the bottom really good), then setting the posts in the hole and pouring the concrete. This is a trick an old timer (my dad) taught me. Why? This will protect the post below grade from wood rot and from ground heaving when it freezes. See, the pressure treated lumber we buy is recommended for ground contact but not to be buried in the ground (or in water). That type of lumber is called marine grade- which is a lot more expensive. My point... I just replaced all my fence panels- they were an untreated spruce spaced picket (cheap at the time and did the job). When I removed those panels I inspected the posts, and all were rock solid like I just put them in. I replaced the spruce stockade with new cedar pickets- looks a lot nicer and saved thousands over having it done professionally. Note: for those looking to install cedar- be aware that if it does not come prefinished, you will use a lot of stain. I installed 80 feet and went through (1) 5-gal pale of stain and only had 3/4 of the fence done. So I purchased another 5-gals and will finish the first coat and apply a full second coat. Ps: when installing a gate, make sure you either install z-braces to prevent sag or buy the gate cable system- I chose the z-brace method- less expensive and better looking imo. Thanks again for the video, and best of luck to all on your next fence project! -Gary
Cmon now.. I am a woman 72 years old..5' 1" and live alone. I just put in 350 ft of wood fence using just a shovel to dig 2 ft deep holes for round treated 8' posts. I used Quikrete to set all the post and mine I put 6 ft apart.
My how times have changed. I'm 67, when I was in my 20's my dad bought a "farm" we had to run 4 strands of barb wire to fence in 20 acres of pasture. EVERY hole for round fence post was dug with a two post hole digger. Granted it took 2 weeks, but I probably dug 1000 holes. I wish they had that gas operated one like you used.
Must be like an English teacher seeing there, their, and they're used the wrong way in writing. The usage was a little off but it was a great job nonetheless
Rather nitpicky, Of you Wanting to argue about level and plumb When he said in the beginning, he was an amateur. Some of you are just totally unbelievable.
Overall you did a good job, pro tip try not to use corner posts to be a a latch or hinge posts for gates, its essentially free floating and after a couple months that post will bow which will effect how well your gate opens if it does at all. 2nd piece of advice, leave 1 1/2 inch gap between the gate where the latch is, over time the gate will sag a bit, if its to close together you will be lifting your gate to open it. 3rd tip ditch the middle runner (2x4) in the gate all thats doing is weighing down the gate, you put a diagonal 2x4 inside the gate frame (the bottom of the diagonal is always on the hinge side) its transfers the weigh from the top of the latch side to the bottom of the hinge side that has substantially more support due to the hinges being lagged to the post. Other than that it turned out good, not bad for your first fence!
That was absolutely so nice of you to provide such great technical insights to Kalinds Life. I am a woman who wants to build my own build my own fence so I watch and read comments so I can learn. I'm afraid to do it because I fear I'll run into something I can't handle. I'm watching and reading everything I can to be fully prepared. You comments helped me understand before or if I should attempt this. I would love the sense of accomplishment and want to save the money but just not sure yet. Thank you for the pro tips.
@@billymiles2635 I think it means the post is a corner post so the fences overall strength and rigidity is not in-line with the gate, it turns 90°. I believe this is a problem because the gate hanging on that corner post will eventually pull it down, causing sag. If the post had another picket section in-line with the corner post it would distribute that load across two posts, not 1. At least that was my interpretation.
Looking to do my own fencing job in Scotland, UK. Been looking for a step by step and informative video with handy tricks, much like the templates you used. You must be chuffed with the finished product.
F King are you talking about the guide on the top?? It was just a 2x6 piece of scrap.l with two small pieces in the sides to hold it in place. I used a level to plumb the dog ears.
A string line would be the easy way to grade the top of the pickets it works the same as the Template but you can run the string down the whole fence line instead of having to move a template every couple feet.
Dude you’re in inspiration!!!!! Love your phrase, if I can do it, you can do it. Am about to buy a house that needs a fence. And need to save money. I will certainly watch this over and over. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for the awesome kind words! I’m not just saying it though!! Congrats on the house and have fun with upgrades and stuff! It’s a blast! Thanks for watching over and over!!! LoL
rent an auger for @60 bucks for the day,put your back out drilling all day into pitrun backfill on a new house.a lesson i learned early.i hired a bobcat for 250.00 with operator.maximum 15 holes,10.00/ea for anything xtra. dont break your back,if you can get a machine in there,it s worth more than you know
I own my own fence company and that fence looks like shit. Not built properly and the gate has no braces. Brackets arent necessary when built properly. The build measurements are stapled on the side of the pickets when you buy them. Posts are to be under the pickets...
Honestly no one! This was my first fence but I did look online and examined some local fences to get an idea! It’s a pretty straightforward process and hoped my experience helped!!! Thanks for watching!
I am a 61 year old woman doing most of this myself. I say take a tiller and they dig down a few inches at a time. They are not real heavy. so you end up with a 2ft sq. you have to keep digging up the dirt out of the hole. You may have to take 2 days to do it. Just planting the poles. Eventually you will have a 2 ft hole. So tiller some and dig it out then keep doing it over the place until you have your desired depth. That is what I will do. The cement I have delivered. I can't lift those bags. So take a bucket and take out 1/4 at a time. A WORX wheel barrow is good. I fill the bucket about half way to move the stuff to where ever you want it. Then you can take the barrow to the holes and use a hose to make up the cement. You can use quick drying.
Your an inspiration for sure!!! This is a lot of work and for that I commend your efforts!! Keep up the good work and hope all works out for you!!! Thanks for watching!!
I'm going to replace my son's existing very old fence in Nov. in San Antonio and I was looking to learn how to do the job. Your video was the second video I watched on this topic and by far the best one, congratulations on a job nicely done. I wish you had also posted the lists of all the tools and materials needed for this task. But you did an excellent job!
One thing I learned when digging holes in very hard soil is to put a gallon of water in the hole and let it soak for a few minutes. It's messier, but gets the job done quicker.
Man you should have gotten an auger with a stopper on it, it’s a little arm let’s to your thighs that stops so it doesn’t pull a shoulder or wrist out with that kickback when u hit a rock
Just two suggestions, 1st the “gates” it’s not necessary for that middle horizontal 2x4 instead a diagonal board from the top outside down to the bottom hinge side will keep the gate from sagging. 2nd the “pickets” you should allow at least a half to an inch of clearance from the ground to allow the weed eater to freely cut grass and not nick and scrap the bottom pickets and also keep them off the wet grass causing them to rot out quicker. Other than that awesome 👏🏽 job.
That's it. I'm building my own fence too. Same issue with my dog. I have a zip line running across the yard. Can't wait to set him free in a fenced in yard. Great job sir. We'll done!
Not gunna lie… when I saw “Zip Line” my brain went straight to…. You connecting to a zip line and flying down your yard! Then it hit me…. Oh…. Your dogs connected to one between two trees! 🤣🤦🏻♂️. A fence is just so much better! Good luck with the build and thanks for watching!!!
Ya those post hole oggers are kinda rough... Body position is key... wide stance rest part of the ogger against your hip and place your right foot back... squat with it as it digs with medium rpm's and not fully under its own weight.. you need it to work like a drill and not a cork screw... try not to let it bind or it might take you for a ride and it will mostly remove the dirt itself... sometimes lol... its defiantly manly mans work, but i hope it helps a little if you take a go at it again man
Nice job! The "template", in old school terms, is called a "story" stick. Should you build another fence, I would recommend mixing concrete before hand, ( practically dry or about a 2-3 inch "slump"), Google can help you out how slump relates to concrete. Then, mound the concrete in a nice four sided cone , so as to shed water. Yeah, I know it seems more of a hassle, but the end result will be much better. Curious, did you put gravel in the post holes prior to installation? No biggie, but it does help with rot. Most people don't. Some people go so far as to caulk around the top of the cone where it meets the post. Again, I appreciate you taking the time to share your great work experience with the world.
Last time I did the math - five feet high fence would be 60 inches, he said he was making each post two extra inches taller - so that would be 62 inches -NOT 52 inches - as he mentioned - just saying Not dissing his job - fence looks very nice
Your math is right! Mine.... wrong. LoL. I wasnt paying attention to what i was saying. I think I was thinking 5 for five feet plus two came out as 52!!! 🤣 thanks for watching and liking the finished product!!!
Nice job. To anyone watching this about to build a fence, keep the bottom of your boards an inch off the ground. Keeps the bottoms from getting wet and rotting
Hey Edwin! I believe it was about 170 LF. Of course doing a video took a little more time than if I would have just built it but I would say 4 days…. Day1: set All poles Day2: Runners Day3: install pickets Day4: Gates Hope that helps some!!! Took me about 1 week. Thanks for watching!!
You: "We're allowed in our community to have a 5-foot fence ... I'm gonna go 5-feet 2-inches so I can add a cap ..." Me: "Makes sense." You: "So what I did, I measured from the outside of the fence posts from the base, 52 inches ..." Me: "Wait -what? You mean 62 inches ... not 52, right?" You: "... each one of these has already been marked 52 inches." Me: "Oh no" You: [Starts cutting] Me: "NO! STAAAAHP!!!!" Me: "Ok. Never mind. That looks like he is actually cutting them at 62 ... "
Dude, awesome job on the fence. Really good detail and love how you used the templates to help you with measurements and accuracy. Great work man. Hope it’s holding up👍🏻
Thanks so much Mike! The fence is as good as the day we were done. Gates are doing well too but i still want to do Correct diagonal supports. Walmart Hinges are no issue too! Thanks for watching!
I wish I had your soil. I live in Winnipeg. When I put in my fence posts I had to dig through roots the size of my biceps and clay soil that was like trying to dig through silly puddy and dense clay that clogs the auger every few seconds. I used the towable aguer from home depot, and even that large thing had a lot of problems. 2 days for 16 holes! I had to use a crowbar and I sharpen the end to get through the very thick roots. The jackhammer was only useful for the first foot and the roots went 2.5 feet down in several holes. Because my house is 100 years old, I also had to rent jack hammer because there was a fence there before with concrete years ago. If I had someone else do my fence, I am sure they would have charged $6000 for the 50 foot fence. It was just crazy.
Dude that is crazy!!! This is not a job or company I would want to own! I give all the credit to fence builders even though I personally wouldn’t use one!!!
Just reminded me why I returned my augers after digging most of the holes for one side of my fence. 8 holes and it kicked back hard enough I had gotten racked 3 times and way too many close calls. The lady didn't even question why I returned it after I explained that portion.
So much good information here. We need a fence for our yard / kids / dog terribly but no way I'm going to pay $8k for it. And no way do I have the confidence to try it myself! LOL. Excellent job, subscribed.
Thanks so much R B!!! I know I’m no pro but I just had to record my experience and how I did it!! Thanks so much for Subbing!!! I think you were number 3699!!! 😂
Quick correction should be 4’ depending where you live because frost line for the north like the northeast is 3’ and you ideally want to go a foot below that
I hate HOA,........ I'm glad I'm building in the country, so I don't have to deal with HOA B.S. A 5 foot fence is not really a privacy fence when people can see right over the top of it. But good job either way, great to see people doing DIY. It saves money and gives you an appreciation for your work and a better appreciation for the trade professionals.
Not a huge fan of HOA either but it’s a great neighborhood and location. The fence regulations suck so not too much I could do there. Thanks for watching and kudos!!
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman Great job on your fence! I install fences, only recommendation I have is use your stringline to set the height of your posts, you want a uniform top, not necessarily uniform distance from the ground. You can also use a stringline for the top of your boards.
Instant Karma I see what your saying. Only issue for me was we have to follow the contour of the ground per our community guidelines. I didn’t agree but rules are rules!
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman thank you for the prompt reply lol. We plan on purchasing our first home and a lot of the properties we’re looking at don’t have fencing
I own my own fence company with 18 years experience. Other than some minor nitpick things ya did a great job 👍 there’s a number of tricks of the trade that would have been helpful for you but overall I’m impressed 😃
Coming from an actual fence company owner that means a lot. I know these type of videos are not the best for your business so I would like to add that if your not sure.... USE A PROFESSIONAL!!! I have above average skills and had the ability to attempt this on my own.... if I thought otherwise.... I would have called a pro like James! Thanks for watching!!!
We think the same!! And the fact we couldn’t do a vinyl fence too! I do love the house but having an HOA kinda sucks. Oh well…. I’ll take the good with the bad. Thanks for watching!
Good job for someone who has never made one before. Although, putting those slats on grade will make them subjective to rot even if they are treated. I always leave 1.5” off the grade
Thanks Conor! I will definitely evaluate how the bottom is in a couple years. If I notice any rot I probably will cut off 1” with the contour of the yard. It was a fun build but I’m glad it’s done!
Plumb, not level. Use a spacer to offset the strings 1/4" or so from the corner posts and run a string line near the bottom as well. Then set the rest of the posts the same offset distance from the strings.
Great video man. Definitely going to follow your tutorial to a T. I’m going to have roughly the same square footage it looks like, how much did you end up spending on everything?
Awesome! So this was sometime about so obviously it may differ but at the time it cost us about $1400 with tool rental includes! Either way you’re gunna save yourself a TON of cash! Thanks for watching and best of luck!
Great video but a poor job tbh. You did so many things wrong that will haunt you every time you look at it or uses your gates, but you saved a lot of money and will have to live with your results :-) 1. The fence post should be cut AFTER the fence is done, other way around you can jiggle the pole in the concrete and make it loose its grip. Posts should be cut in a straight line , like you did when setting the corners first (correct way, good job) so that each pole is not set by random ground level below that single post, but follows the slope in its full length. 1.2 Top of posts should be below fence height , for better aesthetics , but its a subjective choice. 2. your cross beams should have been on the inside of the poles, that way you did it is weaker in stormy weathers and makes the fence looks massive with 3 layers rather than 2. 2.1 Same as for the poles; the cross beams should have followed the entire slope and not been measured and set at a individual height . You will see that every time you look at the fence from the inside, which is what you will do every time you go to your yard :-). Patterns are very visible and a straight line from each corner is the correct way and much more pleasing to look at. 3. Your "slats" or vertical decking boards should be set the same way, so that the top of the boards are a perfect straight line from each corner and not a individually set height like you did. 3.1 CRITICAL: NEVER let the decking boards touch ground, grass or gravel (like you did). even though they are pressure treated they WILL rot 10x faster when they touch ground. Even a 1" clear is enough to save your boards. The way you did it , they will rot in the long run, but first of all , they will get discolored already the first year from moisture and dirt from the ground (decomposing the wood and bacteria). When you cut your lawn you know why this would have helped you too: now you HAVE to use a edge trimmer on EACH side of the fence, whirling more dirt and grass on the boards. If you have a 1-2" clearing you only needed to weed from one side and do NOT get debris on the boards. (hope it makes sense). 4. Your gates are done in the wrong way. You MUST have a diagonal braces to channel the load from the outer weight to the hinges , otherwise your gate will not be straight for many days or weeks. 4.1 the horisontal Slats on the fence should match the slats on the gates as well. Straight lines from corner to corner. No intention of being a bully, just giving constructive criticism. AND sorry for my bad English, its not my native language. Carpentry is my nature.
Dang you took some time writing!!! Kudos! That’s super awesome you know so much about fencing and maybe some others can learn from my mistakes! I will tell you though the fence is straight as an arrow and already made it through a Tropical Storm (almost cat 1 cane). I plan on adding support to the gates but surprisingly there is minimal sag! Yeah me! Not gunna hit every flaw you thought you needed to point out but I will say I’m definitely 100% Extatic about the results so living with them will not be an issue. The only sleep I lost was the excitement about getting up to finish the dang thing!!! Thanks for watching and your feedback for others to read as well! Cheers! 🍻
Great job buddy these are just knick knacks u can adjust later except hes right with the boards touching the ground and rotting sooner than later over all.... great thing is u did it urself plus saved money...I have lots of fence as u and will use ur help doing it myself....last time I paid to have it done cost was twice ur amount and horrible job by pros.....thank u for this video.
Amazing job I do it on the side my aunty hired this company here in Jonesboro Arkansas paid 7k and they did a dodo job for being 25 yrs in business they have sad workmanship
May not have broke the bank in 2018, but with the cost of wood in 2022. yeah a bank buster for sure. Last I checked, 2x4's were 8 bucks a piece in my area! Can't imagine what those fence planks would cost. You probably used what a couple hundred?
I am doing my fence myself one picket at a time as somewhat of an uneven slope. They wanted $3500 (82 feet) to do it which is WAY to much and $1500 to just put in posts like NOPE I will save $$ do it my self it may not be perfect but it will be sturdy.
Great job. I think you did really well, especially that it was mostly done alone. If you want to prevent the gate from sagging throw in a couple of diagonals to redistribute the loads. Still very impressive DIY.Thanks.
Can you believe is still havnt added the diagonals!!! They’re dropping a little but the way I did the latches really relieves a lot of gravity. I still plan on doing the diagonals and most likely will be a short little video too!!! Thanks for the kind words!!!
Hell no we tried a pickaxe for a cat grave took us 4 hours with same auger, limestone red clay, still took us 4 hours, was 11 pm when we finally got that hole for shoebox to fit in deep enough nothing dug it up, fleas were abondoning ship by the time we were ready, old Chester the shop cat, he was a good one, he got a grave marker and all, but without the auger , we would been 2 days. Need do one these but my neighbors are doing weird things and I think they are all connected to a girl that I use be married to and one my only 3 friends left x wife, was told I’d get know every cop in state county and city , cause she thought I was following her, I don’t know what she looks like but she kept the deal with me getting know every cop, I gotta stay straight even when I’m crooked, or 19 waiting on a driving rd block, then keeping 3 rounds, for some reason, had swap my carry out, cause I don’t trust them , or why they kept 1 each round out , they can have the non lethal ones to, I want need them anymore, but that didn’t break the bank? That’s a lot of wood
I actually did the four corners with one. It’s now collecting dust under my house hopefully never to be seen again! My initial plan was to do 3 or four holes a day for a week but ended up getting the auger and just get it all done in one day. Have no plans on helping neighbors let’s put it that way! 🤣
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman I've been a DIY'er all my life. Me and my dad built decks, car ports, etc. As a youth all I used was a clam style post hole digger. Needless to say when I built my deck a couple years ago I rented an auger. I was a kid in a candy store. Not so much for my sons though. Lol! Good job. I'll probably start my fence soon.
I did about 20 posts with the post hole digger "clam Style" when I was like 50.. I never want to do that again...I get tired just thinking about it LOL
My man, I'm 6'1" and a fairly muscular 265 lbs, and a one-man post hole digger sucks for me. I just did 20 holes in my yard for fence posts, and I was sore for days.
yeah, digging sometimes can be super tough. I rented a hydraulic powered digger one time (HD) and had a helper. We dug 13 holes, each hole took about 10 minutes. That was boring through clay and hard pan, nothing easy.
I realize this video is two years old so you probably won't see this, but I'm going to ask anyway. Would it have not been advisable to raise each slat off the ground by at least .25-.50"? it appears you put the open grain directly on the ground, and the open veins of wood will cause a capillary effect that will draw in water and rot then bottom of the slats prematurely. I'm dealing with a neighbor right now who made this very mistake and now the lower third of virtually every slat is rotting. Also, shouldn't each slat be gapped by about 1/8" to allow for expansion? Lastly, I might have suggested the post concrete be "mounded" at the base of the post to facilitate water shedding. Again, neighbor failed to do this and several posts are rotting. As a fellow DIYer I greatly appreciate your effort.
Ohh so believe my friend I will see this comment! Thanks so much for watching! I did a live stream Saturday and talked about what I would have done differently and one of them was raising the boards up a little. I have not had much of an issue but in some area’s especially the back run… I did cut the bottom off 1.5”!
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman Wow! Wasn't really expecting an answer and surely not that fast!! I didn't want to seem critical but just dealing with those very issues on the common fence my neighbor put up DIY and now wrangling with getting (at least) four rotted posts/panels replaced, I had to at least mention it. I saw your other video about the hack job that one actual company did across the street and that was dumbfounding. Did he ever fix it? Thanks and wish I'd seen the Livestream!
I love the job you done I'm doing my own and it is really hard but I feel that I'm able to do it with your help And I'm female Retired construction worker , Never done a yard fence my neighbors are totally shocked Thank you very much
very good job but very hard work yesterday i helped my friend to build a 30 ft fence i dug like 8 holes with a post digger not an auger and today when i woke up i couldnt feel my arms lol
Would it be worth $6 per hole to pay someone to drill the holes? That's what I charge. If the post location is measured and marked, I can do about 30 holes/hr.
We are running 450 ft on some pretty big slopy yard. I started measuring for plumb but with the uneven wood I had to start leaving large gaps in order to make everyone plumb and nixed that idea. Did you guys measure the pickets for plumb or just ensure the top line was straight and call it a day?
Kinda. Sorta. We set the first one as best we could then ran a few and adjusted as we went. Your right… pickets are not like working with jointed wood! They’re not even so if you don’t make those minor adjustments you can be way uneven at the end. There isn’t much choice but to have some gaps. Thanks for watching!!!
I'll be using your method as well. Have to install a fence for a customer soon and have no experience as well. Awesome job and little tips to make everything easier
@@johnbeer5242 people ask my husband to do many things he's never done before. He just charges less intil he is satisfied with how nice each job comes out. When he is confident in his work he charges more. Most people dont mind if u tell them. " hey im still working on perfecting the job at hand but i will give you a year or two warrantee." Most are happy that you were honest. Good luck with your business chris.
Hey there JR! You are absolutely right. I didn't add this in the video but we did call 811 and they came out. We were new construction and had little to worry about. The only lines in the ground we needed to avoid were on the side opposite of the AC UNIT as that was the Main power. We ended up cutting the fence to 6' on the last section so the Meter box was on the OUTSIDE of the fence. Thanks again for watching!
Hey Tony! So “At the time” I paid roughly $1400 and that included Auger Rental, Wood and Nails. I already had a Nail Gun and Compressor and Saws so factor that in if you don’t. I was quoted $3500-$5500 by two different Companies…. One being Lowes and another was a Local Fence Company who was the lesser of the two and who I would have used if I went that fought because I saw their work and it was great! Todays prices could cost double bit expect double quoted prices as well!!! Hope that helps!
Great job guys 👍 Lol your wife had the same expressions that my wife had when we were doing our fence they both look so thrilled 😄.. but she seemed like a trooper great job
Thanks for filming this and that’s a GREAT looking fence! My wife has been after me to build a privacy fence for our back yard. I know cost varies, but did you price one of the panel fences vs the kind you did (DIY)? I’ve been looking at 6x8 panels but I’m not sure of the cost difference. Thanks again for taking your time to provide the video! P.S. I’m just south of the border in good ol’ Clemson, SC! You guys almost had our number a couple of years ago. You couldn’t BUY a field goal kicker! Lol. Anyway, thanks for the video!
My man, you really helped me!!!! I was thinking I needed to put the post against the house. Not necessarily. I just need to run my cross bars up to the house, wedge them in, and go from there up to the first post… great ideal. I thank you!!! Truly. You did an incredible job!! And likewise, thanks for the video.
Wood prices have drastically changed since this video unfortunately so it’s hard to go by my cost. You for sure will save money nonetheless if you DIY. Figure out how much it would cost to do 8’ of fence and multiply that by 30 to get a “Rough” cost.
My inspector wld not pass inspection for 2in above wht they say the post height can be. Yea he is deff on a power trip. He wldnt pass it with a quarter in above 50” post height lol
That looks fantastic!! I would of thought your wife would have been a little happier about it when you asked her though lol. I would been sooo appreciative that you built it!! I know that's a lot of work!! Great job!!
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman I’m sure she is very excited and besides great project to do with your beautiful wife! On another note: the fence turned out great and I love the way you went step by step! Awesome you guys
Honestly it’s been so long I don’t exactly remember! Anyone at the lumber yard or Big Box store can help with what you need though! Thanks for watching!
I've read a lot of pro tips on your video. I don't know if it was mentioned, but I have another tip for you. When you fill your holes with concrete, don't fill it to the top of the ground. Leave about 2" - 6" from the top empty and fill the rest in with your dirt.
Actually, that's the opposite of what you should do if you want your posts to not start rotting after a few years. Instead of stopping with the concrete 2-6" from ground level, get an 8" cardboard concrete form at HD (they come in 4 foot lengths for just a few dollars) and saw off about 5". Place that around the post and keep it about an inch below ground level. Then FILL that form with concrete and with a trowel shape the drying concrete so that the water runs AWAY from the post. Granted, it's not as pretty as having the soil and grass grow right up to the fence post but you will make sure that the post will not rot right where it matters: where the wood goes in to the concrete. You'll thank me years down the road. :)
Whoo! I am pooped! Great video. I need to build a new fence, the last hurricane nearby blew it all the way over. One tip for those who don't know: when you build one of these fences, you're obliged to build it "ugly side in." Meaning the horizontal pieces are inside your yard, and it's flush on the outside.
Basic rule of thumb are the following: 1. Top of picket should be no more than 6" from top of 1st 2x4 rail. This is important especially when using the pressure treated picket boards that was used it. 2. Bottom rail should be 6" from bottom of picket as well 3. Middle 2x4 centererd 4. Picket boards should at minimum be 1" above ground so pickets are not touching ground which will prevent premature decay of picket boards 5. If at all possible larger strap latches should be used and not the small t-latch used which doesnt support the pressure treated gate 6. Excess 4x4 post should have been cut prior to installing top rails Although the job isnt perfect its still better than some fences I have seen.
when it rains it looks like your on a hill there so its not going to drain properly and will absorb in the wood. U might want to cut some of the bottom if possible. Also gapping for swelling is important ... Im not a carpenter so maybe i have no clue what im talking about. Lol. But it does look nice.
@@Myeyeofthebeholder its a WET pressure treated pickets. You need to make it as thight as you can. Yes fence needs to be at minimum 1 inch above ground preferably 1-2 inch
@@Myeyeofthebeholder I did not gap my deck at all and now I have up to 1/4" gaps. Pressure treated 5/4 boards were used. My neighbor who gapped 1/16" has up to 1/2" gaps now. Those wet timbers will dry and shrink pretty good, especially here in NC. I see KalindsLife wearing an NC State hat, so I assume he's around these parts too.
I definitely agree with you brother. I used a post hole digger and man I tell you. It was alot bigger than the one you using and it was me, my dad and cousin had hands on it because it was so damn heavy.
Hey thanks!!! I don’t charge because it’ll be a long time before I do a fence again! One of the most rewarding yet painful/hard projects I’ve ever done! LoL. That auger shook my body and I felt it for days!
I use Sika Fence Post Mix. It sets in three minutes and drys in 2 hours. Even though it costs 3 times as much as concrete it saves us a bundle in labor costs. By the time were completed with installing the posts. We can go to where we started and install the 2 X 4s. Thank you for all the excellent tips. Being a landlord we install about 2 fences a year.
He said he never did a fence b4 but this looks like a pro..he followed the contours of the land flawlessly. Great job I wish u lived in my neighborhood I dont want to pay a company 2 to 3 times more than than the material
Thanks so much Tee B!! I promise you I never did a fence before. I did screw up some terminology which it seems a few people here felt they needed to call me out on.... which whatever. Honestly I just took my time and didn’t rush. The heat and unscripted recording made me mess up my words a bit... loL. Thanks for watching!
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman @KalindsLife no problem. I'm only 27 and didnt have shop class in school so now I'm watching a bunch of TH-cam videos. I have all the basic tools I just need the confidence to do it bc If I spend 1k on material I'll be mad if it doesnt come out the way I want. Mainly, the only thing I'm really worried about is following the contour of my land...instead of installing pre built I think I may try individual pickets to follow land
Thanks!! Yeah I called and we only had one line hurried that was on the left side and it was outside the fence so not even a concern. Since the house was basically new construction (1 year) it wasn’t much. We also don’t have gas lines. Thanks for askin!
I run a professional fence installation company and I have to say, you didn’t necessarily go through easiest route as that comes over time and doing numerous jobs and learning the “tricks of the trade”. However, you did an amazing job for someone who doesn’t do this professionally. It looks great and should last you a long time...Good work sir!!!
Thank you friend!!! This vid never intended to take away From business owners like you! As a matter of fact I would encourage to use a Small business like you rather then Big Box. Also this isn’t for the faint of heart! If someone remotely thinks they can’t do it..... DONT!!! It could cost them thousands of dollars of wasted money!!! Hire Local!!!
I was thinking the same thing, he made it pretty difficult on himself but it turned out great in the end either way, more power to him 👍🏼
So what should he have done differently to make it easy plz share
@Marshall Nathan no one cares. How about find a wife you can trust
I appreciate this encouragement and positivity more than you know.
Excellent job. Looks great. Considering a fence project myself. Got a quote from pros and is was $20k 🤢 and my wife said “I guess you better learn how to build a fence yourself,” 😂
Holy crap!! 20k!!! That’s alota fence!!! I’m gunna get you can cut that in 3/4 if you do yourself!! Thanks for watching!!
20k sounds right for 500 ft of fence up here with material and labor
@@rogerdjuranic4903 I am doing 400ft and my estimation is 2500
My wife says "you better google educate and do it yourself" lol
shawn moniz no way man I do fence for leaving and 20k is way to much I’ll be around 9800 and that’s material and labor
Great job! I installed the first fence to my house back in 2004 to contain my 3 and 2 year old son and daughter. Sixteen years later my son just completed his first year of college and my daughter is going to be a senior. I live in the northeast (Lake George, NY). Where we get lots of snow and ground heaving when the ground freezes. If I were to offer a tip to your viewers, it would be to dig a 4-feet post hole, pour in about a foot of gravel (#2 stone), apply plastic roofing cement to base of your posts (getting the bottom really good), then setting the posts in the hole and pouring the concrete. This is a trick an old timer (my dad) taught me. Why? This will protect the post below grade from wood rot and from ground heaving when it freezes. See, the pressure treated lumber we buy is recommended for ground contact but not to be buried in the ground (or in water). That type of lumber is called marine grade- which is a lot more expensive. My point... I just replaced all my fence panels- they were an untreated spruce spaced picket (cheap at the time and did the job). When I removed those panels I inspected the posts, and all were rock solid like I just put them in. I replaced the spruce stockade with new cedar pickets- looks a lot nicer and saved thousands over having it done professionally. Note: for those looking to install cedar- be aware that if it does not come prefinished, you will use a lot of stain. I installed 80 feet and went through (1) 5-gal pale of stain and only had 3/4 of the fence done. So I purchased another 5-gals and will finish the first coat and apply a full second coat. Ps: when installing a gate, make sure you either install z-braces to prevent sag or buy the gate cable system- I chose the z-brace method- less expensive and better looking imo. Thanks again for the video, and best of luck to all on your next fence project! -Gary
What a coincidence, I live about 15 minutes from Lake George and I’ll 100% take your advice. Thanks!
I would to see a picture or video of that
Cmon now.. I am a woman 72 years old..5' 1" and live alone. I just put in 350 ft of wood fence using just a shovel to dig 2 ft deep holes for round treated 8' posts. I used Quikrete to set all the post and mine I put 6 ft apart.
Where were you when we needed you!!!?
My how times have changed. I'm 67, when I was in my 20's my dad bought a "farm" we had to run 4 strands of barb wire to fence in 20 acres of pasture. EVERY hole for round fence post was dug with a two post hole digger. Granted it took 2 weeks, but I probably dug 1000 holes. I wish they had that gas operated one like you used.
The post was plumb. The string followed the plane. Neither one were level
Thank you I work as a carpenter and hear people call things level instead of plumb drives me nuts
Me too. Local 4
Must be like an English teacher seeing there, their, and they're used the wrong way in writing. The usage was a little off but it was a great job nonetheless
Rather nitpicky, Of you Wanting to argue about level and plumb When he said in the beginning, he was an amateur. Some of you are just totally unbelievable.
@eagle3351 I'm not arguing, nor am I being nitpicky. I'm educating. It's not the same thing. Shame on anyone who would rather be stupid than corrected
Overall you did a good job, pro tip try not to use corner posts to be a a latch or hinge posts for gates, its essentially free floating and after a couple months that post will bow which will effect how well your gate opens if it does at all. 2nd piece of advice, leave 1 1/2 inch gap between the gate where the latch is, over time the gate will sag a bit, if its to close together you will be lifting your gate to open it. 3rd tip ditch the middle runner (2x4) in the gate all thats doing is weighing down the gate, you put a diagonal 2x4 inside the gate frame (the bottom of the diagonal is always on the hinge side) its transfers the weigh from the top of the latch side to the bottom of the hinge side that has substantially more support due to the hinges being lagged to the post. Other than that it turned out good, not bad for your first fence!
That was absolutely so nice of you to provide such great technical insights to Kalinds Life. I am a woman who wants to build my own build my own fence so I watch and read comments so I can learn. I'm afraid to do it because I fear I'll run into something I can't handle. I'm watching and reading everything I can to be fully prepared. You comments helped me understand before or if I should attempt this. I would love the sense of accomplishment and want to save the money but just not sure yet. Thank you for the pro tips.
Learning. What do you mean by "free floating"?
@@billymiles2635 I think it means the post is a corner post so the fences overall strength and rigidity is not in-line with the gate, it turns 90°. I believe this is a problem because the gate hanging on that corner post will eventually pull it down, causing sag. If the post had another picket section in-line with the corner post it would distribute that load across two posts, not 1. At least that was my interpretation.
@@Ryan-qk9sw Your interpretation is correct
Gate wheels are a good idea. Good vid!
Looking to do my own fencing job in Scotland, UK. Been looking for a step by step and informative video with handy tricks, much like the templates you used. You must be chuffed with the finished product.
We absolutely love it! Doing another fence video soon! Caps, water seal and gate supports! Thanks for watching!
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman do you have the measurements to the spacer you made
F King are you talking about the guide on the top?? It was just a 2x6 piece of scrap.l with two small pieces in the sides to hold it in place. I used a level to plumb the dog ears.
A string line would be the easy way to grade the top of the pickets it works the same as the Template but you can run the string down the whole fence line instead of having to move a template every couple feet.
Dude you’re in inspiration!!!!! Love your phrase, if I can do it, you can do it. Am about to buy a house that needs a fence. And need to save money. I will certainly watch this over and over. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for the awesome kind words! I’m not just saying it though!! Congrats on the house and have fun with upgrades and stuff! It’s a blast! Thanks for watching over and over!!! LoL
rent an auger for @60 bucks for the day,put your back out drilling all day into pitrun backfill on a new house.a lesson i learned early.i hired a bobcat for 250.00 with operator.maximum 15 holes,10.00/ea for anything xtra.
dont break your back,if you can get a machine in there,it s worth more than you know
I build fences for a living and this thing looks great, you could’ve used brackets for more support but it’s money 👍🏻
You would use brackets in between the poles right? On the end of each 2x4. Instead of nailing them on the outside?
What gauge nail gun should be used when attaching the panel to the post
I own my own fence company and that fence looks like shit. Not built properly and the gate has no braces. Brackets arent necessary when built properly. The build measurements are stapled on the side of the pickets when you buy them. Posts are to be under the pickets...
Can you tell me what material I need and how many to make a 200 feet fence
If u build fence for living your fence company must be crap all the post are higher then the pickets that’s a number one rule
How did you know how to do that? What video did you watch? What book did you read? Who told you how to do that?
Honestly no one! This was my first fence but I did look online and examined some local fences to get an idea! It’s a pretty straightforward process and hoped my experience helped!!! Thanks for watching!
I am a 61 year old woman doing most of this myself. I say take a tiller and they dig down a few inches at a time. They are not real heavy. so you end up with a 2ft sq. you have to keep digging up the dirt out of the hole. You may have to take 2 days to do it. Just planting the poles. Eventually you will have a 2 ft hole. So tiller some and dig it out then keep doing it over the place until you have your desired depth. That is what I will do.
The cement I have delivered. I can't lift those bags. So take a bucket and take out 1/4 at a time.
A WORX wheel barrow is good. I fill the bucket about half way to move the stuff to where ever you want it. Then you can take the barrow to the holes and use a hose to make up the cement.
You can use quick drying.
Your an inspiration for sure!!! This is a lot of work and for that I commend your efforts!! Keep up the good work and hope all works out for you!!! Thanks for watching!!
inspire734 I’m in the same boat as you. I’m sure you’ve done a great job.
I'm going to replace my son's existing very old fence in Nov. in San Antonio and I was looking to learn how to do the job. Your video was the second video I watched on this topic and by far the best one, congratulations on a job nicely done. I wish you had also posted the lists of all the tools and materials needed for this task. But you did an excellent job!
Thanks so much for watching!!!
Asghar how did the fence come out
One thing I learned when digging holes in very hard soil is to put a gallon of water in the hole and let it soak for a few minutes. It's messier, but gets the job done quicker.
Good idea!!!! Thanks for watching!!!
Man you should have gotten an auger with a stopper on it, it’s a little arm let’s to your thighs that stops so it doesn’t pull a shoulder or wrist out with that kickback when u hit a rock
Great job 👍👏 man!
I'm going to attempt this project too.
Thank yuh so much!!! Not bad for my first time! Hellzzzz.... if I can do it anyone can!!! Thanks for watching!!
Just two suggestions, 1st the “gates” it’s not necessary for that middle horizontal 2x4 instead a diagonal board from the top outside down to the bottom hinge side will keep the gate from sagging. 2nd the “pickets” you should allow at least a half to an inch of clearance from the ground to allow the weed eater to freely cut grass and not nick and scrap the bottom pickets and also keep them off the wet grass causing them to rot out quicker. Other than that awesome 👏🏽 job.
Thanks for your comment and suggestions for others too see! 🙏
That's it. I'm building my own fence too. Same issue with my dog. I have a zip line running across the yard. Can't wait to set him free in a fenced in yard. Great job sir. We'll done!
Not gunna lie… when I saw “Zip Line” my brain went straight to…. You connecting to a zip line and flying down your yard! Then it hit me…. Oh…. Your dogs connected to one between two trees! 🤣🤦🏻♂️. A fence is just so much better! Good luck with the build and thanks for watching!!!
Ya those post hole oggers are kinda rough... Body position is key... wide stance rest part of the ogger against your hip and place your right foot back... squat with it as it digs with medium rpm's and not fully under its own weight.. you need it to work like a drill and not a cork screw... try not to let it bind or it might take you for a ride and it will mostly remove the dirt itself... sometimes lol... its defiantly manly mans work, but i hope it helps a little if you take a go at it again man
Nice job! The "template", in old school terms, is called a "story" stick. Should you build another fence, I would recommend mixing concrete before hand, ( practically dry or about a 2-3 inch "slump"), Google can help you out how slump relates to concrete. Then, mound the concrete in a nice four sided cone , so as to shed water. Yeah, I know it seems more of a hassle, but the end result will be much better. Curious, did you put gravel in the post holes prior to installation? No biggie, but it does help with rot. Most people don't. Some people go so far as to caulk around the top of the cone where it meets the post. Again, I appreciate you taking the time to share your great work experience with the world.
Last time I did the math - five feet high fence would be 60 inches, he said he was making each post two extra inches taller - so that would be 62 inches -NOT 52 inches - as he mentioned - just saying
Not dissing his job - fence looks very nice
Your math is right! Mine.... wrong. LoL. I wasnt paying attention to what i was saying. I think I was thinking 5 for five feet plus two came out as 52!!! 🤣 thanks for watching and liking the finished product!!!
Nice job. To anyone watching this about to build a fence, keep the bottom of your boards an inch off the ground. Keeps the bottoms from getting wet and rotting
Thank you!!! & Thanks for watching!!!
GREAT JOB! I followed your plan and installed a nice fence for my mother in law. 👍
That is awesome! Thanks for sharing that. Im glad it helped you out!!!!
What type of wood
8:15 this is due to the fact that wood is not naturally straight so the try to get the straightest cut i know this because I worked a lumber mill
Thanks MFV!!!! Even after a year I'm stoked of the way it looks!!! I did a one year review video you might like too!!! Thanks for Watching!!!
Major Family Vlo
we didnt see him pour conrete for th e. posts?
How many days did it take? And what was the total liner feet of your fence?
Hey Edwin! I believe it was about 170 LF. Of course doing a video took a little more time than if I would have just built it but I would say 4 days….
Day1: set All poles
Day2: Runners
Day3: install pickets
Day4: Gates
Hope that helps some!!! Took me about 1 week. Thanks for watching!!
You: "We're allowed in our community to have a 5-foot fence ... I'm gonna go 5-feet 2-inches so I can add a cap ..."
Me: "Makes sense."
You: "So what I did, I measured from the outside of the fence posts from the base, 52 inches ..."
Me: "Wait -what? You mean 62 inches ... not 52, right?"
You: "... each one of these has already been marked 52 inches."
Me: "Oh no"
You: [Starts cutting]
Me: "NO! STAAAAHP!!!!"
Me: "Ok. Never mind. That looks like he is actually cutting them at 62 ... "
Hahaha!! My brain brain meant 5’2”.... my mouth said 52”!!! LoL
you captured exactly what I was thinking as I watched!!!
Just a slight correction, a vertical member is not 'level'. It is plumb. Posts are plumbed.
Yeah... I used the wrong terminology. I now know! Thanks for watching!!
Just built 300 feet of Privacy Fence! Thanks for the guidance. I built it exactly like you did and it worked great!
Awesome! Congrats!!! Thank you for watching!!! Glad it helped you!
what auger diameter did you use? I think this video is showing a 6inch.
They have augers with wheels for 1 person to use
Yeah, the one he is using is for drilling holes in ice to ice fish.
little beaver auger is what we use . they work great and save hoir back some. but even still ita heavy as hell to move to hole after hole
Awesome. Great job. 👍
4ceof5pades not much Ice fishing here in NC!!! And what does Ice over..... I wouldn’t dare walk on! 🤣
Dude, awesome job on the fence. Really good detail and love how you used the templates to help you with measurements and accuracy. Great work man. Hope it’s holding up👍🏻
Thanks so much Mike! The fence is as good as the day we were done. Gates are doing well too but i still want to do Correct diagonal supports. Walmart Hinges are no issue too! Thanks for watching!
I wish I had your soil. I live in Winnipeg. When I put in my fence posts I had to dig through roots the size of my biceps and clay soil that was like trying to dig through silly puddy and dense clay that clogs the auger every few seconds. I used the towable aguer from home depot, and even that large thing had a lot of problems. 2 days for 16 holes! I had to use a crowbar and I sharpen the end to get through the very thick roots. The jackhammer was only useful for the first foot and the roots went 2.5 feet down in several holes. Because my house is 100 years old, I also had to rent jack hammer because there was a fence there before with concrete years ago. If I had someone else do my fence, I am sure they would have charged $6000 for the 50 foot fence. It was just crazy.
Dude that is crazy!!! This is not a job or company I would want to own! I give all the credit to fence builders even though I personally wouldn’t use one!!!
I think you're correct. Those things are tough and will get away from you and actually break you arm if you're not careful.
Just reminded me why I returned my augers after digging most of the holes for one side of my fence. 8 holes and it kicked back hard enough I had gotten racked 3 times and way too many close calls. The lady didn't even question why I returned it after I explained that portion.
Hahahaha!!! I understand you 100%!!!
So much good information here. We need a fence for our yard / kids / dog terribly but no way I'm going to pay $8k for it. And no way do I have the confidence to try it myself! LOL. Excellent job, subscribed.
Thanks so much R B!!! I know I’m no pro but I just had to record my experience and how I did it!! Thanks so much for Subbing!!! I think you were number 3699!!! 😂
Yooouuu can doooo witt!
8k? How many ft is the fence ? We charge 19.50 a ft for 6ft cedar in memphis
Quick correction should be 4’ depending where you live because frost line for the north like the northeast is 3’ and you ideally want to go a foot below that
Thanks for putting this together, always good to see how other people go through the jobs and picking things up. Well done.
Glad you enjoyed it! This video almost never happened but my wife insisted! (glad I listened) lol
I hate HOA,........ I'm glad I'm building in the country, so I don't have to deal with HOA B.S. A 5 foot fence is not really a privacy fence when people can see right over the top of it. But good job either way, great to see people doing DIY. It saves money and gives you an appreciation for your work and a better appreciation for the trade professionals.
Not a huge fan of HOA either but it’s a great neighborhood and location. The fence regulations suck so not too much I could do there. Thanks for watching and kudos!!
Good job dude, especially for your first time.
Thanks so much!!! Hopefully my last!! LoL
You did a great job , for the first time time , ( brave ) I will build one too , let’s see how bad will be ahahja.. great , super 😉😉😉😉
Thank you so much!!!
Great video! It’s hard to find a good fence video but you nailed it..
Wow thanks Brian! There was so much video taken and just as much edited......it was a hard one to make and I didn’t want to disappoint.
LOL, nice pun!
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman Great job on your fence! I install fences, only recommendation I have is use your stringline to set the height of your posts, you want a uniform top, not necessarily uniform distance from the ground. You can also use a stringline for the top of your boards.
Instant Karma I see what your saying. Only issue for me was we have to follow the contour of the ground per our community guidelines. I didn’t agree but rules are rules!
KalindsLife About How Much For Material My Yard is About the same Size As Your And Thinking About Doing It Myself
did you have to somebody come out and make sure there were no gas lines or anything like that?
Yes. We had 811 and they located all our power lines for us. We don’t have Gas lines buried in our neighborhood so that was easy too.
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman thank you for the prompt reply lol. We plan on purchasing our first home and a lot of the properties we’re looking at don’t have fencing
U found a rock and stump in the the ground, call me when you fine the lost ark/hoffa.
Lmao..... it’s probably still there!!!
Great job WE appreciate all the hard work especially being your first project ..and your right you did save a shitload of money DYI.👍
What's DYI do yourself in? Lol
I own my own fence company with 18 years experience. Other than some minor nitpick things ya did a great job 👍 there’s a number of tricks of the trade that would have been helpful for you but overall I’m impressed 😃
Coming from an actual fence company owner that means a lot. I know these type of videos are not the best for your business so I would like to add that if your not sure.... USE A PROFESSIONAL!!! I have above average skills and had the ability to attempt this on my own.... if I thought otherwise.... I would have called a pro like James! Thanks for watching!!!
You’re not allowed to have a standard 6’ privacy fence? That’s unfortunate. Great looking fence though.
We think the same!! And the fact we couldn’t do a vinyl fence too! I do love the house but having an HOA kinda sucks. Oh well…. I’ll take the good with the bad. Thanks for watching!
Fantastic video! As an avid DIYer I'm definitely confident in trying this myself now. Thank you.
Let’s Gooooo!!! If I can do it…. you can for sure!!! Thanks for watching and commenting!!!
Momma thick
Good job for someone who has never made one before. Although, putting those slats on grade will make them subjective to rot even if they are treated. I always leave 1.5” off the grade
Thanks Conor! I will definitely evaluate how the bottom is in a couple years. If I notice any rot I probably will cut off 1” with the contour of the yard. It was a fun build but I’m glad it’s done!
Plumb, not level. Use a spacer to offset the strings 1/4" or so from the corner posts and run a string line near the bottom as well. Then set the rest of the posts the same offset distance from the strings.
Verbal good up! LoL. Thanks for watching!!
Hahaha the dog is like, is this for me? You made this for meeeee? 😍🥰
Great video man. Definitely going to follow your tutorial to a T. I’m going to have roughly the same square footage it looks like, how much did you end up spending on everything?
Awesome! So this was sometime about so obviously it may differ but at the time it cost us about $1400 with tool rental includes! Either way you’re gunna save yourself a TON of cash! Thanks for watching and best of luck!
Great video but a poor job tbh. You did so many things wrong that will haunt you every time you look at it or uses your gates, but you saved a lot of money and will have to live with your results :-)
1. The fence post should be cut AFTER the fence is done, other way around you can jiggle the pole in the concrete and make it loose its grip. Posts should be cut in a straight line , like you did when setting the corners first (correct way, good job) so that each pole is not set by random ground level below that single post, but follows the slope in its full length.
1.2 Top of posts should be below fence height , for better aesthetics , but its a subjective choice.
2. your cross beams should have been on the inside of the poles, that way you did it is weaker in stormy weathers and makes the fence looks massive with 3 layers rather than 2.
2.1 Same as for the poles; the cross beams should have followed the entire slope and not been measured and set at a individual height . You will see that every time you look at the fence from the inside, which is what you will do every time you go to your yard :-). Patterns are very visible and a straight line from each corner is the correct way and much more pleasing to look at.
3. Your "slats" or vertical decking boards should be set the same way, so that the top of the boards are a perfect straight line from each corner and not a individually set height like you did.
3.1 CRITICAL: NEVER let the decking boards touch ground, grass or gravel (like you did). even though they are pressure treated they WILL rot 10x faster when they touch ground. Even a 1" clear is enough to save your boards. The way you did it , they will rot in the long run, but first of all , they will get discolored already the first year from moisture and dirt from the ground (decomposing the wood and bacteria).
When you cut your lawn you know why this would have helped you too: now you HAVE to use a edge trimmer on EACH side of the fence, whirling more dirt and grass on the boards. If you have a 1-2" clearing you only needed to weed from one side and do NOT get debris on the boards. (hope it makes sense).
4. Your gates are done in the wrong way. You MUST have a diagonal braces to channel the load from the outer weight to the hinges , otherwise your gate will not be straight for many days or weeks.
4.1 the horisontal Slats on the fence should match the slats on the gates as well. Straight lines from corner to corner.
No intention of being a bully, just giving constructive criticism. AND sorry for my bad English, its not my native language. Carpentry is my nature.
Dang you took some time writing!!! Kudos! That’s super awesome you know so much about fencing and maybe some others can learn from my mistakes! I will tell you though the fence is straight as an arrow and already made it through a Tropical Storm (almost cat 1 cane). I plan on adding support to the gates but surprisingly there is minimal sag! Yeah me! Not gunna hit every flaw you thought you needed to point out but I will say I’m definitely 100% Extatic about the results so living with them will not be an issue. The only sleep I lost was the excitement about getting up to finish the dang thing!!! Thanks for watching and your feedback for others to read as well! Cheers! 🍻
good post any reference videos to do with what you are talking about?
Is there any paint you can use to allow you to put fence boards under ground in case dog digs?
Great job buddy these are just knick knacks u can adjust later except hes right with the boards touching the ground and rotting sooner than later over all.... great thing is u did it urself plus saved money...I have lots of fence as u and will use ur help doing it myself....last time I paid to have it done cost was twice ur amount and horrible job by pros.....thank u for this video.
Any chance on posting your own video to further explain what you've mentioned.
Amazing job I do it on the side my aunty hired this company here in Jonesboro Arkansas paid 7k and they did a dodo job for being 25 yrs in business they have sad workmanship
Thank so much!!! I’m sure we made some mistakes but honesty it’s holding up nicely to this day! Thanks for watching!
Wow this a damn good video! Great job keeping everything level. The entire project looks great and looks rock solid. Should last many years to come.
Awesome Comment! Thank you so much for watching!!!
May not have broke the bank in 2018, but with the cost of wood in 2022. yeah a bank buster for sure. Last I checked, 2x4's were 8 bucks a piece in my area! Can't imagine what those fence planks would cost. You probably used what a couple hundred?
I should go price it out and see what it would cost today!!!
Update on this fence? Would love to see what it looks like after 2 years.
Ok!!!! I can do that!!! I’ll do an October video!
KalindsLife can’t wait. Thanks.
I am doing my fence myself one picket at a time as somewhat of an uneven slope. They wanted $3500 (82 feet) to do it which is WAY to much and $1500 to just put in posts like NOPE I will save $$ do it my self it may not be perfect but it will be sturdy.
Much respect!!! It’s a job for sure!! Thanks for watching!!!
Great job. I think you did really well, especially that it was mostly done alone. If you want to prevent the gate from sagging throw in a couple of diagonals to redistribute the loads. Still very impressive DIY.Thanks.
Can you believe is still havnt added the diagonals!!! They’re dropping a little but the way I did the latches really relieves a lot of gravity. I still plan on doing the diagonals and most likely will be a short little video too!!! Thanks for the kind words!!!
Hell no we tried a pickaxe for a cat grave took us 4 hours with same auger, limestone red clay, still took us 4 hours, was 11 pm when we finally got that hole for shoebox to fit in deep enough nothing dug it up, fleas were abondoning ship by the time we were ready, old Chester the shop cat, he was a good one, he got a grave marker and all, but without the auger , we would been 2 days. Need do one these but my neighbors are doing weird things and I think they are all connected to a girl that I use be married to and one my only 3 friends left x wife, was told I’d get know every cop in state county and city , cause she thought I was following her, I don’t know what she looks like but she kept the deal with me getting know every cop, I gotta stay straight even when I’m crooked, or 19 waiting on a driving rd block, then keeping 3 rounds, for some reason, had swap my carry out, cause I don’t trust them , or why they kept 1 each round out , they can have the non lethal ones to, I want need them anymore, but that didn’t break the bank? That’s a lot of wood
LoL
You must have never had to dig multiple posts with the old school clam style post hole digger. Lol!
I actually did the four corners with one. It’s now collecting dust under my house hopefully never to be seen again! My initial plan was to do 3 or four holes a day for a week but ended up getting the auger and just get it all done in one day. Have no plans on helping neighbors let’s put it that way! 🤣
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman I've been a DIY'er all my life. Me and my dad built decks, car ports, etc. As a youth all I used was a clam style post hole digger. Needless to say when I built my deck a couple years ago I rented an auger. I was a kid in a candy store. Not so much for my sons though. Lol! Good job. I'll probably start my fence soon.
I did about 20 posts with the post hole digger "clam Style" when I was like 50.. I never want to do that again...I get tired just thinking about it LOL
Just watched this and by far this was the most informational one out there. Thank you for all the advice and guidance. Looks great!
Thanks soo much!! It was a fun video to make!!!
My man, I'm 6'1" and a fairly muscular 265 lbs, and a one-man post hole digger sucks for me. I just did 20 holes in my yard for fence posts, and I was sore for days.
Bout rattled your insides outa wack right!!! That’s how I felt!! LoL. Glad your ok now! LoL. Thanks for watching!
yeah, digging sometimes can be super tough. I rented a hydraulic powered digger one time (HD) and had a helper. We dug 13 holes, each hole took about 10 minutes. That was boring through clay and hard pan, nothing easy.
I realize this video is two years old so you probably won't see this, but I'm going to ask anyway. Would it have not been advisable to raise each slat off the ground by at least .25-.50"? it appears you put the open grain directly on the ground, and the open veins of wood will cause a capillary effect that will draw in water and rot then bottom of the slats prematurely. I'm dealing with a neighbor right now who made this very mistake and now the lower third of virtually every slat is rotting. Also, shouldn't each slat be gapped by about 1/8" to allow for expansion? Lastly, I might have suggested the post concrete be "mounded" at the base of the post to facilitate water shedding. Again, neighbor failed to do this and several posts are rotting. As a fellow DIYer I greatly appreciate your effort.
Ohh so believe my friend I will see this comment! Thanks so much for watching! I did a live stream Saturday and talked about what I would have done differently and one of them was raising the boards up a little. I have not had much of an issue but in some area’s especially the back run… I did cut the bottom off 1.5”!
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman Wow! Wasn't really expecting an answer and surely not that fast!! I didn't want to seem critical but just dealing with those very issues on the common fence my neighbor put up DIY and now wrangling with getting (at least) four rotted posts/panels replaced, I had to at least mention it. I saw your other video about the hack job that one actual company did across the street and that was dumbfounding. Did he ever fix it? Thanks and wish I'd seen the Livestream!
Good job! I like the tips you gave. It's gonna help me alot
Awesome Reggie!!! Thanks for stopping by!
Why no just say you leveled the fence line.
Basically that’s what you mean lol ok .
There’s probably a handful of things in this video I could have said differently! 🤣
Wow, you guys did an awesome job. Thanks for sharing
Thanks so much Laura!!! It sure was a job but it did turn out great!!!
I love the job you done I'm doing my own and it is really hard but I feel that I'm able to do it with your help And I'm female Retired construction worker , Never done a yard fence my neighbors are totally shocked Thank you very much
Great video! I know prices of materials have gone up but just out of curiosity, how much did this cost you in materials? Also, where do you buy from?
Thank you! At them time when Wood prices were much lower I paid about $1400 and that includes the tool rental and nails in bulk. Thanks for watching!
very good job but very hard work yesterday i helped my friend to build a 30 ft fence i dug like 8 holes with a post digger not an auger and today when i woke up i couldnt feel my arms lol
Haha! Your gunna feel that for a week! Thanks foe watching and hope you feel better soon!
Hahaha
Would it be worth $6 per hole to pay someone to drill the holes? That's what I charge. If the post location is measured and marked, I can do about 30 holes/hr.
To build a fence in our area which is in Midwest Centerville Michigan we have to apply for a permit
Darn you Michigan! LoL
Nice work this is probably one of your best videos in a long time
Thanks man!!! I had sooo much footage it was so hard just to get it down. I might have been able to cut out some more but O Well!!!
We are running 450 ft on some pretty big slopy yard. I started measuring for plumb but with the uneven wood I had to start leaving large gaps in order to make everyone plumb and nixed that idea.
Did you guys measure the pickets for plumb or just ensure the top line was straight and call it a day?
Kinda. Sorta. We set the first one as best we could then ran a few and adjusted as we went. Your right… pickets are not like working with jointed wood! They’re not even so if you don’t make those minor adjustments you can be way uneven at the end. There isn’t much choice but to have some gaps. Thanks for watching!!!
Always rent a one man auger, you'll thank me later
I hope I don't have to rent ANY auger for a long time. I hate them like I hate Croutons on Salad! True story!
Looks good! I can’t believe how much labor costs these days. I know people have to make a living right. Geeez.
Yea. It’s crazy!!! Especially how much the price has jumped over the last couple years. Thanks for comment!!!
I'll be using your method as well. Have to install a fence for a customer soon and have no experience as well. Awesome job and little tips to make everything easier
Thanks so much Chris! Good luck on your project! I know you’ll do great!!!!
Chris Chevalier 😂how u get customers 😂 with no experience is it your first job like u just joined the crew I mean🤔✌
@@johnbeer5242 what's that matter I have lots of customers I'm in the landscaping business
Chris Chevalier good luck growing the business!!
@@johnbeer5242 people ask my husband to do many things he's never done before. He just charges less intil he is satisfied with how nice each job comes out. When he is confident in his work he charges more. Most people dont mind if u tell them.
" hey im still working on perfecting the job at hand but i will give you a year or two warrantee." Most are happy that you were honest.
Good luck with your business chris.
While I get "level" I think the word you want to use is "plumb"
Ya…..!I’ve been called out about 400 times on that! 😂
Awesome video, but I advise calling 811 before you dig and they will come mark utility lines. That can save your life!
Hey there JR! You are absolutely right. I didn't add this in the video but we did call 811 and they came out. We were new construction and had little to worry about. The only lines in the ground we needed to avoid were on the side opposite of the AC UNIT as that was the Main power. We ended up cutting the fence to 6' on the last section so the Meter box was on the OUTSIDE of the fence. Thanks again for watching!
How much did everything cost Vs how much you would've paid to have it done professionally?
Hey Tony! So “At the time” I paid roughly $1400 and that included Auger Rental, Wood and Nails. I already had a Nail Gun and Compressor and Saws so factor that in if you don’t. I was quoted $3500-$5500 by two different Companies…. One being Lowes and another was a Local Fence Company who was the lesser of the two and who I would have used if I went that fought because I saw their work and it was great! Todays prices could cost double bit expect double quoted prices as well!!! Hope that helps!
Great job guys 👍 Lol your wife had the same expressions that my wife had when we were doing our fence they both look so thrilled 😄.. but she seemed like a trooper great job
How many pickets you think I need for a 40 post fence ? 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Sorry for the late reply! So…. I have 7’ between each post. Each section used 15 pickets. So I’d say somewhere along the line of 570ish.
Thanks for filming this and that’s a GREAT looking fence! My wife has been after me to build a privacy fence for our back yard. I know cost varies, but did you price one of the panel fences vs the kind you did (DIY)? I’ve been looking at 6x8 panels but I’m not sure of the cost difference. Thanks again for taking your time to provide the video!
P.S. I’m just south of the border in good ol’ Clemson, SC! You guys almost had our number a couple of years ago. You couldn’t BUY a field goal kicker! Lol. Anyway, thanks for the video!
I did. I got mine for $2.28/pickett at Lowe’s.
My man, you really helped me!!!! I was thinking I needed to put the post against the house. Not necessarily. I just need to run my cross bars up to the house, wedge them in, and go from there up to the first post… great ideal. I thank you!!! Truly. You did an incredible job!! And likewise, thanks for the video.
How much did you spent on materials? Looks great i’m looking to do mine same look i have a 240 linear ft to fence
Wood prices have drastically changed since this video unfortunately so it’s hard to go by my cost. You for sure will save money nonetheless if you DIY. Figure out how much it would cost to do 8’ of fence and multiply that by 30 to get a “Rough” cost.
Thank you ! I’ ll check prices … i personally like the style of the fence
Awesome video awesome job
Thanks soooo much!!! I love having a fenced in backyard!!!
My inspector wld not pass inspection for 2in above wht they say the post height can be. Yea he is deff on a power trip. He wldnt pass it with a quarter in above 50” post height lol
That stinks. Some don’t play!
That looks fantastic!! I would of thought your wife would have been a little happier about it when you asked her though lol. I would been sooo appreciative that you built it!! I know that's a lot of work!! Great job!!
Oh believe shes extremely appreciative. Thanks for watching!!!!
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman I’m sure she is very excited and besides great project to do with your beautiful wife! On another note: the fence turned out great and I love the way you went step by step! Awesome you guys
Excellent and very informative. Can you please let me know what size nails you have used ?
Honestly it’s been so long I don’t exactly remember! Anyone at the lumber yard or Big Box store can help with what you need though! Thanks for watching!
Would you be able to list the supplies we should buy to do this? We need to finish off our yard ourselves and are quite inexperienced. 😅
67 TWO BE FERS and A FULL COUPLE THREE BAGS OF THE CRETE.
Can you list the measurements you used for the height of the post and for the measurements for the wood going across the post.
Your lucky you got to use an auger . The job I'm working on now we have to use a jackhammer 😂😂😂
Insert Michael Scott Meme Here: “No! No God No!!! Nooo!!!”
I've read a lot of pro tips on your video. I don't know if it was mentioned, but I have another tip for you. When you fill your holes with concrete, don't fill it to the top of the ground. Leave about 2" - 6" from the top empty and fill the rest in with your dirt.
Actually, that's the opposite of what you should do if you want your posts to not start rotting after a few years.
Instead of stopping with the concrete 2-6" from ground level, get an 8" cardboard concrete form at HD (they come in 4 foot lengths for just a few dollars) and saw off about 5". Place that around the post and keep it about an inch below ground level. Then FILL that form with concrete and with a trowel shape the drying concrete so that the water runs AWAY from the post.
Granted, it's not as pretty as having the soil and grass grow right up to the fence post but you will make sure that the post will not rot right where it matters: where the wood goes in to the concrete.
You'll thank me years down the road. :)
Whoo! I am pooped! Great video. I need to build a new fence, the last hurricane nearby blew it all the way over. One tip for those who don't know: when you build one of these fences, you're obliged to build it "ugly side in." Meaning the horizontal pieces are inside your yard, and it's flush on the outside.
Thanks for watching!!! And yes.... curb appeal side out! I rarely see ugly side out and when I do.... it’s bad!
Basic rule of thumb are the following:
1. Top of picket should be no more than 6" from top of 1st 2x4 rail. This is important especially when using the pressure treated picket boards that was used it.
2. Bottom rail should be 6" from bottom of picket as well
3. Middle 2x4 centererd
4. Picket boards should at minimum be 1" above ground so pickets are not touching ground which will prevent premature decay of picket boards
5. If at all possible larger strap latches should be used and not the small t-latch used which doesnt support the pressure treated gate
6. Excess 4x4 post should have been cut prior to installing top rails
Although the job isnt perfect its still better than some fences I have seen.
Great info here everyone!!! Again I’m no pro and highly recommend doing your own research before your build! Thanks for commenting and watching TK!!
when it rains it looks like your on a hill there so its not going to drain properly and will absorb in the wood. U might want to cut some of the bottom if possible. Also gapping for swelling is important ... Im not a carpenter so maybe i have no clue what im talking about. Lol. But it does look nice.
@@Myeyeofthebeholder its a WET pressure treated pickets. You need to make it as thight as you can. Yes fence needs to be at minimum 1 inch above ground preferably 1-2 inch
@@temujinkhan6326 yeah. Now that i think about it they make u do that with decking. You did really good on your fence. And i know the dog is happy 😊.
@@Myeyeofthebeholder I did not gap my deck at all and now I have up to 1/4" gaps. Pressure treated 5/4 boards were used. My neighbor who gapped 1/16" has up to 1/2" gaps now. Those wet timbers will dry and shrink pretty good, especially here in NC. I see KalindsLife wearing an NC State hat, so I assume he's around these parts too.
Hey, totally off topic, but that bike road looks like a trail I used to walk/ride in Perkasie, Pa. The rocks look very familiar too 😆
LoL. Nope! Not PA. We’re in the Raleigh NC area! Thanks for watching!
I definitely agree with you brother. I used a post hole digger and man I tell you. It was alot bigger than the one you using and it was me, my dad and cousin had hands on it because it was so damn heavy.
I swear to you I was oddly sick for a week! Almost like it rattled my insides and messes my organs up’ LoL.
Lol!! At the end of the day the job is done and you did a great job brother.
You had a big two man auger probably. For sure a auger will wear you out, especially with hard ground or big roots.
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman. That's Funny you say this. I've had that happened to me before also lol
@@dareuslomas94 must agree with ya this guy did a good job and saved a good bit you would pay a fence company to install.
Bro good job. Question? How much you charge for installation?
Hey thanks!!! I don’t charge because it’ll be a long time before I do a fence again! One of the most rewarding yet painful/hard projects I’ve ever done! LoL. That auger shook my body and I felt it for days!
I use Sika Fence Post Mix. It sets in three minutes and drys in 2 hours. Even though it costs 3 times as much as concrete it saves us a bundle in labor costs. By the time were completed with installing the posts. We can go to where we started and install the 2 X 4s. Thank you for all the excellent tips. Being a landlord we install about 2 fences a year.
Awesome Kent! Glad this video helped out some! I went for the cheapest route possible and skipped the Fence Post Mix. Thanks for watching!
We used chainsaw to cut 2×4. Screw that last one on and eyeball the post and stud and chop it with chainsaw. I hold record for pickets per minute
Sounds dangerously fast! LoL.
He said he never did a fence b4 but this looks like a pro..he followed the contours of the land flawlessly. Great job I wish u lived in my neighborhood I dont want to pay a company 2 to 3 times more than than the material
Thanks so much Tee B!! I promise you I never did a fence before. I did screw up some terminology which it seems a few people here felt they needed to call me out on.... which whatever. Honestly I just took my time and didn’t rush. The heat and unscripted recording made me mess up my words a bit... loL. Thanks for watching!
@kalindslife Such a pleasure to watch!! Keep going ppl like me depend on u so I hope u feel good knowing u help ppl more than you will ever know
@@TheCrawlspaceCraftsman @KalindsLife no problem. I'm only 27 and didnt have shop class in school so now I'm watching a bunch of TH-cam videos. I have all the basic tools I just need the confidence to do it bc If I spend 1k on material I'll be mad if it doesnt come out the way I want. Mainly, the only thing I'm really worried about is following the contour of my land...instead of installing pre built I think I may try individual pickets to follow land
At 27:31 , yea that’s a fence alright, but hey it’s just a fence and you saved some money
It sure is!!!
Great video but I didn't see the underground utilities located
Thanks!! Yeah I called and we only had one line hurried that was on the left side and it was outside the fence so not even a concern. Since the house was basically new construction (1 year) it wasn’t much. We also don’t have gas lines. Thanks for askin!