Take-down fence

Here’s an idea for folks who may need, as I do, a privacy fence that can be removed to drive a tractor through, for instance. The details of its construction show better before being painted, so here it is. Next spring I’ll paint it and maybe put some ornamental grass in front of the posts.

Since this fence is probably going to be removed some day, I did not set the 4X4 posts in concrete, as I would have done for a permanent fence; instead, just dug holes about two feet deep and gave a good tamping to the dirt as I shoveled it around them.

To those posts I air-nailed 1X3-1/2 X4” pieces of oak at 12” intervals, beginning 18” above ground level. Over those I nailed 3 1/2”-wide pieces of 2X4. Over these were nailed 1X3X44” vertical oak strips. Horizontal rails are 1X3X76” oak. They are laid over the spacers and not nailed, allowing them to be removed for entrance of a tractor or vehicle. All the 3" oak strips are salvaged from another fence and have been in use for at least 20 years, so far without paint or preservative. Also, they were free, making them a very good deal.

I had to use 16-gauge finish air nails because framing nails blew the short wood spacers apart. My plan is to set a 6” construction screw through each of the upright oak strips where they cross the spacers if and when the 16 gauge nails fail. If I only use one screw the post assemblies will be easily removed if I want to take the fence down some day.