Privacy fences can not only be a great way to increase the enjoyment of your house while you live in but they’re also one of a handful of projects that can not only add value to your home but are well within reach of most homeowners to tackle themselves.
Landscaping is an excellent way to add value to your home and privacy fences fall into that general category. While it’s usually pricier to put up a cedar or pine fence (the most common wood used for privacy fences around the country) than adding plants and mulch, you also get more bang for your buck.
Replacing an old, weathered fence is much the same principle, as families with pets and small children will enjoy and appreciate them just as much when it’s time to sell your home.
As far as the project itself, you’ll need to check with your local city department as far as building codes, since many cities require a permit and/or building plan for any fence you erect.
With that in hand, you’ll need to select a design, as fences range from a simple traditional one with the posts set on the ground and 2×4 bars used as the horizontal rails that you’ll nail or screw the vertical fence boards to do much more complex designs.
Always use treated lumber and posts, even if it’s more expensive. If you’re building a big fence and have rocky ground to dig in, consider renting an auger from an equipment rental shop instead, because the $50 you spend for a rental that’ll dig out all your fence post holes in an hour or two is money well spent as opposed to spending a few back-breaking days digging them out by hands with post hole diggers.
Most people use pine or cedar for their fence boards, and it largely boils down to your own taste and budget (with cedar being the more expensive option) as far as what material you choose. A nail gun will speed the job up considerably, but some swear by using deck screws for a longer lasting more durable project.
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