So, you are building a wooden fence out of sticks that has a picket design that requires the top of the fence to look straight. They can be dogear pickets, French Gothic pickets, or maybe even sawtooth pickets. Perhaps your fence is a stockade (no gaps between posts) or spaced picket fence. Regardless of the design or style of the posts, you must keep the tops of the posts in a straight line. There are a few different ways to achieve this. This article explains the use of a protective board.
For the purposes of this article, we will assume that you have already set up the fence posts and installed the fence rails. The rails are the horizontal 2×4 members of the fence. You are now ready to install the pickets. Before you place your pickets, you need to plan your “reveal.” The reveal is the amount of picket that will be above the top rail. Common reveals are between 6″ and 10″. The reveal is usually planned before the rails are installed. On a 6′ tall fence, if the top of the top rail is 66″ above the ground, you should plan for a 6″ gap. 66″ plus 6″ equals 72″, or 6′ tall. For the purpose of this article, we will plan for a 6″ opening.
Now take two pickets and measure 6″ down from the top of the picket. Make a small pencil mark on the edge of the picket. Decide where you will start making the pickets. This is usually one end or one corner. Take one of the posts you marked and place it where it will be installed. Line up the pencil mark you made with the top of the top rail. Install this post with all the nails you plan to use for each post. Be sure to check that they are plumb first! Take the second post you marked to the next post on the fence line Align the mark you made with the top of the top rail Drive a nail into this post This post will be a guide board This post will be taken down and put up on the next post, so don’t put too many nails in! next post on the fence line Now it’s time to make the protective board.
To make a kick board, you will need two pieces of 2x4x8 lumber and some 3″ nails. Make sure the 2x4s are straight and not bowed or warped. Take one of the 2x4s and cut two 9″ pieces. Take the other 2×4 and lay it flat so the 4″ side is up. Take one of the 9″ 2×4 pieces and nail it to the end of the uncut 2×4. To do this, place the 9″ 2×4 on top of the uncut 2×4 at the end at a 90 degree angle. Nail this in place. You now have a 2×4 with a 9″ 2×4 nailed on top of the end. . forming a 90 degree angle. Flip the 2×4 over and do the same on the other side at the same end. You will basically make a “U” shape. Take the 2×4 with the 9″ 2x4s nailed to it at the fence line. Place the “U” section you created over the post that is fully installed. Rest the other end of the 2×4 on the post that is being held instead with a You will see that there is a 6″ gap between the top of the top rail and the bottom of the 2×4 used in the kick board across the entire section of the fence. This will keep your reveal even throughout the length of the fence. You now need to make the slider section of your bumper dash. Cut two 9″ pieces of 2x4s and one 3 1/2″ piece of 2x4s. Place the 3 1/2″ 2×4 between the two 9″ 2x4s. Nail these pieces together forming another “U” shape. Take this piece over the 2×4 that rests on the picket held in place with a nail.
The kickboard “U” pieces prevent the kickboard from falling off while nailing. Take a picket and place it next to the picket that is fully installed. The top of the post must touch or “bump” into the protective board. Nail this picket in place. Keep making notches until you reach the notch that is held in place with a nail. Once you reach this post, slide the slider portion of the kick board over one of the fully installed posts. Remove the picket held by a nail and install it on the next post. Remember to use only one nail. Finish choosing the previous section. Since you slide the slider portion of the kick plate down, you now have 2x4s that extend past the studs already installed. Climb up to the post using the skid plate as a top guide. Once you install the pickets on the post, move the kick board to the next section and repeat the same steps.
Once you have finished making pickets, you will see that the fence has the same opening and the tops of the pickets are in a straight line. It also makes the top straighter, since it’s harder to move the kickboard up than a rope. Try the skid plate. It’s much easier to use in reality than to read about it. After using it for one or two sections of the fence, you will also discover the tricks to use the sliding part. Happy fencing!