You're standing in your backyard, staring at a property line that feels way too exposed. Maybe the neighbor’s golden retriever keeps "visiting" your flower beds, or perhaps you just want to drink your morning coffee in your pajamas without feeling like you're on a stage. You’ve decided on wood. It’s classic. It smells like a lumber yard and looks better with age than vinyl ever will. But honestly? Installing a wood fence is one of those projects that looks deceptively simple on a weekend DIY show and turns into a nightmare if you ignore the physics of dirt and rot.
Most people think it’s just digging holes and nailing boards. It isn't.
If you don't get the depth of your posts right, or if you ignore the way a 4x4 pressure-treated timber reacts to moisture, your beautiful new boundary will look like a literal roller coaster within three years. Gravity is patient. It will find every shortcut you took. We’re going to talk about how to actually do this so it stays straight, passes inspection, and doesn't rot out before you've even finished paying off the lumber.
The permit trap and the "Call Before You Dig" rule
Before you even touch a shovel, you have to deal with the boring stuff. I've seen homeowners spend three thousand dollars on premium Western Red Cedar only to have the city make them tear it down because it was two inches too high or sat directly on a utility easement. Every municipality has different rules. Some care about the "good side" facing the neighbor (it usually has to), and some have strict 6-foot height limits.
And for the love of everything, call 811. It’s free. In the US, hitting a gas line or a fiber optic cable isn't just dangerous; it's a massive financial liability. They come out, spray-paint some colorful lines on your grass, and then you know where you can actually dig without causing a neighborhood-wide internet outage.
Planning the layout without losing your mind
Get some masonry string. Not thin twine that snaps, but the bright pink or neon green stuff. You need to pull this line tight—really tight—between your corner stakes. This represents your fence line. If there’s a bow in the string, there will be a bow in your fence. It’s that simple.
The biggest mistake? Spacing. Most DIYers think, "I’ll just space them exactly 8 feet apart."
Wrong.
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If you buy 8-foot rails, and you space your posts exactly 96 inches on center, you have zero room for error. If a post is off by half an inch, your rail won't reach. Aim for 94 or 95 inches. This gives you a little "meat" to trim and ensures every rail has a solid connection to the post. It’s a lot easier to cut an inch off a 2x4 than it is to stretch one.
The post hole: Where the real work happens
This is the part everyone hates. You have two choices: a manual post-hole digger (the "clamshell") or renting a power auger. If you have rocky soil or heavy clay, just rent the auger. Your shoulders will thank you.
How deep? In most climates, you need to go down at least 2 feet. If you live somewhere with a deep frost line, like Minnesota or Maine, you might need to go 3 or 4 feet deep to prevent "frost heave." This is where the freezing ground literally spits your posts out of the earth like a toothpick.
- Pro tip: Don't make the hole a perfect cylinder. Make it wider at the bottom than at the top (bell-shaped). This creates a physical "plug" of concrete that is much harder for the ground to push upward.
- Drainage: Throw six inches of gravel in the bottom of the hole before the post goes in. This prevents the bottom of the wood from sitting in a puddle of water inside its concrete sleeve.
Setting the posts for the long haul
There is a huge debate in the fencing world: concrete vs. crushed stone.
Most people use concrete because it feels permanent. If you use concrete, make sure you slope the top of the pour away from the post. You want a little "mini-volcano" shape so shed water runs off. If the concrete is concave, it collects water, which sits against the wood and accelerates rot.
Use a level. Actually, use two. One on the face of the post and one on the side. Brace the posts with scrap 2x4s and stakes while the concrete cures. If they move even a fraction of an inch while drying, your rails will be a nightmare to install. Give the concrete at least 24 to 48 hours. Don't rush this.
Rails and pickets: The "Good Side" dilemma
Once your posts are rock solid, it's time for the framework. Most privacy fences use three horizontal rails: one at the top, one in the middle, and one at the bottom. Use 2x4 pressure-treated lumber for these.
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When you start nailing on your pickets, you have to decide on the style.
- Side-by-side: Classic, but as the wood dries, it shrinks. Those tight seams will turn into 1/4-inch gaps.
- Board-on-board: This is the "overlap" style. It’s more expensive because it uses more wood, but it offers 100% privacy even after the wood seasons.
- Shadowbox: This looks the same from both sides and allows wind to pass through. If you live in a high-wind area, this is your best friend. A solid fence is basically a giant sail; shadowbox fences are much less likely to blow over in a storm.
Use stainless steel or high-quality galvanized screws/nails. Cheap exterior nails will leave "bleeding" rust streaks down your beautiful cedar within six months. It looks terrible and it's hard to fix.
Dealing with slopes and hills
Rarely is a yard perfectly flat. When installing a wood fence on a hill, you have two choices: "Raking" or "Stepping."
Raking means the fence follows the contour of the ground. The top of the fence stays a consistent height from the grass. This is harder to build because every picket has to be cut at an angle. Stepping looks like a staircase. The fence sections stay level, but they drop down a few inches at each post. This is much easier for beginners, but it leaves triangular gaps at the bottom of the fence where small dogs (or brave rabbits) can escape.
If you have a dog that digs, go with the raked method or bury a bit of hardware cloth at the base.
Why your gate will eventually sag
Let's be real: almost every DIY gate sags eventually. Why? Because wood is heavy and gravity never sleeps.
To prevent this, your gate post needs to be extra sturdy. Some pros even use a 6x6 post just for the gate side. You also need a diagonal brace. This brace must run from the bottom hinge side to the top latch side. It uses the strength of the bottom hinge to "push" the weight of the gate up. If you put the brace the other way, it does nothing.
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Buying a "no-sag" gate kit is honestly worth the twenty bucks. It uses a steel frame or turnbuckle to keep things square.
Maintenance: The part everyone ignores
Wood is an organic material. It wants to return to the earth.
Wait about two to three months after installation before staining. You want the "mill glaze" to wear off and the internal moisture of the wood to drop so the stain can actually soak in. If water beads up on the wood, it's too wet to stain. If water soaks in, you're good to go.
A high-quality oil-based stain like Sikkens or Ready Seal will save you years of headache. Avoid "solid" stains that look like paint; they eventually peel, and then you have to sand the whole fence to fix it. Semi-transparent stains just fade, which means you can just wash the fence and re-apply a fresh coat without any scraping.
Putting it all together: Actionable Next Steps
If you’re ready to start, don’t just head to the big-box store and buy whatever is on the pallet. Follow these specific steps to ensure your project doesn't become a "what not to do" example.
- Step 1: Check your local HOA and city codes. Get the permit paperwork started now. It can take weeks to process.
- Step 2: Map it out with stakes. Walk the line. See where the roots of that big oak tree are. It's better to find an obstruction now than when you have an auger in your hand.
- Step 3: Order your materials with 10% extra. Boards break, posts have knots, and mistakes happen. Having a few extra pickets on hand means you don't have to stop work for a hardware store run.
- Step 4: Rent the right tools. Get a string line, a high-quality level, and a circular saw with a fresh blade. If you have more than 10 holes to dig, rent the power auger.
- Step 5: Set your corners first. Once the corners are set, pull your string line between them. This line is your "north star." Every other post must align perfectly with this string.
Building a fence is a physical grind. It’s hard on the back and the ego when things aren't perfectly straight. But there is something deeply satisfying about looking out at a perfectly aligned cedar wall that you built with your own hands. Take your time with the posts, don't skimp on the depth, and keep your string line tight. That’s the secret to a fence that actually lasts.