How to make a wedge for angled wood screen?

Hi workshop community

I am currently building privacy screening along my pergola and some of the posts don't line up too well.

I have to have the horizontal slats at a certain angle which leaves a gap between the slat and the post.

Is it OK to have a gap with the screw exposed as seen in the picture or do I need to make a wedge or something to close the gap?

Thanks

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Comments

EricL

Hello @Taylorpwa

That sounds like a fantastic project, ideally you would want to cut the timber at an angle so that it sits flush with the angle of the post. Technically you could mount it without cutting the timber, but the screws would need to be long so that it properly anchors itself to the post. I propose using timber off cuts to cover the exposed joint on the post.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 , @TedBear and @JoeAzza for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Taylorpwa

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/30183#Comment_30183

Thanks Eric

I was hoping I would be able to do that as well but the different angles of the posts don't allow me to

JoeAzza

Hi @Taylorpwa , if you to hide the screws, you could try timber mouldings, eg, Scotia , Bunnings have various shapes that might suit, maybe you glue in place or use outdoor double sided tape.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/porta-30-x-30mm-2-4m-moulding-pine-scotia-clear_p0081589

Noyade

Morning @Taylorpwa

I was thinking we could improve this area with Kreg Screws.

In the lower image - you may even get away without a Kreg screw - it's all about cutting accurate bevels.

Aesthetically and structurally I think it would be better to do away with that gaping chasm.

Just some early whiteboard thoughts. 😁

Cheers!

Dave-1

Good morning @Taylorpwa

My posts dont line up so well either (Yep I installed them myself even lol) Ideally you would have something behind that gap to hellp stop vibrations with the rail and also for asthetical looks.

You could make an angled shim to put in there (Triangular piece of timber you use the existing rail and post to mark the angle on a small piece of timber)

You could go down the track of a rubber strip that compresses and screw through it. Something along these lines 15mm by 15mm *2m square strip Tho not sure how it would look but would help dampen the vibrations.

And lastly you could saw the actual rail off at the tip to match the angle (That way you arnt impacting your post)

Dave

Noyade

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/30208#Comment_30208

Was the title always "How to Make a Wedge"?

I can't even remember what I had for breakfast.

Sorry, I thought we were going to attach the wood better. My thought with a wedge then - wood (pun) be ripping a long one on a table saw. Remove the visible screws, possibly glue/screw/nail the wedge to the post and then reattach the wood with the screws going through the wedge. I'm assuming with this post the angle required is the same top and bottom?

TedBear

Hi @Taylorpwa, I recommend that you definitely make a wedge, as described by @Noyade below (assuming that you have an adjustable power saw available) or make wedges by any other means.

There is more than aesthetics involved... screw threads will tear away at the edge of the hole where they enter the exposed wood and eventually weaken and may even pull out. There are signs of that already if you look closely at the photo (or in your case, at the post itself.) They rely on either the screw head, a washer or an adjoining piece of wood pressed up against the opening to keep the hole edge intact. You will also get frictional support for the fence and the post if they are clamped firmly together by means of the wedge.

If using a hand held power saw, you ca get the angle correct by:- loosen the base plate a little, hold the saw vertically against the post edge and swing the blade around until it is in line with the pine edge - i.e. is then at the same angle as the gap. Clamp a suitable length of pine down to something and carefully cut away one edge. (Keeping fingers well away from everything that spins, of course.)