How to select a railing size for a front fence?

[Woodsy1]

I am replacing the old timber fence and wondering what size railings I should use And whether it should be hardwood or treated pine. The span is 2.8 m and the actual pailing size will only be 50 cm Because of A small brick wall underneath.I will paint it afterwards

tks

[JacobZ]

Hi @Woodsy1,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

This 90 x 45mm Outdoor Framing H3 Treated Pine is a suitable timber for this purpose. It is relatively lightweight and easy to work with and is treated for outdoor use.

Once painted with a few coats of exterior paint, it will look great and will last for years to come.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob 

[Woodsy1]

Tks,

any reason you haven’t gone for the 70x35? A neighbours fence is the smaller railing… it is a bit shorter 2.4mtr, but pailings are over a mtr in length… 

I’ve looked at a few fences and they all seem a bit different….

cheers

[JacobZ]

Hi @Woodsy1,

The reason I went with 90x45 as opposed to something like 70x35 is because the standard span between posts in a fence is 2.4 metres. With the added span distance on your fence, the potential for sagging is increased, so a higher-grade timber is going to be a better option long term.

A 70x35 should work, but for a small increase in cost, the 90x45 should last longer without sagging.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[Woodsy1]

even tho the pickets are only half the length and consequently weight?

Thankyou

[JacobZ]

Hi @Woodsy1,

Over that distance, given enough time, there's a decent chance a pine 70x35 is going to sag even if it had next to no weight on it. Ultimately, the choice is yours, but if I were using pine, I would be using the 90x45.

If you wanted to use a smaller profile of railing, you could certainly use hardwood to extend the span. In Qld, where I live, we sell 75x38 hardwood rails. Depending on where you live, there may be something similar. If you wanted to explore this option, I'd suggest contacting your local store to see what they have available. If you can let me know what your local store is, I would be happy to reach out to them on your behalf.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[Woodsy1]

Yeah I hear you. The existing railings are hardwood but rotting now from the bottom and obviously centuries old LOL. Paint is what’s holding it together at the moment.

The new ones won’t have to last that long, but I will go for the thicker dimensions and that should last me out

Thanks for your info