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My family has a property in Central VIC in need of a facelift. After cleaning up the overgrown yard, I decided to build a white timber fence, inspired by the classic ranch-style fences in the US.
Posts
Thankfully one of the trickiest parts of the job was handled for me - my Dad had put treated pine posts in place many years earlier. These were spaced by approx 1800mm - perfect for the fence I had in mind. I don't have any details on the exact method he used when putting these in - other than to share the advice that these should as deep as possible for added stability.
Rails
The farm had plenty of recycled timber laying around - including some old treated pine planks which were originally hiding the foundations of the house. The planks were approx 150mm x 25mm, similar to these. I sanded these down before cutting them to size, and followed the advice in this video when spacing these out, before attaching them with these screws.
Paint
I then gave the entire fence two coats of white exterior paint. We used rollers for the planks - but found the posts to be a bit of a nightmare (I'd use some form of spray if doing this again).
Gates
To finish the job, I decided to try my hand at a pair of gates to match the fence. I again took inspiration from the classic American ranch style here, and found a common design I was keen to emulate. I used a thicker treated pine for this job (140mm x 35mm), securing the timber with cup head bolts. (I pre-painted the timber before assembly to avoid getting paint on the bolts)
Hinges
Given the weight of the gates, I searched for the most heavy duty hinges I could get my hands on. I decided the 'hook and eye' style hinge was most appropriate for my needs, with a 'through-post' style gudgeon. Along with the strength of this style, it also offers to ability to make post-installation adjustments to ensure the gates are level and swinging correctly. I tracked down three brands in Victoria which were suitable for my purpose: (I went with Gallagher)
- Gallagher strap hinge and gudgeon
- Rotech Rural timber gate hinge and gudgeon set
- Blackwood Country Gates custom strap hinges and gudgeons
Finished product
Now I just need to paint the house to match...... 😁
Hello @DoSimpleBetter
Thank you so much for sharing photos of your fence assembly. What a beautifully made farm fence, it has such a traditional classic look and the exposed bolt heads really add to the charm. Those gates you made are just spot on and fit perfectly with your fence. How long did the entire assembly take?
Again, thank you for sharing such a marvellous project.
Eric
