Running horizontally along the length of the fence, rails are used for picket attachment. Rails are also known as backer rails or fence stringers, and depending on the fence style there might be two or three rails running along the entirety of the fence.
The most common size for rails is 2” x 3” or 2” x 4”.
A kickboard, sometimes known as a "rot board," is a piece of wood that's placed on the bottom of a fence and is in contact with the ground. Kickboards are typically pressure-treated.
After posts are set, the next stage in building your fence is attaching the rails, which may also be called stringers. Fence rails are generally two-by-fours that are installed between or across posts and are often what the fence boards are affixed to.
The rails are installed to the outside of the fence toward the public or neighbor's side. This is important as it applies to some strict building codes that require the good side facing out. As the rail extends to the next post, cut the rail at the center of the post.
The 'quick' answer is that the finished, or good side of the fence faces the outside of your property, visible to neighbors and the outside world. That being said, the fence posts (or poles), rails, and other hardware are installed on the inside of the fence line and face you.
Wooden Pockets for Filling in Gaps
To fill the space between the fence and the ground, use horizontal pieces of wood rather than bricks. Cut the wooden boards uniformly after measuring them. This is one of the best choices if you have a wooden fence because it will blend in flawlessly.
If there is a gap underneath your fence, you will need to use filler material to remove the problem. For example, you can put chicken wire in the gap so that the fence opens and closes freely without the gap being exposed. You could also put wood blocks in the gap or even fill it in with cement.
The plinth sits under the bottom of the fence. It makes the fence look neat and tidy as it fills unsightly gaps and keeps weeds, debris, and rubbish from entering your yard. They can also help to keep animals from digging under the fence.
It is recommended that you use a minimum of 2 horizontal rails between posts for all fences less than 5' high, 3 rails for fences 5' to 7' high, and 4 rails for 8' high fences.
Re-check before concreting in and leave until concrete is set. The fence height dictates how many rails you need. Rails are usually 100 x 50mm for 2400mm post spacings. As a rule, fences up to 1200mm in height require two rails, while fences over this height require at least three.
Rails. You would require three rails for a standard fence (1.8m). As a general rule, the top rail should be 75mm from the top of the post, the bottom rail should be 175mm above the plinth board, and the mid-rail should be in the centre between the two.
Leaving a space between the bottom of your fence and the ground allows for landscaping changes and/or growth, prevents moisture absorption from occurring, and it also makes it easier to do yard maintenance and clean up along the base of the fence.
To prevent these types of rot there are some actions you can take: Use rot-resistant, pressure-treated wood when selecting your fence material; during installation ensure that your posts are correctly installed clear of soil contact; finally, maintain your fence by regularly cleaning it and staining it.
In most applications, a wooden fence should be mounted at least two inches off the ground. Your posts and rot boards (if you want to mount them) should be the only fence components that come into contact with the ground. Wood pickets are never meant to touch it.
DO Employ a Base Gravel Layer. If a fence post fails without any sign of a pest infestation, it's likely that the failure was caused by moisture that rotted the wood over time. To help slow such deterioration, add pea gravel or crushed stone to the bottom of the posthole.
This means that the bottom of your fence post will be consistently exposed to water if you don't get enough drainage. Because large gravel leaves big gaps when packed together, water can run through it efficiently. Smaller, sand-like gravel absorbs water but provides better support.
This answer is simple – a vertical fence can better accommodate uneven ground and a horizontal fence is best for flat ground. When constructing a vertical fence, it is easy to connect those fence boards one by one to the fence rails and place them exactly where you need to ensure they go down to the ground.
To start, fences are usually put up for the purpose of restricting access to a certain area, whether it be a yard, a pool or private commercial property. Meanwhile, railings are put up to keep people in a certain area, preventing people from falling off of a deck or balcony.
The best recommendation for setting fence posts of any kind is to always secure all metal fenceline poles in cement, plus all wooden corner and gate posts as a minimum. Doing so creates a footer that prevents the post from rising out of the ground or leaning for any reason.
The ends of rails are tapered or “paddled” so they can overlap when they are put in the post. If you set you posts 10'6” from the center of post to center of post, this will give you the perfect space to accommodate the rails. Rails should overlap 3” on either side.
Installing fence posts without cement is a cheaper alternative to using cement, but it is not as strong or secure. Fence posts can be made out of a variety of materials, including wood, metal, and plastic.