Building a paling fence is considerably less expensive when you do it yourself. All you need is a few skills, the right tools, and some helpful tips and guidelines. This job is relatively easy especially when you have a leveled property and when properly line is clearly defined. Before starting to build your paling fence, make sure you check on and observe your local ordinances regarding fencing. If you have homeowner's association with policies on fencing, be sure you design your paling fence accordingly. It is also important that you have underground utilities checked to avoid damages and hassles. Follow this step-by-step process on how to build paling fences: 1. With a garden stake, mark each end, corner post and gate location and the run a mason's line between the garden stakes. Mark the remaining post locations on the line with a liquid chalk. These are usually every six or eight feet. Then put a stake at each post location. 2. Dig each post hole. The holes should be a minimum of six inches deeper than 1/3 the length of the post. A four-foot tall fence requires a six-foot tall post with two feet of the post buried in the ground, leaving four feet for the palings. The six inches beneath each post is for a gravel base to avoid rotting. 3. Fill each post hole with six inches of gravel and then compress. Measure the depth of each post hole and make sure you have two feet remaining. Mix the right amount of cement. Place a post into a hole and shovel in some cement, then compress to get rid of air pockets where water may seem through. With a level, adjust the post to make sure it's properly aligned and perpendicular. To the same steps with the rest of the posts. 4. Measure twice to ensure that all posts are level, aligned, and plumb. You have about 15-20 minutes to check and adjust post alignment before the cement completely hardens. So you have to move a little faster and do the necessary adjustments before you can no longer move the post. When you feel the alignment is good, let the cement harden for at least 24 hours. 5. Brush on some wood preservative where the horizontal rails meet posts. Let the air dry them. Using galvanized screws, secure the horizontal footer rail. Connect the rail to the next post. Make sure it is level and butted up against the previous rail, until you have installed all of the rails. Do the same process with the horizontal header rails. 6. Pre-cut the palings to your desired length or just buy pre-cut ones from your local hardware store. If you want space between the palings, cut a block of wood to your desired width. You will place this between each paling before you nail it in place. This is important for uniform spacing. Use a pneumatic nail gun to attach each paling. Continue attaching all palings until your fence is complete. Make sure you frequently use the level to check for horizontal and vertical alignment. 7. Paint each paling with wood preservative. If you are looking for high quality and affordable timber supplies for paling fences in Melbourne, visit the website of Serano Timber at http://www.seranotimber.com.au
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