| Fences are either open, to use as a trellis for | | | | This will preserve it much better than painting |
| roses or other plants, or they are closed to serve | | | | afterward. |
| as a wind, sun or privacy screen. | | | | Set your fence posts deep enough in the ground |
| The materials will depend largely upon the use to | | | | to resist the prevailing winds, at least 2 feet and |
| which the fence is to be put. The most popular, | | | | even deeper. Set heavy posts in concrete. Tamp |
| and probably the most attractive, fences are built | | | | firmly in place so the fence will not wiggle. |
| of wood in various forms, but newer fences of | | | | Hardware used should be galvanized. |
| asbestos-cement and corrugated sheet metal are | | | | Among the most popular types of fences are the |
| colourful and stand up against rot better. | | | | traditional picket, the post-and-rail fence and the |
| Because they are heavier, they are usually | | | | hurdle fence, but with increased stress on privacy |
| erected in a zigzag design, the better to stand up | | | | screening, the louvered and lattice types are ever |
| against prevailing winds. | | | | more popular. |
| The major problem in prolonging the life of a | | | | The post-and-rail fence is made of posts spaced |
| fence stems from rot at the ground line, for here | | | | at 10 foot intervals with large slots cut in them. |
| it is susceptible to alternating wet and dry | | | | The 11-foot-long rails are tapered to flat ends, |
| conditions. | | | | which are inserted in the posts. The hurdle fence |
| Among the best woods for withstanding rot are | | | | has split rails built into a braced frame and nailed |
| California redwood and Southern cypress, white | | | | together, with the end pieces of each panel |
| cedar and red cedar, chestnut, locust and arbor | | | | becoming the posts. |
| vitae. While painting the wood with preservatives | | | | The picket fence, traditionally white, has posts |
| often lengthens the life of your fence, this will do | | | | spaced from 8 to 12 feet apart, rails 3x4 inches, |
| no good unless the preservatives penetrate. | | | | and pickets 2 to 3 inches wide, pointed at the top. |
| That's why a post that has been | | | | The pickets should be 2 inches off the ground at |
| machine-creosoted will resist rot, while a | | | | the bottom and extend well above the top rail. |
| hand-creosoted post will not. However, if you use | | | | The spindle fence is a kind of picket fence with |
| a good preservative on a clean, dry, unpainted | | | | round spindles that pass through holes in the rails. |
| wood, and give the wood two or three coats, | | | | There are many possible variations of board |
| you can do a good job. | | | | fences used for screening. A broad rail may be |
| Among the commercial wood preservatives you | | | | alternated with a narrow rail, or the boards may |
| will find those of pentachlorophenol, copper | | | | be applied vertically, like palings, with, perhaps, a |
| napthenate (which has a green colour) and zinc | | | | staggering of the boards on either side of the rail. |
| napthenate, a clear solution. | | | | Boards may be slanted in a louver effect to give |
| In addition to the point where the post hits the | | | | privacy while admitting air and sunlight. |
| ground, any place where two pieces are nailed | | | | A basket-weave fence can be constructed of |
| together on a wooden fence is subject to rot. | | | | thin, flexible boards and provides total screening |
| Therefore, it is wise to treat the wood where the | | | | and a handsome background for planting. It is |
| members are joined before you put up the fence. | | | | somewhat difficult to build yourself, however. |