Hi all, I’m getting ready to put up some fencing for a goat yard. Nothing fancy – 4 X 4 posts, 2 X 4 rails, with wire. My main problem with projects like this in the past has been getting accurate measurements between the posts. I want to set them 96” on-center, so that I can use 8 foot boards. Invariably, when I get finished setting the posts, I find that some of them end up an inch or two off, i.e. 95” or 97”, so I end up with not much surface to nail on for some of them. Are there any tips or tricks for laying out, measuring and setting the posts to eliminate or at least minimize my errors? Thanks.

Hi there, Looking to install a gate between my house and my neighbours fence. The span is about 9 feet wide and goes over my driveway - looking to close off access into my backyard. I want to build a 4 foot wide gate and the rest being fence to close the 9 foot opening. The gate is my issue really. I want the gate to open inward from right to left, so in effect the hinged post the gate hangs on will be on the left side and the gate would latch on the right side. My question is about the latch. I don't want to put a latch on the brick house, I want the latch and hence the gate close to a post. So the post that the gate would latch to would have to be either attached to the house or be cemented into the ground beside the house. I don't really want to attach anything to the house so I'm thinking the free standing post in cement is the better option. Is it ok to dig a 4 foot hole right beside my block house foundation and put a post in? Anything I should know? Some have suggested to glue and lag bolt a 2x4 to the house and put the latch on that but I can't because there is this block foundation that isn't regular rectangle blocks, they're not flush on the outside of the block and the 2x4 would not sit against it flush. So my only option is to put a post in right beside the wall. Any thoughts would be great. Cheers. Dave