redwood fence engineering
#1
09-18-20, 04:45 PM
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: USA
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redwood fence engineering
I'm building a 6 ft tall redwood fence. The fence boards are 5/8" thick. Because the fence is just a privacy fence between good neighbors and because it will be only 18 ft long I want to install just 3 fence posts – one on each end and one in the middle – then run 2 x 6 redwood rails between them. The posts will be 9 ft apart. Will I end up with sag? Many thanks.
#2
09-18-20, 06:34 PM
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Your fence sections should be 6 feet wide. 4 posts, 6 feet apart = 18 ft. Wind is another factor you aren't considering, and 4 posts will be stronger than 3. The posts need to be a minimum of 24" deep. Depending on your soil, up to 3 ft deep if its dry, sandy soil.
marksr
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#3
09-19-20, 04:54 AM
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fence is just a privacy fence between good neighbors
#5
09-23-20, 06:27 PM
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thanks
Thanks to you all. For the record, I've never seen a fence on 6' centers in this So Cal town. Of course, I don't get to the ritzier neighborhoods much. The redwood fence I built on 8' centers with 2 x 6" rails 22 years ago is solid as can be. Neighbor is not an issue since he doesn't give a $@&^%! about anything anyway. He's happy with the rotten fence in place now. BTW wind is not a factor since this is in a narrow space between garages.
#6
09-23-20, 07:29 PM
Yea, most fence out here California land I've seen have posts between 7-8 feet to allow for 2X4X8 rails. Mine are on average 7.5' and they held up about 18 years with a good wind load. I've since replaced them w/steel posts same distance. I wouldn't go 9'. That's putting a lot of weight on the connection points, unless you rabbit and lag them in to the posts. What size posts are you going for? Would you run 2 or 3 rails?
