Part 3,
Graveyard Fence Project
With the completion of the fence post build process, it's time for the second phase of this project - the construction and
finish of fence panel sections. After some lengthy consideration, the decision was made to build wood fence panel sections.
... Not wood disguised to look like iron ... just wood ... An old wood fence, possibly nice when it was new.
That's the look I'm after here.
Basic sawing operations are required to prepare the dimensional pressure treated lumber.
In the first photo above, the top rail piece for each panel section is bevel cut twice, creating a mild crown.
1 X 6" boards are ripped to 2 1/2" widths. These will be used as top and bottom plates
to position/hold the vertical boards of the fence.
A simple jig is made for panel assembly. For the creation of this jig, scrap pieces of wood are nailed in position
marking the maximum location of each corner of the panel sections. Long, thinner strips of wood are nailed in
place to hold the vertical pieces at the proper height in relation to the top and bottom plates (ripped during the previous step.)
Here the jig is loaded with the first four panel pieces.
Two pieces of 1" X 2 1/2" wood are used for top and bottom plates. These plates are precut to length to fit between the jig's corner blocks.
Between these, the outermost 2" X 2" vertical pieces are cut to length, glued, and nailed in place.
In keeping with the artificial aged and forgotten look of the fence posts, these panel sections will be built to look "bad."
One side may be shorter than the other, the top center may be pulled downward to break the straight line. Individual
vertical "bars" will be installed at different angles to the top and bottom plates ... some square, most out of square.
If you own or have access to a finish nailer, this would be the time to get it out!
Air nail guns save a lot of time in tedious fastening jobs such as this one. You can add three or four cement coated finish nails in far less
time than one wood screw of equal length, and have adequate holding power in the process. As long as your cuts/joints are good, the glue will
eventually do all the work. In a way, the fasteners perform as temporary clamps.
All of the vertical pieces are all cut, glued, and installed between the top and bottom plates.
Each piece is marked for length and angle, making the process somewhat slower than in traditional, square framing
projects. The distance between the vertical pieces may vary drastically, depending on the angle of neighboring pieces.
No measurements were taken or used for this part of the project. Each piece was marked in place and cut on the (nearby) miter saw.
Side note: (This one will surely attract some strange looks at the lumber yard.)
Twiswed, warped, bowed, etc. 2X2's were NEVER on my shopping list prior to this project.
Having intentionally worked with them for these fence panels, I would highly recommend them for this type of work.
The original jig is disassembled after the last center section is built. Once the glue dries, each section
will receive upper and lower 2X4 pieces. The center panel sections rest on (loose) 1/2" thick strips of wood, creating the proper reveal
(of equal size) on each side of the fence panel section.
The 1" boards bend easily into shape, but 2X4's don't ... you'll likely need a clamp or two to aid in pulling things together for securing.
These pressure treated 2X4's are added for a couple of reasons. First, they add a great deal of strength to the
fence panel sections, just in case somebody decides to lean on the fence a little bit ...
The added mass also completes the look this fence requires. Lightweight fence panel sections would look terribly out of proportion
against larger "stone" posts.
Later in the day, the majority of the build process is finished.
In order to properly align the post hardware and the panel, another jig is used.
This step is of importance because each fence post has upper and lower hardware of specific location.
Both sides of every panel section must align with these mounting points. The use of a jig will guarantee any panel will fit any post.
Easily handled lengths of 2"X2" material are drilled to receive the pin portion of the mounting hardware.
As with the vertical fence pieces, each mounting extension must be individually marked and cut
prior to installation. Once a satisfactory fit is achieved, each piece is glued, clamped firmly in position,
and secured with coarse thread wood screws. Solid joints will determine the overall strength of these fence panels when mounted.
Here's a fence panel section mounted between two fence posts.
Any adjustments for grade/elevation are possible through the socket (screw) hardware at each post.
The mounting hardware used with this project allows for varied angles between the
posts and panels. This creates a unique effect, as opposed to perfectly straight lines.
These angles also improve the rigidty of this fence system
A sawhorse-high view of the fence project to date.
A little paint to finish things off ...
Flat latex exterior paint was applied to the fence panel sections.
I cut the paint to 50% paint-water and sprayed it on with an air gun.
At this ratio, a thick application gives nearly complete coverage, while a thin (typical) application
dries to a washed, faded appearance ... just right for this project.
Additional streaks were airbrushed on the fence posts and caps.
While this isn't necessarily "natural" looking, it is the effect I had originally sketched out.
In addition, the spaces between the "stones" were airbrushed black to mimic a dry-stacked look.
The exaggerated features will hopefully stand out in the haunt's lighting. Even though this fence is
designed to blend into the foreground of the display (hence the minimal color palette) I did want to apply some
degree of detail to the posts.
In this photo, the fence panel is freshly painted, hanging between two posts to dry.
You might notice the sizeable gaps between the panel and the post(s).
Easy fix with this system - lift the panel out of the sockets, thread the sockets into the post,
tighten the nut, and reinstall the panel. The gap is adjustable per intersection!
A few photos of the fence in the 2006 Halloween display.
I'm pleased to announce that it worked beautifully. It went together quickly, held strong,
and even earned a couple of compliments.