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mm mm is offline
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Default Fence Rails: 2 or 3?

On Mon, 11 May 2009 14:18:01 -0700 (PDT), mike
wrote:

I notice the old fences around all have 2 horizontal rails for the
boards to attach to. I've also noticed that new specs often show 3
rails, without comment. I'm thinking that this might be due to the
fence boards being much thinner than they used to be.


Are they much thinner, or are you only thinking that? Serious
quesiton. I can read your sentence either way.

I like to place my rails long side vertical, so I don't get excessive
sagging over time. But I'm thinking that unless I expect the fence to
see hard wind loads or other severe attacks (kicks, etc.), 2 rails
might be enough.

Any thoughts?


What kind of fence? Rail? Picket? etc.?

You plan to use 2x4's for rails? When were rails ever that thick?
Even if they once were, thinner rails are used all over the place and
they are fine.

With a rail fence, three rails will each bear as much load as the two
rails would, and the load on the posts will be 50% higher.

Mook, you don't say what kind of fence you're talking about either,
but if two rails warp, so will three.

I have a picket fence, and plenty of the rails are 30 years old. They
look just like they did 26 year, but a bit greyer. Most are 8 feet
long. They are shaped like a parenthesis on one side and straight on
the other. They sell new, treated ones at Home Depot that are close
enough that even I don't notice that they don't match. The new ones
are treated.