Flash wrote:
or is it an error?

the previous owner built kind of a ragtag fence around the front yard.
it's about 260 ft. of fence.

the fence is built with 4x4 posts set into concrete, probably done in
the early 1970's. the rails are 2x4" (double). the fence pickets are
3' tall, 1/4" x 1" W. very thin--most are broken or missing. some of
the rails are mounted flat, some vertical--not sure why. many of the
flatted rails have bowed terribly and come loose from the posts (no
brackets, all simple nailed).

questions:

my plan is to replace the loose posts (about 3 out of 30 are slightly
loose) then add new fence rails where they have bowed, hang all fence
rails vertically, use brackets on the ends (rather than just nails),
and use 7-1/2"x3/4"x3' cedar pickets as fill, with some space
inbetween.
the 4x4x4ft. posts have 32" above ground and are spaced at 10'. from
what i have read, most people space at 8' or less.

comments? my biggest concern is whether or not i should respace the
posts down to 8 ft.

am in california desert in very stable, dry clay soil.

You're going to put a seven-and-a-half foot picket on a 2-3/4 foot post
system? Five foot of freeboard?

I suspect, in addition to the top looking wavy, the first little blow is
going to put so much torque on the fence that it's going to capsize with the
loss of all souls aboard.