Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

Due to odd terrain, I have several 4x4 posts spaced at 96" and some spaced as
small as 54".

I'm using 1x6 (5/8" x 5-3/4") treated pickets and want to space them about 3",
maybe 4" apart.

In the past I've just eyeballed the spacing and made a few adjustments. This
time I'd like to layout some centerlines for the pickets based upon the 4x4
spacing that varies.

Thanks!

In article , SamTheBobber wrote:
Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

No math formula; it's even simpler than that: standard spacing between pickets
is one picket width. Just use a picket as a spacer.

On May 17, 12:34�pm, SamTheBobber wrote:
Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

Due to odd terrain, I have several 4x4 posts spaced at 96" and some spaced as
small as 54".

I'm using 1x6 �(5/8" x 5-3/4") treated pickets and want to space them about 3",
maybe 4" apart.

In the past I've just eyeballed the spacing and made a few adjustments. This
time I'd like to layout some centerlines for the pickets based upon the 4x4
spacing that varies.

Thanks!

It seems to me that if your posts are different distances apart,
nothing will come out even anyway. So, I would take the length of the
whole run of fence and divide it up to space the pickets evenly.
You'll be able to see the posts in some cases, not in others. By
painting/staining the posts in a contrasting color to the pickets, the
pickets will stand out and look evenly spaced. Or, hope you get lucky.

But, do what you have to. :-)

Hank

On May 17, 12:34*pm, SamTheBobber wrote:
Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

Due to odd terrain, I have several 4x4 posts spaced at 96" and some spaced as
small as 54".

I'm using 1x6 *(5/8" x 5-3/4") treated pickets and want to space them about 3",
maybe 4" apart.

In the past I've just eyeballed the spacing and made a few adjustments. This
time I'd like to layout some centerlines for the pickets based upon the 4x4
spacing that varies.

Thanks!

http://www.virginiarailingandgates.c...icketspace.asp

R

On May 17, 12:34�pm, SamTheBobber wrote:
Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

Due to odd terrain, I have several 4x4 posts spaced at 96" and some spaced as
small as 54".

I'm using 1x6 �(5/8" x 5-3/4") treated pickets and want to space them about 3",
maybe 4" apart.

In the past I've just eyeballed the spacing and made a few adjustments. This
time I'd like to layout some centerlines for the pickets based upon the 4x4
spacing that varies.

Thanks!

One more thing: I believe you would want them no farther apart than
the code for a porch railing, because kids can get their head caught
between them. I am not sure what the code calls for, probably 4
inches.

Hank

In article ,
says...

One more thing: I believe you would want them no farther apart than
the code for a porch railing, because kids can get their head caught
between them. I am not sure what the code calls for, probably 4
inches.


A sphere 4" in diameter shall not pass through.

--
Dennis

On May 17, 8:13*pm, DT wrote:

A sphere 4" in diameter shall not pass through.

The 11th Commandmant?

R

In article
,
RicodJour wrote:

On May 17, 8:13*pm, DT wrote:

A sphere 4" in diameter shall not pass through.

The 11th Commandmant?

R

Softball containment.

In article ,
(Doug Miller) wrote:

In article , SamTheBobber
wrote:
Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

No math formula; it's even simpler than that: standard spacing between
pickets
is one picket width. Just use a picket as a spacer.

Yeah but a 1 x 6 isn't a picket in my book. I think a fence built that
way would look goofy. 1 x 6s are used for privacy fences, with 1/4" gaps
for warp/swelling.

On Mon, 18 May 2009 20:42:19 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article ,
(Doug Miller) wrote:

In article , SamTheBobber
wrote:
Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

No math formula; it's even simpler than that: standard spacing between
pickets
is one picket width. Just use a picket as a spacer.

Yeah but a 1 x 6 isn't a picket in my book. I think a fence built that
way would look goofy. 1 x 6s are used for privacy fences, with 1/4" gaps
for warp/swelling.

I'm with you. My 1x6 'pickets' are spaced 3/4"- somewhat for scale,
but also because I had a 3/4" spacer in my hand already. [it also
allows a foam brush in for painting]

I would never space the slats more than 2 3/8" which is what the PTB
determine is the width that keeps a baby's head from getting caught.

Jim

On May 19, 7:03*am, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
On Mon, 18 May 2009 20:42:19 -0700, Smitty Two



wrote:
In article ,
(Doug Miller) wrote:

In article , SamTheBobber
wrote:
Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

No math formula; it's even simpler than that: standard spacing between
pickets
is one picket width. Just use a picket as a spacer.

Yeah but a 1 x 6 isn't a picket in my book. I think a fence built that
way would look goofy. 1 x 6s are used for privacy fences, with 1/4" gaps
for warp/swelling.

I'm with you. *My 1x6 'pickets' are spaced 3/4"- somewhat for scale,
but also because I had a 3/4" spacer in my hand already. [it also
allows a foam brush in for painting]

I would never space the slats more than 2 3/8" which is what the PTB
determine is the width that keeps a baby's head from getting caught.

Well, that's just silly. Women giving birth to premature babies
should not have their crotches pressed up against a fence while giving
birth. That's just common sense.

R

On Mon, 18 May 2009 20:42:19 -0700, Smitty Two wrote:

Yeah but a 1 x 6 isn't a picket in my book. I think a fence built that
way would look goofy. 1 x 6s are used for privacy fences, with 1/4" gaps
for warp/swelling.


I've built 3 over the years using 1x6 slats. They all still look fine. Two were
board on board and one a shadowbox design. The 1x6's go up faster and I set the
spacing between 2 and 3 inches. The gap can make a considerable difference
during high force, straight line winds. More wind loading means more fence in
the trees.

Here in Washington state i don't gap my fences at all...they tend to shrink up here vs. swell.

wrote:
Here in Washington state i don't gap my fences
at all...they tend to shrink up here vs. swell.

in many places there is code which requires
them to be gapped small enough that a child
cannot get their head through them and get
stuck.

if you have other small animals around to
be concerned with keeping in or out then it
also makes sense to size the gap for them.


songbird

On Fri, 21 Nov 2014 16:08:51 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Here in Washington state i don't gap my fences at all...they tend to shrink up here vs. swell.

They shrink everywhere. I thought, if one was building a stockade
picket fence, he was supposed to use aged pickets that have already
shrunk as much as they are going to.

If not, they shrink later and people can easily look through the cracks
they make between each other.

On Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 12:34:30 PM UTC-4, SamTheBobber wrote:
Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

Due to odd terrain, I have several 4x4 posts spaced at 96" and some spaced as
small as 54".

I'm using 1x6 (5/8" x 5-3/4") treated pickets and want to space them about 3",
maybe 4" apart.

In the past I've just eyeballed the spacing and made a few adjustments. This
time I'd like to layout some centerlines for the pickets based upon the 4x4
spacing that varies.

Thanks!

On the smooth side with no post showing install a picket on each post. Measure the distance from picket on post to picket on post. Multiply the number on pickets times the picket width. Subtract the total picket width from the picket to picket distance. Divide this by the total plus one more picket and you have the exact distance between each picket. Example 43 inches and a 5.75 picket width. Five pickets times 5.75 equals 28.75. So 43 minus 28.75 equals 14.25. 14.25 divided by 6 equals 2.375 which is two and three eights of an inch. You can use an online decimal to fraction converter and visa versa..On the side of the fence with the post showing just make sure you install the pickets in the middle of the pickets that where installed on the other side. This formula worked perfect for me building my fence piece by piece. I looked online for a formula and could not find one so I figured this one out by myself. Hope it helps you!

wrote:
On Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 12:34:30 PM UTC-4, SamTheBobber wrote:
Help!

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.

Due to odd terrain, I have several 4x4 posts spaced at 96" and some spaced as
small as 54".

I'm using 1x6 (5/8" x 5-3/4") treated pickets and want to space them about 3",
maybe 4" apart.

In the past I've just eyeballed the spacing and made a few adjustments. This
time I'd like to layout some centerlines for the pickets based upon the 4x4
spacing that varies.

Thanks!

On the smooth side with no post showing install a picket on each post. Measure the distance from picket on post to picket on post. Multiply the number on pickets times the picket width. Subtract the total picket width from the picket to picket distance. Divide this by the total plus one more picket and you have the exact distance between each picket. Example 43 inches and a 5.75 picket width. Five pickets times 5.75 equals 28.75. So 43 minus 28.75 equals 14.25. 14.25 divided by 6 equals 2.375 which is two and three eights of an inch. You can use an online decimal to fraction converter and visa versa..On the side of the fence with the post showing just make sure you install the pickets in the middle of the pickets that where installed on the other side. This formula worked perfect for me building my fence piece by piece. I looked online for a formula and could not find one so I figured this one out by myself. Hope it helps you!

I just made a spacer template cutting strip out of the picket board.
Start from center line between posts. Near the posts trim the board to
finish. Repeat.

There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.


Most people just use a picket to make the space. In other words the
space is the same size as the pickets. If you want a bigger space, just
use a wider board as a spacer. It's best to start at a gate so you dont
end up with half a picket at the gate. On a corner you may have to
adjust spacing or rip one to fit. It's not all that critical. You could
even custom make a corner picket if the spacing is off, just make that
one a little bigger or smaller. Once it's done, no one will really
notice.

On Sat, 14 Nov 2015 14:30:33 -0600, wrote:


There has got to be a simple math formula for laying out pickets on a wood
fence.


Most people just use a picket to make the space. In other words the
space is the same size as the pickets. If you want a bigger space, just
use a wider board as a spacer. It's best to start at a gate so you dont
end up with half a picket at the gate. On a corner you may have to
adjust spacing or rip one to fit. It's not all that critical. You could
even custom make a corner picket if the spacing is off, just make that
one a little bigger or smaller. Once it's done, no one will really
notice.

That's true. I have iirc 300 feet of picket fence, 36 years old, so
many of the pickets and some of the rails have had to be replaced.
(mostly the ones that don't get much sunlight).

Replacement is different from new construction. I can see from the
shadow on the rail where the old picket was. Even if I replace a
rail, I never need to replace the top and bottom rails at the same
time. But still, to make it easy to position the new picket, say
when the picket on either side is still there, I take as many as 4
pickets, two broken pickets and lean them on the lower rail on either
side of where the new picket goes. And two new pickets, which I lay
on the top rail on either side of the space. Usually this clearly
defines where the new picket goes.

If I wanted closer spacing, I'd make up four pieces of wood, two short
and two long.

Plus I lay a fifth picket over the tops of the nearby ones to show how
high the new picket should be. They have a flat spot on top so
that's not hard.

The original fence company put pickets at each end of each rail,
making two pickets at every post, and it looks good. Where there is a
corner, there are usually 3 pickets side-by-side wrapped around the
post.

On Sat, 14 Nov 2015 21:42:37 -0500, Micky
wrote:


That's true. I have iirc 300 feet of picket fence, 36 years old, so
many of the pickets and some of the rails have had to be replaced.
(mostly the ones that don't get much sunlight).

You could make your own pickets and make them the same size, but that's
more work!

On Sun, 15 Nov 2015 16:31:55 -0600, wrote:

On Sat, 14 Nov 2015 21:42:37 -0500, Micky
wrote:


That's true. I have iirc 300 feet of picket fence, 36 years old, so
many of the pickets and some of the rails have had to be replaced.
(mostly the ones that don't get much sunlight).

You could make your own pickets and make them the same size, but that's
more work!

I may have to make my own pickets. Styles have changed and I can no
longer buy rails or pickets from the original fence company. This
past summer, I made my own rails by buying 10' posts and taking them
to a sawyer who split them down the middle for me.

I have about 100 used pickets, but some day they will run out. They
are called peeled pickets, flat on one side and round on the other,
like a parenthesis. If you take a tree about 4.5" in diameter, you
can mill out of it a square about 3x3. The pieces left over, just
outside the square, are what I need for pickets. Do you think I can
find some treees that diameter? Or a sawyer who already has some. A
10 foot piece is 120 inches, which is 3 x 40", the length I need for
most of my pickets, so a 10' piece would yield 12 pickets.