6 & 2 Proud Fence

This was a much needed backyard fence. The old fence was rotting from the bottom of the posts on up and the wood was neglected for decades, which left a gray and mossy green residue. The owners and I worked out a tall, sturdy, clean design that is inspired by the simplicity and elegance of the craftsman style.

The name of this fence probably needs some explanation. The "6" and "2" refers to the 1 x 6 and narrower 1 x 2 slats that alternate each other. The "Proud" refers to how the 4 x 6 posts stick out from the plane of the slats by 3 /4" to help give the fence more depth and stature.


It is comprised entirely of cedar. Thanks to the quality lumber supplied by Dwayne at Custom Cedar Products the boards were straight, mostly free of knots and beautifully sanded (S4S). To give the fence extra strength, we opted for 4 x 6 posts and used (3) 6 x 6 corner posts to help provide a beefy foundation for a future play structure in the corner.



To avoid the previous fence's moisture problems, the bottom of the posts were soaked in a wood preservative and then covered with an asphalt shingle to prevent water from "wicking" up the end grain.


Upon digging the post holes, we found out there had been two previous generations of fences along that same perimeter. Lots of old concrete was removed from their former resting place and the dirt back filled.



The fence was built with symmetry in mind but also to maximize on strength. We used stainless steel ring-shank siding nails to keep the board slats in place. This proved a challenge for my nailing jig and a few adaptations had to be made to ensure a consistent nailing pattern. Additional fasteners included special decking screws and outdoor rated construction adhesive.



The top cap of the fence consists of long stretches of 2x6 cedar with a beveled edge. This cap acts as an umbrella for the vertical fence detail below. There is also a small "drip rail" located on the underside of the 2 x 6 cap that prevents any moisture from sliding to the middle of the fence. Aside from the (3) taller 6 x 6 corner posts, the top cap runs continuously across the "L" shaped perimeter. This adds strength to the fence where it is needed most. Once the tops are screwed in and glued down, the rigidity is obvious. The neighborhood squirrels also seem to appreciate this design and use it as a sort of freeway.




The owners opted for a clear finish that helps bring out the orange colors in the wood. Were the finish not applied, the fence would fade to a natural slate-gray color--which looks nice in its own way. Since the entire fence is comprised of cedar, this look would be handsome. When your fence is built with a mixed array of wood (like pressure-treated posts) the aging process ends up looking odd after a season. The cedar is gray while the pressure-treated wood remains orange.


There are many wood stain products available and some even boast very low V.O.C.'s and more environmentally friendly chemical makeups. I would advise spending a little more at the end of the project to help keep the UV light and water from prolonging the life of a fence.