Hey everyone! I’m wanting to make a decorative fence for my yard, and am wanting to look for something “prairie-esc”. I’ll be building it in my yard on my family’s ranch, and the fence will be purely decorative, it won’t be needing to keep anything in or out. I’m also wanting to keep it cheap, ideally free by using what we have available to us already. In this case, I have access to old cedar fence posts, and deadfall pine.
Has anyone made a fence like this before? It looks so simple I almost feel like it’s a waste to even ask for advice, but I would have assumed the fence would have divets cut into the supporting logs, but in another picture, it looks like they don’t have any. Would something like this use long nails to hold it together? Or is this just a poorly designed fence, and I should put divets in the support logs after all? Is there maybe a name for this style of fence?
StunningStreet25
What you’re describing could be a variation of a “split rail” fence, which is common in prairie or rural areas. These fences are typically simple, made from logs or posts laid horizontally between upright posts.
As for construction, some traditional split rail fences don’t use divets or notches in the supporting logs; the horizontal rails just rest in place and are held together by pressure, gravity, or nails. If you want extra stability, especially if you’re dealing with wind or rough conditions, adding divets could help, but it’s not necessary if the wood is thick enough and the fence is just for decoration. Long nails or spikes will work just fine, or you could even use wooden pegs for an extra rustic touch.
If you skip the divets, just make sure the rails fit securely between the posts, and maybe stagger their heights or vary the lengths for a more natural look. There’s not really a specific name for this style other than “split rail,” but the beauty of it is that you can personalize it to fit the vibe you’re going for.
ChoiceForever9399
You’ll need long trees and nails.
Simple-Situation2602
Spikes
notroscoe
Call a local lumber mill and ask for pricing for 4” (or whatever diameter those posts are) green posts by the bunk. (Around here they’re typically cedar and 8’) – use screws on the bottom few (or all) courses, your call.
Alternatively, look for split rail fencing. Ironically, it’s cheaper from the big box stores than mills right now because it’s almost always red cedar from just a few big producers.
sam99871
That’s an interesting design. I can see how it potentially could be stable without nails but if the logs aren’t perfectly shaped it seems like it would be unstable.
Get logs. Cut logs. Stack logs. Perhaps nail/screw/stake logs together
AzHighLander
Get a good chain saw & some help.
hide_in-plain_sight
It’s Lincoln logs!
FOF11
The Farmhand’s Companion on YouTube has lots of videos about building old fashioned fences, not sure if he’s covered that exact style but some similar ones for sure.
10 Comments
Hey everyone! I’m wanting to make a decorative fence for my yard, and am wanting to look for something “prairie-esc”. I’ll be building it in my yard on my family’s ranch, and the fence will be purely decorative, it won’t be needing to keep anything in or out. I’m also wanting to keep it cheap, ideally free by using what we have available to us already. In this case, I have access to old cedar fence posts, and deadfall pine.
Has anyone made a fence like this before? It looks so simple I almost feel like it’s a waste to even ask for advice, but I would have assumed the fence would have divets cut into the supporting logs, but in another picture, it looks like they don’t have any. Would something like this use long nails to hold it together? Or is this just a poorly designed fence, and I should put divets in the support logs after all? Is there maybe a name for this style of fence?
What you’re describing could be a variation of a “split rail” fence, which is common in prairie or rural areas. These fences are typically simple, made from logs or posts laid horizontally between upright posts.
As for construction, some traditional split rail fences don’t use divets or notches in the supporting logs; the horizontal rails just rest in place and are held together by pressure, gravity, or nails. If you want extra stability, especially if you’re dealing with wind or rough conditions, adding divets could help, but it’s not necessary if the wood is thick enough and the fence is just for decoration. Long nails or spikes will work just fine, or you could even use wooden pegs for an extra rustic touch.
If you skip the divets, just make sure the rails fit securely between the posts, and maybe stagger their heights or vary the lengths for a more natural look. There’s not really a specific name for this style other than “split rail,” but the beauty of it is that you can personalize it to fit the vibe you’re going for.
You’ll need long trees and nails.
Spikes
Call a local lumber mill and ask for pricing for 4” (or whatever diameter those posts are) green posts by the bunk. (Around here they’re typically cedar and 8’) – use screws on the bottom few (or all) courses, your call.
Alternatively, look for split rail fencing. Ironically, it’s cheaper from the big box stores than mills right now because it’s almost always red cedar from just a few big producers.
That’s an interesting design. I can see how it potentially could be stable without nails but if the logs aren’t perfectly shaped it seems like it would be unstable.
There’s a colonial-style split rail fence that requires no nails: https://www.instructables.com/Colonial-Style-Split-Rail-Fence/
Get logs. Cut logs. Stack logs. Perhaps nail/screw/stake logs together
Get a good chain saw & some help.
It’s Lincoln logs!
The Farmhand’s Companion on YouTube has lots of videos about building old fashioned fences, not sure if he’s covered that exact style but some similar ones for sure.
https://youtu.be/R_Ft2-AEFwA?feature=shared