Fences That Stand Straight

What this book is

A project-based workbook for someone who has never set a post. Each chapter adds one number to a real fence: how many posts, where they go, how deep and how much concrete, which kind of fence, how wide the gaps, what the slope does, what the wind does, how to keep the gate square, and how much stain. The last chapter puts all nine together into a two-weekend plan, a shopping list and a ledger.

What you build: one fence line along a side boundary on ground that falls gently, with a walk gate at the house end, built one of two ways. Route A is a picket fence 1.25 m (about 4 ft 1 in) tall; Route B is a privacy fence 1.83 m (6 ft) tall, with deeper posts, more concrete and a wind check. Both share the same gate, braced from the bottom hinge corner to the top latch corner.

Who it is for: homeowners, and renters with permission, who want to build a fence and gate themselves, check an installer's quote, or choose between wood, vinyl, metal, wire, bamboo and a hedge with real numbers. Who it is not for: pool barriers, retaining fences, livestock or electric fencing, anything over 1.8 m (6 ft), and professionals. Metric first, imperial beside it; every price illustrative and dated.

The book was written in collaboration with AI tools and reviewed by the author. Its numbers are checked by a verification program, and its figures are drawn by the same program, but mistakes may remain: see corrections & errata.