How many nails in a feather board fence?
Discussion
Bit of a slow start today, my colleague who was intending to give me a hand was off work sick yesterday and didn't fancy it, and my wife is due to have child number 2 in 2 weeks and didn't feel up to being a single parent for the day to our 3 year old so I did nothing until 2pm.
The fence is in 2.7-3.2m bays and I thought if I could at least do one bay it would be a head start on tomorrow efforts when a more reliable mate is coming to help!
So, 3.2m of feather board fencing done.
To be honest it's a bit half arsed bolting the new 6' posts to the existing ones but the 4' ones are 4" square, solid and bolted to concrete posts so I'm in no way inclined to replace the whole lot!
Only one length of capping on so far.
Boards are all nice and straight. I popped into my timber supplier the other day and they recommended nailing through both boards, so that's what I did, although admittedly I probably missed a few so it's probably a mixed bag!
Used 50mm galvanised nails. They went in fine, didn't once regret not screwing or using a nail gun. Tap tap, bang and they're in.
Hopefully get the rest done tomorrow, was a pain trying to level up and nail such long rails on my own but I got it done, should be much easier with 2 of us!
The fence is in 2.7-3.2m bays and I thought if I could at least do one bay it would be a head start on tomorrow efforts when a more reliable mate is coming to help!
So, 3.2m of feather board fencing done.
To be honest it's a bit half arsed bolting the new 6' posts to the existing ones but the 4' ones are 4" square, solid and bolted to concrete posts so I'm in no way inclined to replace the whole lot!
Only one length of capping on so far.
Boards are all nice and straight. I popped into my timber supplier the other day and they recommended nailing through both boards, so that's what I did, although admittedly I probably missed a few so it's probably a mixed bag!
Used 50mm galvanised nails. They went in fine, didn't once regret not screwing or using a nail gun. Tap tap, bang and they're in.
Hopefully get the rest done tomorrow, was a pain trying to level up and nail such long rails on my own but I got it done, should be much easier with 2 of us!
I'll be cutting a piece of board to infill the gap between the panel fence and the featheredge in photo 3. It was always going to be a bit of a mess linking a 3" fence system into one built around 4" posts, but it'll tidy up fine.
Biggest pain today was having to smash out the concrete that was laid 4" deep at the back of the existing fence because it fouled with my gravel board.
Biggest pain today was having to smash out the concrete that was laid 4" deep at the back of the existing fence because it fouled with my gravel board.
Stainless steel screws sound expensive!
I've never seen a fence built by a pro done with screws, normally nail guns, though I imagine they take about the same time to use. Neighbour was surprised I was using nails too.
All about the nails now, 50mm galv ones, didn't split a single board, and only hit my thumb once
I toyed with the idea of screws, but every guide I read mentioned nails.
I've never seen a fence built by a pro done with screws, normally nail guns, though I imagine they take about the same time to use. Neighbour was surprised I was using nails too.
All about the nails now, 50mm galv ones, didn't split a single board, and only hit my thumb once
I toyed with the idea of screws, but every guide I read mentioned nails.
DoubleSix said:
It's academic as you've already cracked on.
Nails are traditional, old school if you like. And cheaper...
Modern approach is screws. Easier to reposition, stronger and will resist the seasonal expansion and contraction that will loosen nails in a year or two.
I have never seen screwed feather edging either and am a little bemused how screws will resist seasonal expansion/contraction any more than a nail. Any more to explain?? Ten years and one creosote treatment and no problem with my 3ft fence. Looks like new.Nails are traditional, old school if you like. And cheaper...
Modern approach is screws. Easier to reposition, stronger and will resist the seasonal expansion and contraction that will loosen nails in a year or two.
Looks good but is a long length for only two posts. Probably why four horizontals are needed and not three. As said before it seems to be a northern thing not morticing the posts or perhaps just loss of traditional expertise.
Good job anyway,
Pip
You're asking me to explain why a screw holds two bits of wood together more securely than a nail?
A 3ft fence is hardly goingto experience any torsional flex fwiw.
Nails have been used for years and will be perfectly adequate. But you must appreciate these were a commercial choice due to cost and speed. Modern screws have come down in cost and modern tools allow them to be fastened in seconds. As someone who has put up many, many fences the simple ability to reposition a screw as required makes them a nicer thing to work with before you get on to the many other benefits.
A 3ft fence is hardly goingto experience any torsional flex fwiw.
Nails have been used for years and will be perfectly adequate. But you must appreciate these were a commercial choice due to cost and speed. Modern screws have come down in cost and modern tools allow them to be fastened in seconds. As someone who has put up many, many fences the simple ability to reposition a screw as required makes them a nicer thing to work with before you get on to the many other benefits.
Edited by DoubleSix on Sunday 1st May 10:54
No, no I am asking how a screw is less prone to expansion and contraction problems than nail. Surely both are metal and so both will resist the same. To my mind, unless you go for a different material - metal then both will expand/contract to similar degrees. Any aluminium screw maybe marginally better but do things like this exist for fencing and opportunity cost would be too high.
I am not trying to goad or cause arguemnet. Only to clarify the statement.
Pip :-)
I am not trying to goad or cause arguemnet. Only to clarify the statement.
Pip :-)
Edited by Pip1968 on Sunday 1st May 11:11
The bay I did yesterday was 3.2m, the 3 I did today we're all 2.7m which is pretty standard I believe.
It's 4 rail as that's what the guy at the timber place recommended for 2.7m bays, 3 rails for 1.8m bays with the top rail to nail the capping to.
I'm in Somerset so I've no northern influence, it's just a choice between Arris rails and Cant rails, I used Cant rails as I'd never guarantee that the mortise joints were the right level and I'd need 4" posts (wouldn't want to take an inch slot out of a 3" post!)
Anyway, it's all done now, bar the 6 boards I need to get because I've done a little more than I planned to do when I bought all the timber. Photos in a bit.
I've no doubt that the nails will be fine, the fence I took down was about 30 years old and the nails in it were fine, plus it's a piece of piss to level old boards off if they're nailed, some of the screws that were in there Just need cutting through which was a pain.
It's 4 rail as that's what the guy at the timber place recommended for 2.7m bays, 3 rails for 1.8m bays with the top rail to nail the capping to.
I'm in Somerset so I've no northern influence, it's just a choice between Arris rails and Cant rails, I used Cant rails as I'd never guarantee that the mortise joints were the right level and I'd need 4" posts (wouldn't want to take an inch slot out of a 3" post!)
Anyway, it's all done now, bar the 6 boards I need to get because I've done a little more than I planned to do when I bought all the timber. Photos in a bit.
I've no doubt that the nails will be fine, the fence I took down was about 30 years old and the nails in it were fine, plus it's a piece of piss to level old boards off if they're nailed, some of the screws that were in there Just need cutting through which was a pain.
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