How are split rail fences made?

This age old technique of building fences is started by cutting trees into logs of between 10 and 12 feet long. They are then split down the middle lengthwise again and again until the planks are of size suitable to make the fence rails. Splitting the log in this fashion can create over a dozen rails from each cut section of tree. The building of the fence then ensues by hammering double fence posts into the ground, then intermittently stacking the aforementioned rails between the posts.

This method of of fence building can produce straight fences with double posts, or the familiar zig zag fences with no posts at all. Each style fence is easy to set up and take down again.

How to design a split rail fence.

If you would like to design a split rail fence for your property, you'll find that there are three main styles of split rail fences.

The oldest design is made by simply laying down the fencing in a zig zag pattern without posts. The second method involves laying down the split beam intermittently as with the first, but uses double posts with beams being laid between them. This method allows for straight fences to be constructed with the split beam method, yet still requires minimal work to set up. The third and probably most popular today is the free standing mortise method. This consists of beams with tapered ends that are inserted into holes in the posts.

What is a split rail fence traditionally made of?

In North America as the west was being settled, most of the frontier towns had to put up miles of fences to protect their livestock and herds.

With limited resources, most land owners simply build their split rail fences from whatever timber source was readily available in their area (though they typically favored soft-wood). When ranchers had their choice of timber, they typically chose American Chestnut for it's superior rot resistant qualities.

After disease wiped out the American Chestnut, other rot resistant species were often used such as cedar. Today, many split rail fences are made from pressure treated woods, as well as synthetic wood fiber composites.

What does a split rail fence cost?

Calculating the cost of a split rail fence is quite easy if you have a clear understanding of what the components are going to cost.

Any of these fences can be split up into section, each of which comprising of 1 post (if using the post method), and the rails necessary to create one section between posts (anywhere between 3 and 12). Once your fence is designed, and you know the components necessary to make each section, you'll divide the total fence perimeter by length of the sections you'll be using to build it. This will give you the total number of sections you'll need to construct to complete your new fence. Then, all you'll need to do is multiply the number of sections by the cost per section.

How are split rail fences made?

How to design a split rail fence.

What is a split rail fence traditionally made of?

What does a split rail fence cost?

Split Rail Fence