Build Zig Zag Split Rail Fence

You erect two posts side by side and no more apart than the width of a split rail.

Build zig zag split rail fence.

In colonial america split rail fences were built by laying logs on top of one another in a zigzag formation like this. 3 stretches in feet a stretch is defined as an individual straight line of fence unbroken by gates or other end posts. Traditional free standing split rail fences usually seen used for agricultural or decorative fencing have a characteristic zig zagging structure. Worm fences also known as virginia fences snake rail fences and zigzag fences were one of the most common colonial log fence because they require only logs without need for special tools or.

Taking the rails you stack them between the posts and build to the height you require. Sam lough owns a company in west virginia that specializes in historic fencing. Use chestnut oak cedar or juniper rails for a fence that can last as long as 100 years. While my neighbors property lines were neatly set off by picket fences and.

My simple ranch style home was in desperate need of discipline. He says acreage owners are adding split rail fencing also known as snake rails for rustic appeal and to add value to the property. A zigzag fence requires more wood than a traditional split rail fence but is easier to create without tools and gives your property a charming look. This was a simple way to build a fence because no digging was required for post holes.

Today s suburban fences are typically created with a different design involving rails that fit through the holes on posts. A split rail fence or log fence also known as a zigzag fence worm fence or snake fence historically due to its meandering layout is a type of fence constructed out of timber logs usually cut lengthwise into rails and typically used for agricultural or decorative fencing. There are two different forms which have a dramatically different appearance. Split rail fences are constructed out of timber logs typically split in half lengthwise to form the rails.

1 how to build a simple split rail fence. Start with a fence bed that s at least 5 feet wide. At the length of a split rail away you put two matching posts. Rails were split from logs with hammers and wedges and then stacked in a zig zag pattern.

Double post fences are easy to build and repair. Simply follow the steps on this page.