The Fence Project

When Mark Clement's friends asked him to build a fence around their backyard, their reasons were clear: the family dog needed a safe environment to play, and the existing chain link fence had definitely seen better days. The icing on the cake: a nice fence would better position the house to be sold down the road, and it would also conceal garden equipment belonging to their neighbor.

"The homeowners were looking for a nice, natural visual break between the yards, not a barrier," says Clement.

Clement considered various fencing options and settled on pressure-treated Southern Pine to construct the fence. "The reasons for choosing Southern Pine were a snap: there's no fuss/no muss, it's perfect for the ground contact needed for posts and slats, it looks great, it's affordable and it had great longevity."

Facing numerous site challenges — including the fact that one yard was literally 18 inches higher than the other and the ground had worn into a 12-inch deep trough around the chain link fence — Clement knew the ground contact adaptability was a paramount issue. Once the pressure-treated wood was on site, he used a production-style fence-building method to help conserve dollars for both the homeowner and himself. The result? An attractive, easily built fence that looks great.

As part of a landscaping overhaul, Clement brought in fill and topsoil to level out the yard. He recommends planting grass seeds around the post-hole locations for a clean, finished look.

"At the end of the day, this fence is really an ideal, affordable upgrade for the homeowners," said Clement. "The pressure-treated wood is clean, trim and very utilitarian."

Mark Clement is a remodeler in Philadelphia, PA and author of The Carpenter's Notebook, A Novel www.FormalFarmHouse.com.