BUILDING
WITH FENCESCAPE
Drop 4 inches of gravel into the hole, then mix and pour concrete.
Be ready with a garden hose to spray off any spillage.
Next: Post cuts. I stepped
these posts 4 inches above the
top rail on the high side, marked
and cut them with an 8-1/4-inch
worm drive.
Cut the last post to height. An 8
1/4” circ saw like this Skil worm-drive makes quicker work of this
because you can make the cut in
two passes.
STEP 3: MIDDLE RAILS
AND PICKETS
I installed the middle rail off-center— 30 inches above the
bottom rail—for a cool look. The
FenceScape 2-by rails remain
rigid via an internal steel mesh
but they cut easily with standard
circ saw blades. Take note:
They’re crowned—or bent—so
eye-ball them and install the
crown up, like an arch. Store
the rails as flat as possible
before installing.
While the FenceScape manufacturer recommends using
screws, 1/2-inch crown staples,
1-1/2-inch ring shank nails or
screws, I selected screws. I liked
Grip-Rite’s 1-5/8 inch composite
screw which eliminates the
“mushrooming” common with fasteners in composite material, and
it blends with the FenceScape’s
color. It worked for the brackets,
too, with the washer-head set
flat. Undeniably, however, using
staples would save hours.
When installing the pickets, or
“slats,” I gang-cut them all at
once. I typically employ a 2x4
I use a 2-by on the flat as a spacer
to create a weed-whacker gap at the
bottom of the fence. Also, I cut the
first two slats to length and install.
The rest I install wild until the last
two, which are also cut to fit.
spacer under my slats to allow
a 1-1/2-inch weed-whacker gap—
this is something I like as a
homeowner and something my
inspector likes to see, too.
Because the posts are proud
of the rails, you have to install
the first two slats to fit. Then
install the rest wild—until the
