After the pickets were installed, The Mister and I began installing the final boards on the street facing side of the fence. We planned to attach a 1x4 bottom fascia, 1x4 top fascia, and 2x4 top cap. Our plans were thwarted when we placed the 2x4 on top of the panel. Something just didn't seem quite right. We went back to our
original inspiration photo to compare. They used a 2x4 for the top cap, what did we do wrong?
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| 1x4 Bottom fascia board installed |
After closer inspection of similar inspiration photos, we realized that they constructed their fence by attaching the rails to the backs of the 4x4. We used
fence rail hangers to attach the rails to the sides of the 4x4 posts. This realization began a debate in our household as to whether or not we could have built the fence slightly cheaper by eliminating the fence rail hangers.
(Are we the only ones who do that? In the middle of the project, do you get a conflicting moment that makes you ask, why didn't I think of that earlier?) In the end, we decided that we were not removing 42 posts and over 650 pickets, so we needed to work with what we had. That said, The Mister likes how the interior of the fence looks better than the inspiration photos.
Which brings us back to the 2x4 top cap. Because we did not factor in the depth of the rails, pickets, and fascia board, the 2x4 top cap when installed, was flush with the front and back of the panel. We debated using the 2x4 top cap, but came to the consensus that a bigger top cap would allow for an overhang on the front and back sides and (to us) looked more appealing. So we pushed the 2x4s to the side and ordered 2x6s for the top cap. We knew that the 2x4s would be used on a future project so we did not feel quite as bad about setting those to the side.
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| A view of the angled corner panel from the exterior. Top and bottom fascia boards are installed as well as the 2x6 top cap. |
After about three weeks of installing fascia boards and top caps before work and on weekends, dressing up the fence was complete.
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| A view of the angled corner panel from the interior |
This was our first fence project and The Mister feels that if we had to do it over, we would probably space the 4x4 posts closer together rather than eight feet apart to decrease gaps. Also as a cost saving measure, we might have attached the rails to the back of the posts. It would have meant that we would eliminate the cost of the fence brackets and the extra cost of purchasing 2x6 top caps, but would have made the back of the panel look quite different. So tell me, do you ever get to the middle (or the end) of a project and think of ways you could have done it differently?
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