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A bespoke front fence featuring over 600 hardwood battens and a concealed gate.
The project
Once the house renovations were complete, the next job was the outside starting with the front.
First we ripped up the old driveway brick pavers and replaced it with a new design that included front-to-back pathways in exposed aggregate.
Next we needed a front fence so that landscaping could then begin. We debated on a design with an electric sliding gate over the driveway, but decided with a garage door to open as well each time it was going to be too much effort. So the new fence needed a return down the drive with a gate to enter the front off the property.
I had seen designs where the gate wasn't a feature which I really liked, so I had a go at coming up with my own design which, required a concealed plating latch.
Steps
Step 1
First job was to mark out the ground using an open reel tape measure and marker paint. Then I used star pickets and string lines to set out the straight lines at low and top heights.
I then begun digging deep post holes 900mm by 14mm.
Step 2
Once allowed to set in concrete for 24hrs, I ran string lines for each rail and marked them. Then using a circular saw, multitool and chisel each point was checked out 90xmm x 45mm. The trickier ones were the two angled return posts.
Step 3
The 90mm x 45mm rails were screwed (not nailed) into position, as were the sleeper base boards.
While waiting on the first order of pickets I started laying out the steel edging for the garden and lawn edge.
Step 4
I then started to order the 38mm x 38mm rough saw battens to be used as the pickets. I treated myself to a spray gun and applied a slightly watered down high quality clear decking oil.
I only had space against the fence 220 battens at a time which I rested against the neighbouring fence I had lined with black plastic. Then sprayed the decking oil to all four sides three times.
The battens were then temporary fixed in to place with gal brads, then screws to permanently secure them.
This was all repeated with two more lots of 220 battens.
Step 5
Unfortunately I didn't like the treated pine rails against the Cyprus so I ended up painting them which would have been a lot easier prior to fixing the battens.
I then positioned steel edging along the front for a shallow garden. This design changed slightly after the native bottle brush on the nature strip was destroyed.
Step 6
I don't have any progress photos of the gate, but essentially I wanted to achieve a concealed gate design using a different approach as to how to unlatch the gate and automatically latch it again.
I used a floating self adjusting Gaiter gate latch mechanism and then practiced with coat hanger wire to get the right length and angle of the pul/release handle before making a permanent one from stainless steel.
I glued washers either side of the pull handle which not only looked neater but helps to guide the rod at the right angle.
Step 7
I love garden lighting, so I installed a couple of high surface mounted steps lights, one at the gate, front corner post and eventual letterbox side. The cables were semi-concealed in a channel made by a trim router.
How to open the gate wasn't so obvious to delivery drivers, so I needed to add a small sign of instruction so parcels weren't being left in the weather.
Step 8
Once the main fence was finished I moved on to the left side of the driveway which incorporated the letterbox and then a return one at the front side of the house with a nook for the bins.
Step 9
Finished the final planting and mulching and added a drip watering system.
Tools and materials
Materials used in the project:
- Cyprus Pine posts 100mm x 100mm
- Treated Pine 90mm x 45mm
- Rapid set concrete
- Batten screws
- Rough sawn hardwood 38mm x 38mm (540 for the front fence and an additional 120 for the two side of h...
- Gal brads 60mm
- Outdoor screws 60mm
- Treated Pine sleepers 50mm x 200mm x 2400mm
- Decking oil
- Fortress gate frame system
- Gaiter gate latch.
Tools used in the project:
More inspiration for your fence project
Workshop member Tim created a garden bed front fence that helped build connections with his neighbours.
Community member Hazel built a new front fence with treated Pine pickets and plastic screen mountings.
Get more inspiration from our Top 10 most popular fence projects shared by Bunnings Workshop community members.
