Options for a fence made of rounded logs. Everything you need to know about a log fence. A picket fence - an ancient fence in modern landscape designs

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For a long time, the stockade was the hallmark of small Russian cities and border guard fortresses. The protective barrier was sufficient to avoid being taken by surprise and to repel the fleeting brutal onslaught of the quarrelsome steppe inhabitants. The site of future large settlements was fenced off with a palisade. Mighty logs, pointed at the top, testified to the unwavering determination of the population to defend their new small homeland and at the same time marked the central part of the city being founded.

Types of wooden fencing

The genetic memory of the descendants of the peoples who inhabited Ancient Rus' retained memories of a palisade, a fence made of vertically placed logs, as a powerful and reliable protection from external attacks. In addition, a country house surrounded by an ancient fence acquires a special charm.

There are several options for making such a fence. Each of them differs in the material used and the amount of financial investment required. The fence can be an exact prototype of a fortress palisade (another name for a wooden fence) or represent its “budget” version.

To build a palisade according to all the rules of ancient fortification art, you will have to pay a large sum of money. We must immediately discard fantasies about the gifts of the forest in the form of fallen trees. In order to collect the required amount of logs, you will either have to spend most of your life searching for material, or live in a wooded area where hurricanes and falling trees are common. In some cases, the design of a fence made of stakes does not lose its relevance and deserves consideration. We'll talk about how to make a wicker fence with your own hands below. For now, let's focus on the main option.

The construction of a monumental structure requires not only creativity, but also purely economic approach with elements of technical and estimate calculations.

The traditional version of a stockade involves constructing fence lines made of logs dug or driven into the ground, tightly adjacent to each other. This method has a number of advantages:

• absence of technical difficulties in the execution of work;
• minimal need for additional consumables;
• installation speed.

The main disadvantage is the fragility of such a structure. All the tricks associated with organizing a sand bed, firing and treating the part of the log immersed in the ground with a septic tank, if they extend the service life of the wooden structure, then only slightly. And for those who hope that the palisade will protect and decorate their estate for many years, this option is unacceptable.

Temporary performance characteristics will grow significantly if you prepare the foundation for the fence.

This design of a palisade fence, when using high-quality basic and consumable materials, is guaranteed will serve the owner for two to three decades.

Materials and tools

To build a real palisade you should prepare:

• the required amount of “round timber” of a given diameter (optimally from 10 to 15 cm) and length;
• metal rods (dowels), which can be made independently from reinforcing bars, with a cross-section of 12 mm, a length of 20-25 cm, depending on the standard diameter of the log;
• construction staples;
• pipes-glasses.

Such a structure is a monolith, which eliminates the need for additional timber lintels and preserves the aesthetic value of the structure.

It is possible to do the cutting of the top part of the log with your own hands. The only tool you will need is well sharpened ax. The reinforcement is cut using a grinder equipped with a cutting disc. The diameter of the drill for the through holes should be a couple of millimeters smaller than the cross-section of the dowels, which will ensure good holding tightness of the joints. To enhance the tightening effect, the staples are slightly bent along an internal arc.

For those who find this fencing option too expensive, we can offer some alternative to a palisade, which actually does not require financial investment.

To organize an enclosing structure of this type, solid tree trunks are not required. And it’s a stretch to call a wicker fence a palisade in the usual sense of the word. fence stake, can be made from any pole. Most often, medium tree branches are used for this, preferably hardwood. For most regions of Russia, blanks made from pine or birch are relevant.

The material for knitting wattle fabric is also prepared independently in any possible places. In the floodplains of rivers there are usually many thickets of bushes and trees of the willow family. Thin and flexible willow branches– an excellent material for a wicker fence. In the forest you can find thickets of willow or hazel. The main requirement is that the branches be “living”, filled with juice. This will help avoid creases during working bending of the vine.

Execution options

There are several options for wicker fences. They differ in the way they are weaved:

• horizontal;
• vertical.

and for structural integrity:

• with a single frame;
• assembled from individual segments.

Horizontal weaving reproduces traditional village life with a simple way of life, but dear to the heart with its simplicity and good nature. The stakes driven into the ground, pointed at the bottom, are located 50 cm from each other. Weaving begins from the bottom row, wrapping a snake around the possible number of vertical frame elements. Each subsequent row is started from the opposite side, forming, superimposed on the previous one, an infinity sign, or, more simply, the number “8”. The protruding “tails” of the branches are cut off with pruning shears.

Often practiced modular wattle forms. One and a half meter segments are manufactured separately and subsequently installed at the location of the fence.

Wicker fences, where the elements of the fabric are arranged vertically, are more reminiscent of a guard fence in their menacing appearance than a village tyn. To carry out this design, the post-supporting stakes are driven in much less frequently - after about two meters, but they have much larger dimensions and are connected to each other by three jumpers. The branches for weaving this type of fence are taken from three to five centimeters thick. Each subsequent row starts and exits from the side opposite to the previous one. As a result, the top of the fence is crowned with V-shaped wooden bristles, which alone discourage uninvited guests from entering the fenced area.

Today you can rarely see palisade fences, dachas or private houses. More and more transparent structures are being built more and more often, and the log palisade is undeservedly forgotten. But the advantages of such a fence force us to return to this and remind summer residents about it.

Classic palisade fence made of hewn and pointed logs

It consists made of logs pointed at the top, which are located close to each other. Such a fence is not always appropriate. If it is in the old Russian tradition, then such a fence will fit well.

It’s easy to make a palisade at the dacha with your own hands, the main thing is to be patient.


Fallen trees can be used for construction. You only need to buy fasteners, so the fence will cost almost free.

The stockade has undeniable advantages that force designers and builders to pay attention to it:

It’s easy to build a picket fence with your own hands. You will need wooden logs with a diameter of 10–15 cm. It is difficult to imagine a more reliable and impenetrable fence.

However, there are also disadvantages:

The palisade has more advantages than disadvantages. Therefore, it is worth considering the option of building this type of fencing.

Existing options for the shape and design of wooden fence spans

Features of a stockade

There is no need to talk about reliability, everything is obvious. Nowadays they are not installed, so the optimal height is considered to be two meters. A fence made of rounded logs of such a height will not be easy for intruders to overcome, especially taking into account that the stakes are sharpened at the top.

If you do not use the site for agricultural purposes, such a fence will be an excellent barrier from prying eyes.

Materials for building a palisade

All materials required for a palisade fence are divided into two groups: main and auxiliary.

The main ones include: logs, slabs and boards, and the auxiliary ones include nails. There is no need to skimp on buying nails. It is best to choose galvanized stainless steel nails.

The simple design of a slab fence is perfect for a garden plot

You can prepare the logs yourself. To do this, you just need to get out into the forest and cut down dry trees with a trunk of the same diameter. However, it is difficult to find material of the same size in the forest, so it is better to buy it.

Before installation, you need to choose the type of fence. There are two types. The first assumes that the pillars will be buried a third into the ground.

In the second option, the pillars are installed on a pre-prepared foundation. The choice of log length will depend on the design of the fence. Typically, a palisade is made of coniferous trees.

The material samples must be the same size, length and diameter. To calculate the number of posts needed, you need to divide the length of the fence by the diameter of the stakes.

The optimal diameter of the pillars is 150 millimeters. Larger pillars do not look as aesthetically pleasing, and smaller ones are less reliable.

Remember that a third of the pillars will be in the ground. Therefore, if a fence 1.6 meters long is needed, then the stakes should be 2.4 meters long.

Drawing with dimensions for installing fence posts

How to determine the size of a picket fence

When determining the size, the following points must be considered:

Option for connecting palisade logs

Typically, a palisade is made from logs pointed at the top. You will have to make these points yourself (at an angle of 30-40 degrees).

Pre-treatment of logs

Before installation, protective treatment is carried out. That part of the palisade that will go deep into the ground should be lubricated with a moisture-proofing material, for example, bitumen.

At the preliminary stage of installation, excavation work is carried out - excavation of soil under the trench. The bottom of the recess should be lined with a layer of gravel. This will help the water not to stagnate near the base of the fence, but to go deeper into the ground.
Logs require primary processing, which will extend the life of the fence. Processing is carried out in several stages.

At the first stage, the stakes are treated with solutions that protect against insects.

An example of a processed and painted palisade-type fence with a gate finished with forged elements

At the second stage, the logs are charred. The lower part, which is dug into the ground, is exposed to moisture. As a result, it rots, which leads to the destruction of the fence.

To eliminate this, it is necessary to char the lower end of the log over a small flame. A part of the log is charred, which is buried in the ground and about 20 cm above the ground surface.

The third stage is tarring the lower end of the log. Treatment with drying oil or bitumen is necessary if you have not charred the stakes.

Construction of a stockade

The logs are placed in a trench several at a time and carefully compacted with earth. To make compaction easier, you can moisten the soil with water. When all the stakes are installed in their places, the structure is finished with varnish. This will make the palisade more beautiful, as well as more resistant to humidity and precipitation.

If you decide to build a palisade on a foundation, then rotting of the pillars located in the ground is excluded. However, the appearance of such a fence loses its originality.

Existing options for installing poles in the ground

During construction, use the following recommendations:

Various options for installing support posts for a palisade

• • For a fence without a foundation, a ditch is dug. Its depth should be at least 50 cm. Crushed stone is laid at the bottom in a layer of 15–30 cm, on which the logs are installed tightly without gaps. The base is covered with earth and compacted intensively.

An example of installing a wooden fence without a foundation

Selection and installation of fences made of rounded solid logs

A wooden fence is a typical type of fencing for Eastern European spaces. Anyone interested in history knows that many architectural monuments from the Middle Ages have not survived to our times, because they were built of wood. Naturally, today the structure made of logs has lost most of the practical meanings that it had at that time, but even today it represents the optimal option for a fence. It is not so easy to compete in aestheticism with wood products.

One of the most popular and famous is the log fence. In suburban construction it is becoming more common. As a rule, such fences are distinguished by the presence of decor in the “ethnic” style or a unique design, which is designated as “rustic style”. But in addition to aesthetic parameters, they are also reliable protection from unwanted glances and, in general, from ill-wishers. The advantage is that the fence can be built within a few days, and if everything is done according to certain rules (which we will discuss below), then such a fence will serve for dozens of years, losing little of its attractiveness.

Selection and preparation of material

The construction of a fence involves simple steps, the first of which will be decisive for its quality. We are talking about the procurement of materials. We will need rounded wooden logs, approximately the same in diameter of their trunk. Wooden fences are now rarely built massively, because the diameter of the workpieces should be approximately 10-15 cm.

As for the height, here the owner of a country house is determined according to his taste, taking into account, of course, the purpose of the fence. Usually the outer fence is built at the height of average human height, and therefore logs must be at least two meters long. Since such structures also look good as internal fences designed to delimit zones on a site, half a meter of material is selected for this purpose. This type of fencing does not play a particularly practical role, but from an aesthetic point of view it looks great.

The deepening of logs is responsible for their stability. Sometimes a cross beam raised above the ground can be used for this purpose. It is fixed on the supporting pillars of the structure. This technique allows you not to deepen the workpieces at all, but to place them above the ground at full height.

It is very important to determine the height of the fence. If you plan to build it in the traditional way (with the trunks deepening into the ground), then it is worth considering that for the strength of the structure, a third of the logs must be underground.

How to choose the optimal wood? The defining principle here is that you cannot skimp. After all, for such fences the main quality is their service life. When choosing trunks, remember that in cross section their surface should not have any protrusions or recesses.

This type of fence is characterized by pointed tops. That is, the log will resemble a sharpened pencil. An ordinary hatchet will suffice for this job. The taper angle should be 35-40 degrees.

The following video shows one of the options for such a pine fence:

Rot protection

Logs require certain processing. The traditional way of constructing a fence, as we have already recalled, is to bury part of the trunks in the ground. Naturally, over time the wood will deteriorate and rot. If the trunks are unprotected, then within 3-4 years the structure may collapse. As a result, the entire protective structure will have to be replaced.

Naturally, today hardly anyone would think of such a measure of protection. Modern practices are simpler and less labor intensive. Those parts of the trunks that will be dug into the ground should be treated by immersing them in hot bitumen.

Construction process

In general, the algorithm for building a fence looks simple. But it is necessary to adhere to certain rules:

1. First of all, we stick the trunks into the ground, making sure that the lower end is pointed. Before doing this, pour a little water into the holes. The log must “sit” firmly in the soil and be fixed, and therefore it should be screwed in very carefully, making a lot of physical effort. In this process, of course, a hammer or sledgehammer is used, but you should be extremely careful not to damage the barrel. Sometimes special plastic caps are put on the hammers, which serve as protection against cracks and chips during impacts.
2. When constructing a fence, you should take care of the trench. Its depth, by modern standards, should be half a meter. In order for the structure to stand more firmly, the bottom of the trench is traditionally reinforced. For this, sand or crushed stone is used. An appropriate layer of 20-30 cm creates a “pillow” effect.
3. The stakes should be installed as tightly as possible to avoid possible gaps between them. Having filled the trench with a layer of earth, it is worth compacting it thoroughly. To achieve a better effect, the soil is also watered. This achieves maximum density.
4. To create an additional level of strength, beams made of timber are used, which are installed horizontally. They are placed parallel to each other. The top one is placed 20 cm below the top edge of the fence, and the bottom one 20 cm above ground level.
5. The final stage is to give the structure an optimal aesthetic appearance. For this purpose, stain, primer and/or clear varnish are used. Different options for the concentration of stain can significantly increase the decorative parameters of the fence; it can be painted in brown-chocolate or honey-golden shades.

Such fences are quite cheap options, especially in suburban construction. The environmental parameters of such a structure are always noted. The entire complex of work associated with its construction is extremely simple. But the result is often very attractive.

It has long been the custom that any home was fenced off by our ancestors with fences to protect it from ill-wishers. And the higher and stronger this palisade was, the greater the confidence of keeping personal property intact.

This is what a classic log fence looks like

Times and the structure of life have changed, but the habits of building fences have not remained the same. The main priorities of self-construction of fences are:

• Comfort and maximum protection;
• Simplicity and speed of installation;
• Relatively inexpensive cost.

One of the options for creating such fences is a palisade. The word palisade itself consists of two derivatives “often” and “stake”, which indicates the frequent arrangement of stakes in the fence. This type of fence involves installing them with pointed ends deep into the ground. Such a fence will not only be a magnificent decoration for any country house, but also an excellent protection against thieves.

Variant of a palisade made of hewn logs

Just like any other type of fence, a palisade has certain advantages and disadvantages, knowing which you can navigate when constructing such a structure.

Advantages

The advantages of using palisades include the following indicators:

• Environmental friendliness. The fence is made of absolutely natural material - wood;
• High strength of logs;
• Originality and uniqueness of the exterior;
• Excellent home protection from thieves entering private territory;
• Resistance to negative factors during operation: wear resistance and moisture resistance.

A picket fence is a good solution for fencing a dacha, a personal plot, as well as a country house where you plan to relax away from prying eyes. In addition, such a fence will indicate that its owners are serious people who want to live in peace and quiet.

An example of a combined fence made of logs and natural stone

Flaws

Among the disadvantages, the following characteristics should be identified:

• Constant care of the fence: since the material is natural, it is subject to all natural processes, including rotting;
• Carrying out repair work.

One of the features of picket fences, especially tall ones, is the creation of additional shade. This can be used for rational purposes or cause some inconvenience. It also serves as an excellent place for entwining it with ornamental plants, which creates an additional design effect.

Features of the palisade: dimensions, parameters, wood

As for the height, the palisade can be of any size: from the fencing of private houses. In addition to height, the dominant indicator when choosing a fence is its shape, which can be round, rectangular (classic), or jagged.

Scheme of a log fence with dimensions

The starting material for making a fence is logs and boards, which you can either prepare yourself or purchase from the manufacturer. In the latter case, there are many advantages, for example, the same height of each beam reduces the time for adjusting the height of the fence. There is also no need to dry the wood, which is very important for fencing.

High-quality dried raw materials, in accordance with all building codes, reduce the risk of rotting and fungal infections, making the structure durable. The cost of logs on the building materials market is reasonable, which allows you to build a palisade without much expense.

It is worth noting that the price also depends on the quality of the timber, its dimensions and quantity.

To secure the palisade and connect the logs together, galvanized nails that are resistant to corrosion are used. It is not recommended to save on this very expensive material, since rust can harm wood, rendering it unusable.

Types of palisades

There are several types of making palisades. The simplest one is to build a fence by installing sharpened stakes in the ground. Our ancestors used this method of fencing, making the stakes very sharp and high, thus protecting their homes from attacks by ill-wishers.

Today you can find small picket fences enclosing a garden or flowerbed, whose function is not to protect, but rather to give a beautiful appearance to the area. Flowerbeds surrounded by a palisade look much more attractive, and the garden will become the real pride of its owners. Small and low palisades, the diameter of which is about two to three centimeters, are also attractive.

An example of a palisade made of small logs

Installing stakes from each other at a distance of about 50 cm, the gaps between them are filled with rods in a checkerboard pattern. Previously, they did this in Rus', fencing their land territories.

How to build a picket fence with your own hands

More than one summer resident who knows how to hold an ax and a hammer in his hands has thought about how to make his fence unique, beautiful and durable. The palisade, as an option, copes with its functions perfectly, plus its construction is so simple that it can be done independently.
Let's consider the entire process of standard work step by step.

Stage 1. Preparation of material

In the case when there is a desire and opportunity to prepare raw materials yourself, you need to know some of the characteristics of wood. We cut down only those trees that have the same cross-sectional diameter, selecting dry specimens. If there are no dry trees, you can cut down the living ones after further drying.

Drying logs naturally

Dry the logs in a closed, well-ventilated room without exposure to sunlight for twenty days.
After the material has dried well, it needs to be processed: remove unnecessary knots, smooth out irregularities. If desired, the palisade can be sharpened at the top, giving it an antique look. You can do without these excesses, leaving a regular log frame for fencing.

The logs are also aligned in length, making them approximately the same. If you want to get the perfect picket fence, it is better to use the services of woodworking companies that will be happy to provide the best specimens of timber.

Stage 2. Preparing the site, marking it

You need to decide on the area of ​​the fence, as well as its location, given that one span takes about three meters between the power supports.

Existing types of log palisades

After the required area is outlined, they dig a trench with a depth equal to 1/10 of the height of the palisade. It is worth understanding that that part of the wood that will be in the ground is susceptible to the negative effects of microorganisms, moisture and mold. To avoid premature deterioration (antiseptic), allowing to maintain the integrity of the material.

The most popular option is, which is more durable and easier to use. After processing the wood, you should take care of it by digging a trench and filling it with cement mortar.

For a long time, the stockade was the hallmark of border guard fortresses and small Russian towns. The protective fence was quite sufficient to repel the cruel and fleeting onslaught of the steppe inhabitants and not be taken by surprise. The sites of future large settlements were blocked with a palisade. Mighty and pointed logs indicated the unwavering determination of the inhabitants to defend their new homeland and at the same time marked the central part of the city being founded.

Advantages and features of a palisade

Today there are a large number of different design proposals for installing fences on your site, but the stockade is still a traditional type of fence, giving it a spectacular appearance and unique flavor to the territory. The palisade can be only part of the fence, or it can act as the main component of the entire structure.

The main advantages of a stockade over other types of fences are as follows:

Possible disadvantages are as follows:

Types of wooden barriers

There are several ways to make this barrier. Each of them differs in the amount of investment required and the material used. The fence can be an exact copy of the fortress palisade (also called a stem fence) or represent its “budget” analogue.

In order to build a palisade according to all the traditions of ancient Russian fortification art, you will need to shell out a considerable amount. It is necessary to immediately discard fantasies about forest gifts in the form of fallen dry trees. To collect the required amount of logs, you will need to spend most of your life searching for material, or live in a wooded area where there are frequent hurricanes and constant falling trees. Sometimes the design of a fence made of stakes does not lose its relevance and deserves attention. We'll talk about how to make a wicker fence with your own hands below. For now, let's look at the main option.

The construction of a monumental structure will require both a creative and a purely practical approach with elements of cost estimates and technical calculations.

Classic palisade option involves the arrangement of fence lines made of logs driven or dug into the ground, with a tight fit between each other. This method has a number of advantages:

• installation speed;
• minimum need for additional building materials;
• absence of technical difficulties in the production of work.

The main disadvantage is the fragility of this design. All the tricks that are associated with treating with an antiseptic and burning part of the log immersed in the ground, as well as organizing a sand cushion, if they increase the life of the wooden structure, then not for long. And for people who hope that a picket fence will decorate and protect their backyard for a long time, this option is unacceptable.

If you prepare a foundation for the fence, temporary performance indicators will increase significantly.

This picket fence design When using high-quality consumables and basic materials, it is guaranteed to serve its owner for more than 30 years.

Tools and materials

To build a real stockade, you need to prepare in advance:

This design is a monolith, this removes the need in the additional arrangement of wooden lintels and at the same time maintaining the aesthetic value of the structure.

You can do the cutting of the logs in the upper part yourself. The only tool you will need is a well-sharpened ax. The reinforcement can be cut using a grinder, which is equipped with a cutting disc. For through holes, the diameter of the drill must be several millimeters smaller than the diameter of the dowels, this will ensure reliable holding capacity of the joints. To enhance the tightening effect of the staples, it is necessary to bend them slightly along the inner arc.

For people who find this fencing option very expensive, we can recommend some alternative to this design. , which will require virtually no financial costs.

Wicker picket fence

Solid logs are not required to construct a building envelope of this type. Yes, and a wicker fence can be called a palisade in the usual sense of the word with great difficulty. A fence stake can be made from any pole. As a rule, medium-sized tree branches are used for this, preferably from hardwood. For many regions of our country, blanks made from birch or pine are relevant.

Number of frame stakes can be calculated very easily. It is only necessary to measure the length of the perimeter of the future fence in meters, multiply the result by two and add a few units for compacting the ligaments of corner turns or culling.

The material for knitting the wattle fence can also be prepared yourself in any possible places. As a rule, in the floodplains of rivers there are many trees of the willow family and thickets of bushes. Flexible and thin willow branches are an excellent material for wicker fencing. In the forest you can find thickets of hazel or willow. The most important condition is that the branches are filled with juice, “alive”. This will prevent creases during working bending of the vine.

Manufacturing options

There are several main options for wicker fences, which differ in the method of weaving:

• vertical;
• horizontal.

And also in terms of structural integrity:

• prefabricated from individual parts;
• with a single frame.

Horizontal weaving is reminiscent of classic village life with a simple way of life, but dear to the heart with its good nature and simplicity. Pegs pointed at the bottom and driven into the ground are installed every half meter between each other. Weaving should begin from the bottom row, grabbing the vertical elements of the frame with a snake. Each next row must be started from the opposite side, that is, the infinity sign. Protruding “tails” of branches need to be trimmed with pruning shears.

Modular weaving is practiced quite often. Separately, one and a half meter elements are prepared, which are subsequently installed at the site of the fence.

Wicker fences, in which the elements of the fabric are vertical, with their menacing appearance are more reminiscent of a guard fence than a village tyn. To construct this structure, the load-bearing post stakes are driven in much less frequently - after approximately 2 meters, but they have much larger dimensions and are connected to each other by three jumpers. Branches for weaving a fence of this type are required 3-5 centimeters thick. Each next row is started and output from the side that is opposite to the previous one. Thus, the top of the fence will be crowned with V-shaped wooden bristles, which only by its appearance discourages uninvited guests from entering the fenced area.

So, as you can see, the palisade is a simple, convenient and at the same time quite original fencing. It looks great both in country houses and in summer cottages, as well as in various combinations with other types of fences. In order to build this fence with your own hands, you won’t have to spend a lot.