Circumstance has made my
fence building a priority.
So I have sturdy frame completed, and I am ready to skin the whole thing in the irregular 1/2" x 4" cedar boards we purchased for the purpose.
But, when I use screws without predrilling, the ends split, despite being 3-4" from the end of the board.
Predrilling each one seems like madness,given how many I have to do.
I am looking for affordable solutions, but obviously saving labor is important.
I'm considering
TEK screws, which are self drilling( for metal), but not as pricey as SPAX and GRK.
I could ditch the cedar, but the wife really likes it, and its paid for. It did not seem as fragile when I used it last fall on a different stretch of
fence. Could wetting the cedar help prevent splitting?
If predrilling is a must, I might build it on the ground as panels. This would mean an easier time predrilling, because I would not need to switch back and forth between bit and driver. I might even be able to get help from the wife and minions!
I am even considering a version of the Junkpole fence. I would need two 2" x ?" x 10' for each 10' section. A screw at each end of the 2"x ?" boards about 5/8" off the existing top and bottom rails.Slide in the cedar pickets, maybe run a screw
in between the picketsinstead of through them. HMM, that last bit makes me think I could use screws and washers, and catch the edges of the pickets...
So those are my crazy ideas! I would loe to hear from anyone, but especially builders with
experience in dealling with similar problems.
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