How to Install a Wood Privacy Fence: Contractor Sequence

Building a wood privacy fence is one of the most rewarding outdoor home improvement projects. Done correctly, a well-built cedar or pressure-treated pine privacy fence will stand plumb and solid for fifteen to twenty-five years. Done poorly, posts heave within two winters and rails sag under wind load.

Here is the step-by-step contractor sequence for installing a standard 6-foot wood privacy fence.

Step 1: Call 811 Before Digging

Before breaking ground with an auger or post-hole digger, call 811 (the free national “Call Before You Dig” service) or submit a ticket online at least two to three business days before starting. Utility technicians will visit your property to mark buried electric, gas, water, cable and sewer lines with spray paint and flags. Hitting an underground gas or electric line causes injury, blackouts, and hefty civil fines.

Step 2: Set End and Corner Posts First

Always install your terminal posts (corners, end runs, and gate posts) before touching line post holes:

Dig corner holes 10 to 12 inches in diameter and at least 24 to 36 inches deep (below your regional frost depth).
Pour 3 to 4 inches of coarse crushed gravel into the bottom of each hole for drainage under the wood post.
Position your 4x4 or 6x6 pressure-treated post onto the gravel bed.
Level the post plumb on two adjacent faces using a magnetic post level.
Fill the hole with concrete (roughly 2.5 to 3 sixty-pound bags per hole), rodding the wet mix to eliminate air voids.
Slope the top concrete surface downward away from the wood post to shed rainwater.
Allow terminal posts to cure for at least 24 to 48 hours before pulling string lines.

Step 3: Pull String Lines and Dig Line Posts

Tie mason string between the tops of your cured corner posts and another string 6 inches above ground level. These two strings define your exact line and plumb orientation.

Measure along the string line to mark your line post centers at 6-foot or 8-foot intervals. Never exceed 8 feet between posts on a 6-foot solid privacy fence; wider spacing leaves rails vulnerable to wind-load failure and warping.

Dig line post holes following the same depth and diameter specs, then set line posts plumb against your guide strings.

Step 4: Install Horizontal Rails (The 2/3/4 Rule)

Once all post concrete has cured:

For fences 4 feet tall or shorter: install 2 horizontal rails.
For 5-foot to 7-foot privacy fences: install 3 horizontal rails (top, middle, bottom).
For fences 8 feet or taller: install 4 horizontal rails.

Position the bottom rail roughly 6 to 8 inches above the ground, the top rail 4 to 6 inches below the top of the pickets, and space intermediate rails evenly.

Use 2x4 pressure-treated lumber installed with the 3.5-inch face vertical (face-nailed) or horizontal (toed-in or set in metal fence brackets). Fasten rails to posts using 3-inch hot-dipped galvanized or ceramic-coated exterior screws to prevent rust streaks.

Step 5: Fasten Pickets with a Rot Gap

When attaching pickets:

Never let wood pickets touch the bare ground. Leave a 1 to 2 inch clearance gap above the soil line or mulch to prevent wood decay and termite access.
Fasten each picket to each rail with two hot-dipped galvanized ring-shank nails or exterior deck screws (six fasteners per board on a three-rail fence).
Check for vertical plumb every five to six boards with a 4-foot level, making slight pitch adjustments so the fence does not develop an unsightly lean.

Step 6: Build the Gate with Diagonal Bracing

Hang your gate using heavy-duty exterior hinges and a rust-resistant latch:

Build a rigid rectangular 2x4 frame that is 1 inch narrower than the rough opening to leave 1/2 inch clearance on each side.
Install a diagonal brace running from the bottom hinge corner upward to the top latch corner. This transfers gravitational gate weight down to the lower hinge and stops sagging over time.

Get Your Complete Material Takeoff

Plan your build accurately before visiting the lumberyard:

The wood fence calculator calculates posts, rails, pickets and concrete for cedar and pine.
For post specifications, see the fence post depth calculator and fence post concrete calculator.
If building solid privacy vs gap boards, check the privacy fence calculator.