How to Build a Split Rail Fence: A Step-by-Step Guide for DIY Beginners
730 ft. Split Rail Wood Fence
douglas fir • 94 posts • 180 rails • 2 cattle gates
Why a Wood Split Rail Fence?
Many of my neighbors think I’m crazy for not choosing chain-link. They say chain-link is a better barrier and more widfire-resistant. They’re not wrong. I just like natural materials that blend with the environment, and a split rail fence allows wildlife to move in and out freely. Plus, I love how it looks.
Now, when you drive by my property, it no longer feels like just vast, open space — it feels like a legitimate piece of land. You can see the fence from the highway, and it gives the property a defined, intentional look.
Why I Built The Fence
I shared my step-by-step process on @WildByTheMile of building this 730 ft. fence at my back property line, and I kept reading a similar comment: “Why in the world would you build such a massive fence?” One person even said, “You could use that lumber for a tiny home”. They’re right, I could have. But there’s more to this story.
Native Americans once lived here, cattle ranchers ran cattle through here, yet its entire life this 20 acres in Southern California has remained a raw, undeveloped parcel. I bought it April 2023, from a Canadian couple who owned it since 1989. The area is popular for motocross, jeep rock crawlers, UTVs, and hunting. The valley is a mix of open space rural land and private parcels (many still undeveloped). This has led to a lot of riders and hunters treating the land as though they have free rein.
My land backs up to open space rural land and sits between trail systems. I frequently saw people blatantly cut through my property, even after I put up barbed wire, a front entry gate, and no trespassing signs. Yet, I’d still find tire tracks and burnout marks.
“What you paid for that lumber, multiply by five — that’s the value you’ve added to your land.”
Materials
Posts: 4x6x12 (cut to 6 feet long) in Douglas Fir
Rails: 2x6x8 in Douglas Fire
Brackets: Simpson Strong FB26 (has larger lip for angled rails)
Green Wood Preservative: seals posts and rails
Quikrete Post Hole Concrete: simply pour into hole
String Line: ensure straight posts and rails
Power Tools: auger for digging holes + saw for cutting rail ends
Manual Tools: level, tape measure, drill, shovel
Instructions
*click on video for sound
1. Design Vision
My creative juices for a natural ranch fence began flowing during a Costa Rica trip. I decided on a split rail fence with a modern twist, after finding online inspiration from Australians and Kiwis.
2. Material Sourcing
I sourced lumber from Dixieline Lumber. I initially wanted rough Douglas Fir for its look, but the cost was too high. I opted for smooth Douglas Fir and had the store cut my 12-foot posts into 6-foot lengths.I was impressed by John Vattuone’s customer service at Dixieline’s Miramar | San Diego location. He coordinated this massive order and had the lumber precisely cut at the end of day on Thanksgiving eve. The lumber was delivered early on Black Friday.
3. Wood Delivery & Sealing
When the wood arrived, I decided to seal the posts and rails with a green wood preservative. I thought I wouldn’t go through the effort of sealing the entire wood, just the underground parts. But, in the end, my mom and I spent hours sealing all 90 posts and 178 rails. Hopefully, this will help extend the life of the fence.
4. Marking Property Lines
I hired Chris - who works at Progressive Land Surveying - to mark my property lines using a GPS stick (not sure the exact name). We hammered a nail into the ground and used neon orange lath to mark the property line at intervals, making sure to stay one foot inside to leave room for concrete footings.
5. Installing Posts & Concrete
The first weekend of building was physically challenging. We started by auguring 2-foot deep holes and ensuring the posts were level. We then added dry concrete, topped it with water, tamped it down, and backfilled. We encountered some rocks and cacti, which slowed the process. By the end of the first weekend, we had installed 13 posts.
6. Adjusting the Process
We realized installing all the posts first would make the process more efficient. We also made adjustments to the brackets, opting for Simpson Stronghold FB26 with a larger lip to accommodate angled rails due to the land’s slope. We ended weekend two with 23 posts installed.
7. Digging Through Granite
Weekend 3 was the most physically demanding. We encountered granite while digging, so Chris used a power tool to break through it. Each hole took about an hour, and we only got the posts down one foot deep (instead of 2’).
8. Installing Rails
We were finally installing the rails on weekend 4. We used a string line to help us place the rails accurately, and ran the stringline in sections based on the contour or slope of the land. Chris cut rail ends with saw, and at an angle to fit into brackets. I sealed rail ends to help preserve the wood.
9. Focus on Efficiency
I learned to focus on one step at a time, which sped up the process. We ran the string line, marked all brackets, installed all brackets, then measured, cut, sealed, and installed the rails in an organized fashion.
10. Final Push
By weekend 6, we moved quickly, especially after my neighbor brought over a big boy excavator to dig holes through the granite. My neighbor’s help sped up the process, and we installed 24 posts in one day, finishing the last post of the 730-foot fence.
11. Completing the Fence
Two and a half months later, we installed the rest of the rails. The final product looks amazing, and I’m so proud of how it turned out.
How to Save Time
1. focus on One Step
Focus on completing one task at a time, instead of bouncing between tasks.
For example, install all posts first, instead of bouncing between posts and rails simultaneously. We installed posts 2.5” less than 8ft. apart to give us safety room to cut rails.
When installing rails, we:
Ran the string line in a section (based on slope / contour of land)
Marked all brackets at once.
Installed all the brackets in one go.
Measured, cut, sealed, and installed the rails in a single flow.
This saved us from jumping back and forth and helped us work more efficiently.
2. Lay Out Materials
I had the 12ft posts pre-cut at the lumber store, saving us time during the build. We also laid out all posts /or rails first thing every morning, to streamline the day.
The Biggest Challenge
The biggest challenge was adjusting to the land’s unique conditions, including granite boulders, cacti, and varying slopes. Using an excavator to dig through rock (thanks to my neighbor) made a huge difference. Without that, we would’ve been stuck trying to manually dig through granite. This was a massive time-saver, and it allowed us to keep moving. I would also recommend a jack hammer, if you have access.
Conclusion
Building this fence was no easy task, but with each weekend, we made more progress. The result: a beautiful, strong split rail fence that blends into the natural surroundings and provides the boundary I needed for my land. The experience has been physically demanding but emotionally rewarding, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.