Shoutout to the crew that helped me with a tricky cedar fence in Boulder last month

We had a job on a steep hill in Boulder where the grade changed by almost 4 feet over a 40 foot run. The client wanted a level top line on a 6 foot tall cedar privacy fence. My usual method of stepping the panels just wasn't going to cut it. Another crew working a few houses down saw me scratching my head and came over. They showed me how to rack the fence by angling the posts and cutting the rails to follow the slope. It took us an extra day, but the final look was perfect and the client was thrilled. Has anyone else had to rack a long fence on a big slope, and what's your go-to method?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryan_black24d agoMost Upvoted

Ever think about how that racked fence will handle soil shifting after a few wet seasons? On a slope that steep, water runoff can really dig in behind the fence line. I always add a gravel trench and extra concrete at the post bases on the downhill side, because that's where the pressure builds up. It's a bit more work up front, but it keeps the whole thing from leaning over in a couple years.

troychen23d ago

Ever wonder if the extra work is worth it? I used to skip the gravel trench to save time, but my last fence started leaning after two rainy winters. Now I always do it your way.

wesleyflores23d ago

Gravel trench is non-negotiable on slopes.