How to build a slatted screen fence

Here is my DIY step by step guide on how we built our Siberian larch horizontal slatted screen fence.

Setting out

Clear the area where you plan to build your slatted screen fence.

Use a string line to clearly show where the front of your fence posts will sit. If this is along the side of your house, to ensure the fence runs parallel with the house, start the string line at least a metre back along the house wall and then move the string until it just touches the brickwork. You then know that your string line is running parallel with the house.

Image of garden
We want to fence off the garden from the front of the house

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Spacing the post holes

Questions to ask – Do I need a gate?  How long are my fence boards?

We spaced our post holes based on the length of our Siberian larch PAR (planed all round) boards. We also wanted a gate in the fence, so we considered its location too.

Our first post was against the house and then the next two posts were on either side of the footpath that led down to the garden, where the gate will be. The position of these 3 posts was fixed.

For the rest of the fence, we spaced the posts so that the middle of the post would land at the end of a length of larch board. This allowed us to attach two sections of boards onto the same post. In our case the centre of the post was every 2m.

Post holes
Post holes running parallel to the house

How deep should the post holes be?

We bought 100mmx100mm treated fence posts that were 2.7m in length. This meant we could put 700mm of post in the ground and 2m above ground. Ideally 1/3 of the post should be in the ground to prevent movement caused by wind and other factors.

It was hard going as our soil is full of pebbles and flint.

Post hole
These 2 pieces of flint were in my hole!!

Fixing the posts in place

Place the post in the hole and use a post level to ensure it is plumb (vertical) across all sides.

Post level tool
Use a post level to ensure the post is plumb before fixing in place

Use Postcrete, or similar fast setting concrete mix, to secure the post in place. Fill the hole part with water, then add the postcrete and mix in. Repeat until the postcrete level is above ground. Do not make the mixture too wet.

Remember to constantly check the post is still plumb during this step. I held mine by hand for a minute until I could feel it starting to set.

First fence post
The first post is in position

Make sure you slope the Postcrete mixture down from the post to the soil. This will ensure water doesn’t pool against the post, but flows down to the soil.

Fixed post
Postcrete sloped down from the post to the soil

Keep posts plumb and in line

Continue fixing each post along the sting line.

Fence posts
The string line keeps the posts in line
Fence posts
They appear to be all over the place, but they are in line and plumb!

Make sure the tops of the posts are level – it will save you having to trim them later. If you do have extra post length, think about cutting the tops at a slight angle to aid water run off. Unfortunately, we needed the full height of the posts for our project.

Make sure the tops of the posts are in line and level

How to fix the slats to the posts

We purchased two widths of Siberian Larch to give our fence some character.

We fixed them in a double pattern – two 96mm wide boards, then two 146mm wide boards.

For the first section, we started from the top and worked down.

We placed the first board, level along the top of the posts. This helps disguise any slight variation in post height.

slatted fence panel
Two different widths of board gives the fence some interest

Use stainless steel nails for your fixings as regular galvanised nails can react with the wood and leave weather streaks down the fence. We used two nails per board on either end.

Ensure the board on the end of a row, eg. next to the gate, is fixed at the very edge of the post. All other boards should finish halfway across a post so that you can start the next section on the same post.

The next section is fixed middle of post to middle of post

Use a ‘spacer’ board between layers to ensure an even gap is maintained. We used three 10mm off cuts from another project- one at each end and one in the middle.

larch fence
A spacer board ensures even gaps between boards

Repeat, repeat, repeat

Continue to fix each board with the space and stainless steel fixings.

Slowly the privacy fence starts to take shape!

back of the fence
The garden is now separated from the front of the house
Siberian larch fence
All sections now complete!

Finishing touches

To hide the joins, we cut several 2m lengths of the Siberian larch. 

Dowels and exterior wood glue were used to secure the boards over the joins.

 

Cover the joins with vertical boards and hidden dowel fixings
The vertical boards not only cover the joins but break up the length of the fence

Gravel boards

As our house is on a hill, to try and level the area between the driveway and the fence, we fitted some C4 grade treated timber which is appropriate for soil and water contact.

We then finished off the area with some geotextile and gravel.

Grade C4 (water and soil contact) treated boards

Our finished fence!

slatted screen fence
The finished fence

The fence 2 years later

The larch has now weathered to a silver grey.

I’m not sure I like it. I might stain it black to give it a more rural barn look. 

With so many other projects to complete, this may not happen for a while!

Slatted screen fence 2 years later