Adding gravel boards to featheredge/arris rail fencing.

[Roy22]

I’d like some advice on adding gravel boards whilst repairing an arris rail fence.

The existing fence panels (6ft tall x 9ft wide) cover a fair length of uneven ground. Perhaps because of the slope, the arris rails have not been joined to the side of the posts to make a conventional right angle. Instead, the constructor shaved the ends of the arris rails to about half their normal thickness, and then nailed the ends onto the [u]outside[/u] of the posts. So instead of the rails & boards being flush with the posts, they stand 1½ to 2 inches proud of them.

I’m carrying out some general repairs to some areas where arris rails and/or boards have rotted, near the ground. I’d prefer not to stand the new boards on the same damp soil as the originals did.

How best would I affix gravel boards and deal with the uneven ground? And should I be looking at 6â€

[thedoctor]

6 x 1 is the standard size of gravel board Roy and they are available in concrete to avoid any rotting. Howver they are expensive and other than lifting the board above ground level completely, or digging out the ground to make it level, there is little choice but to have some contact with the soil. Make sure you coat and soak the timber in a good timber preservative first and it will last for a long time. Battens can be fixed to the front of the posts to pull the gravel board forward. Follow the link below for timber preserver. http://www.awin1.com/pclick.php?p=79829 ... 071&m=1228

[Roy22]

Dear DIY Dr,

Thanks for the advice so far. I have another question...

Because of the non-availablilty of 9ft gravel boards, I'm going to have to get some timber cut to order. If I treat it with the preserver you mention (or Cuprinol's Green Wood Preserver?) can I expect a reasonable life expectancy in use?

I don't want this repair to rot quickly (as the original fence boards on damp ground did!) and so I would appreciate any ideas of how effective these DIY treatments are compared to 'pressure treated boards' when in contact with soil?