Historic design for fence pickets?

19 years ago

Hello All,

My family and I are fortunate enough to own and love a home that was built circa 1880. We have done extensive research to find old photos of the property and the home without much luck.

We are about to undertake a fencing project which will fence in the front yard along the sidewalk as well as around my veggie garden.

Do any of you have any ideas about where I can find a unique but historically accurate design for my fence pickets? I don't want to use the same old tired cookie cutter look that everyone else has. I am a skilled woodworker and am willing and able to cut the pickets myself if I can find an appropriate design.

My trips to Savannah and Charleston have not been very fruitful. Most of the fencing there is iron and the few wooden fences that are there are modern.

Any ideas or assistance would be appreciated. This will be a project for the Fall once the Jawja Summer has released its grip.

Thanks,

Aubrey

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Comments (7)

RipFL
19 years ago
Aubrey,

Here in the lower South many fences during that period were simple paling fences. These were straight boards 3-4 inches wide, with the tops cut on an angle of about 45 degrees. The height varied from 3-4 feet, with the higher fences usually found around gardens to keep out the critters. Posts were set about 8 feet apart with two stringers nailed on, one near the top and the other near the bottom. The palings were then nailed to the stringers with a spacing of about 2 inches. It was not at all uncommon for fences in rural areas to be left un-painted and in many case the palings were hand split (rived) from logs rather than being sawn at a mill.

Hope this helps.

Rip Stalvey
AshaK
19 years ago
the book FENCES Authentic Details for Design and Restoration by Peter J. Harrison -- John Wiley and Sons 1999
about 200 hand drawn measured plates of New England, Virginia, N&S Carolina, and Cape Cod. The drawings include picktes and some balustrades and gates and finials, posts, joint work etc
-Asha
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mstrgrdnr
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks so much....I am trying to locate a copy of that book now.
ginny12
19 years ago
This sounds like a good book. When I looked for it, I found that the exact title is "Fences, Authentic Designs for Detail and Restoration." I found a number of copies, new and used, on bookfinder.com. Amazon has it too. It is not cheap. Prices start at about $50. Think I'll try to get it thru the library.

Having said that, Mstrgrdr, I will add that, as you know, your house is of the Victorian era. I don't know which Victorian style you might have. However, the Victorians were famed in landscape history for taking down the fences which had characterized the colonial and pre-Civil War eras. The intent was to evoke the Romanticism of the English landscape garden as advocated by people like Andrew Jackson Downing.

In the early 20c, the Colonial Revival advocates sought to return fences like picket fences, to the landscape but never really succeeded much except in certain quaint or Colonial Revival locations. The majority of American front yards, especially in suburbs, are fenceless today, although obviously there are exceptions.

The Victorians, when they did use fences, favored cast iron and other forms of metal fencing. Here in New England--and I am sure elsewhere--there are still a lot of fabulous old Victorian fences.

So, depending on how accurate you want to be, you might want to consult the architectual style of your house before you decide on a picket fence.
rodger
19 years ago
I have an 1890 farm house in South Carolina. At the well house out front is an 8 foot span of the original fence that surrounded the house it is still attached to the post and frame of the well house and has been protected from the weather by the roof of the well house. I am in the process of putting up a pickett fence unfortunatly it wont be identical because I want the fence to be smaller in height so that I dont hide the house. The original fence was made of cedar is 1 1/4 inch square pickets 36" long. There is a 1x4 runner board on the top and the picketts extend about 6 inches above this. On the bottom is a 2x10 runner board which runs close to the ground and the picketts rest on the top of this board and are essentially flush with the face of the board( So it is more likely 2 1/4 x 10 inches). The picketts are spaced about 4inches apart. and are cut at about a 45 degree angle at the top with the angle facing out. My neighbor who is 82 grew up in the house and she showed me some pictures taking in the 20s which showed part of the fence.It was a very nice fence.
atlantafence
15 years ago
Aubrey

I completely agree about the cookie cutter type pickets and would love to see what you end up doing! You should definitely take an picture of it and post it when you decide. Unless you want to save it for yourself to keep it unique. I would!

Brent

Here is a link that might be useful: Fence Installation Co
johndmad
15 years ago
This book by Kevin Geist is great resource for anyone who wants to have the best looking fence on their street.

Posted November 2, 2006, 4:35 PM EST: Quite a variety of fences to choose from in a well layed out format. It was really fun to look at the vast collection of styles. I was able to pick out a beautiful pattern and use some of the ideas in the book to reduce the amount of work and get the most impact for the least work. SUPER!!!!!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: How-to-Build-Wooden-Gates-and-Picket-Fences by Kevin Geist

Historic design for fence pickets?

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RipFL

AshaK

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Historic design for fence pickets?

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RipFL

AshaK

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