Fleming Fence Project

1024 768 Thuja Wood Art - Reclaimed Cedar Furniture Wood Art Vancouver Victoria Gulf Islands British Columbia

Over the winter this year I built a nice custom fence for my neighbours parents here on Pender Island.  The Fleming fence project consists of a 100 foot long custom hand split red cedar fence, with 2 four post arbours and gates in the fence, and a 2 post arbour Fleming fence overviewwith a gate as a separate entrance to the street.  The fence posts are all mounted on metal saddles laid in cement underground.  I always use the metal saddles for two reasons: the first is that it keeps the post off the ground so that it will never rot from being wet, and the other is extra strength and flexibility to change the woodwork should anything ever happen to the fence.  The Fleming’s main purpose with the fence was that it keep the deer out, but Fleming gate and arbourthey wanted it to be open and airy, not a dividing wall.  Taking this into consideration, I designed the fence to have lots of open space with windows all along the top, and only narrow pickets in the main body of the fence.  The top of the fence will eventually have vines growing along it, and roses up over the four post arbours.  I designed the arbours with small return fence sections for the vines to grow up, and gave them lots of height so hanging vines won’t get in the way.  The entire fence is built using 4″ screws for the posts and rails, and short screws to attach the pickets. Fleming entrance gate I find that screws are much better than nails for holding the cedar in place over time.  Each of the arbours has a custom hand split cedar gate that matches the fence.  These are made like everything else with salvaged old growth red cedar driftwood and using traditional mortise and tenon joinery with hardwood pegs.  After I finished the fence I wanted make it unique and more artistic so I added some wavy lines with curved pieces of split cedar all along the whole fence, going right through the gates.  It really unifies the whole project and lets your eyes wander along the fence.  Using the hand split cedar for everything also adds a lot of texture to the fence when up close, as none of the wood is smooth or straight.  These things all help soften the look and make the fence fit into the landscape and nature where there are no straight lines.  As a separate entrance down by the road we added another two post arbour with a matching gate and curved top beam which I carved and painted their address into.  A fun project just down the road, which makes for a nice commute!  Thank you to Diane and Peter for their patience and attention to detail, we are all very happy with the finished product.

Fleming fenceFleming arbour and gategate and fence

Author

Colin Hamilton

All stories by: Colin Hamilton
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