What's inside
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
Contents
1. Set the size and check the site
A short cedar screen can hide a bin area, air conditioner or patio edge without turning the yard into a fence project. This plan makes one panel about 6 feet wide and 6 feet tall, with vertical boards and roughly 1/2-inch gaps. Adjust the width to suit the space, but keep the panel narrow enough to handle safely.
Before buying lumber, check local rules for fence height and property-line setbacks. Call 811 before digging, and look for overhead wires, buried utilities, sprinkler lines and drainage paths. If the screen will stand in a windy, exposed spot, use two posts per panel and secure them properly; a wide, solid screen catches more wind than an open one.
2. Choose lumber and hardware
Use cedar rated for exterior use. For this panel, plan on two 4×4 posts, three 2×4 rails and about 15 vertical 1×6 boards. Actual board widths vary, so lay out the boards and gaps before cutting. Buy straight pieces with few large knots, especially for the posts and rails.
| Choice | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Ground-contact pressure-treated posts | Posts set directly in soil or concrete | Usually less expensive, but the color and appearance differ from cedar |
| Cedar posts | A consistent cedar look above ground | Cost more; confirm the product is suitable for the installation and ground contact |
| 1×6 cedar boards | Privacy with small, consistent gaps | Can cup or split if wet boards are tightly fastened |
| Fewer, wider boards or larger gaps | Lower material cost and more airflow | Less privacy, particularly at an angle |
For a simple build, buy exterior-rated deck screws in 2 1/2-inch and 1 5/8-inch lengths. Stainless steel resists rust and cedar staining well, but is more expensive; quality exterior-coated screws are a reasonable cheaper choice if their packaging says they are suitable for cedar. Avoid ordinary interior drywall screws, which can corrode or snap outdoors.
Also gather gravel or concrete for the posts, a level, tape measure, drill, circular saw, clamps and eye and hearing protection. A cedar fence board is often cheaper than clear, appearance-grade cedar, but may have more knots and variation. Pick boards in person when possible.
3. Set the posts
Mark the panel’s ends with stakes and string. For a 6-foot-wide panel, place post centers about 6 feet apart if the rails and boards will extend to the post edges; measure the actual layout before digging. Posts should be plumb and equally spaced. Use a post-hole digger to make holes below the local frost depth where required, and follow local guidance for depth and footings.
For a small, sheltered screen, gravel at the bottom of each hole can help drainage, but it does not replace a properly sized footing in every soil or climate. Concrete provides a firm footing, though it takes more work and can hold water against an untreated post if the top is shaped poorly. Use ground-contact-rated posts when burying wood. Brace each post in two directions and recheck plumb while the footing sets.
If you cannot dig, a surface-mounted post base attached to a substantial concrete slab can work. It is not a substitute for a proper footing in loose soil, and the slab must be sound and large enough to resist the screen’s wind load.
4. Attach the rails
Once the posts are firm, mark rail positions at about 8 inches above grade, 36 inches and 64 inches. These three rails support the boards and reduce the chance of them twisting. Keep the bottom rail high enough to avoid standing water and soil splash, but not so high that the screen leaves an unwanted gap below.
Cut the 2×4 rails to fit between the posts, check that they sit level, and fasten each end with two exterior screws. Pre-drill near board ends to reduce splitting, particularly in dry cedar. If the posts are not parallel, measure each rail separately rather than assuming all three cuts are identical.
5. Lay out and fasten the boards
Start at one end and hold the first board plumb. Fasten it to each rail with two screws, keeping them centered across the rail. Set a spacer beside it to establish the gap, then position the next board. A 1/2-inch gap allows some airflow and gives the boards room to move, but it does not provide full privacy from every viewing angle. Use a smaller gap if sightlines demand it, while allowing for seasonal swelling.
Do not pull bowed boards flat with excessive screw force; that can split the wood or leave the panel under tension. Choose the straighter face, or reject badly warped pieces. Check plumb every few boards. At the last board, measure the remaining space and rip it to width if needed. Sand sharp cut edges lightly.
A circular saw is enough for this project. If you need to cut many boards to the same length, a stop block speeds the work; measure the first cut carefully, then verify periodically so a misplaced stop does not make every board wrong.
6. Protect the cedar and inspect it
Leaving cedar unfinished is a valid low-cost choice. It will weather toward gray, and color changes may be uneven where the screen gets different sun and rain. A penetrating exterior stain can slow color change and help limit water uptake, but it requires reapplication. If you want a colored or clear finish, apply it to clean, dry wood and follow the product’s temperature and moisture instructions. Test on an offcut first; clear finishes may not keep cedar looking new outdoors.
After the first month, check for loose screws, shifting posts and boards that have split. Inspect again each spring. Trim vegetation away from the bottom, keep soil and mulch off the rails, and replace corroded fasteners before they stain or weaken the wood. The main failure points are usually poor post footing, water trapped at the base and boards fastened too tightly to accommodate movement.