Building a better fence with metal

I read with interest your article about building fences [“Nailing Down the Details,� June 23].

I had two wooden post fences rot at the posts and fall over a couple of years ago. Not wishing to repeat the problem, I decided to engineer a better fence, and I think I did so.

Basically, I put in metal poles in concrete. I then used galvanized straps to hold the rails (treated wood).

Then I attached the fence boards, which hide the metal poles.

One can make a “good neighbor fence� by using double rails and then putting boards up on both sides.

Putting wood in the ground, no matter how treated it might be, always leads to the same conclusion: rot. Then an otherwise good fence falls over. That’s why I think metal is a better option.

Ed Garren

West Hollywood

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