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I'm building a privacy fence. How would a professional handle a 135 degree corner? The complication I think I'll have is attaching the stringers to the front facing side of the posts. On one side the stringers will be flat against the post and on the other side there'll be a 45 degree gap. How do professionals handle this?

A solution I saw somewhere was to use two posts for the corner but I'm not sure if thats the best solution.

Heres a sketch of what I'm looking at: enter image description here

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  • so you are going in straight from one end and turning 135 degrees on the other? A diagram or a picture of what you are actually intending will be helpful to get the best possible answers. If like this - you could rip 65 deg down the length of the 4 x 4 or use two (using two will not look quite as nifty) or use a cut 6 X 6 .
    – Ken
    May 17, 2017 at 22:41
  • I assume you mean the angle on the inside of the fence will be 135 deg, right? Will the horizontal rails be on the inside or the outside? That is, will the vertical slats be on the inside or the outside?
    – Jim Stewart
    May 17, 2017 at 22:59
  • @JimStewart correct, its 135 deg inside. And the stringers/rails are on the outside
    – DiverseAndRemote.com
    May 18, 2017 at 0:38
  • Is this a board on board privacy fence or will the vertical slats be butted with a small gap?
    – Jim Stewart
    May 18, 2017 at 1:02

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I don't see any need for a second post. Here's how I would do it. Incidentally, buy some 3" deck screws for this if you don't have any. You will WANT to use screws here, even if you've been nailing

  1. Set the post square with the bottom part of the fence in your diagram, but extend the 2x4s all the way across to the edge of the 4x4
  2. Take a miter saw and set it at 45 degrees. Cut one end of your next boards vertically so that the saw goes through the corner of the board (right hand cut with the board standing up)
  3. Dig the hole for the next post (along the angle). Put the 4x4 in but do NOT set concrete yet. This hole may be slightly further apart than the previous ones, so take that into account. You might want to dry fit the 2x4s first just to make sure (re-digging holes is a pain)
  4. Have someone hold the 2x4 you just cut on the end by the 4x4 you just added. Screw the beveled end into the 2x4 you ran across the previous 4x4. Be careful not to get too close to the edge of the beveled board or it may split.
  5. With your compatriot still holding the 2x4, get the 4x4 level and then attach the 2x4 to the 4x4 (leaving room for the next set of boards). Repeat for however many stringers you're running
  6. Pour concrete for the new 4x4 (your stringers will hold it in place) and now you're ready to run your 45 degree side from there.

Congratulations! You've just made a 135 degree turn

Now, if you're scared about the 2x4 splitting (or you got the screw too close to the edge), what you can do is take a spare piece of 2x4, cut some pieces (same number as stringers) the same size as the 4x4 (about 3.5") and bevel it 45 degrees the other way (left hand cut) before you start step #4. Screw these onto the 4x4 and then you can sink 2 additional screws perpendicular to the board you're placing, though these additional pieces and into the 4x4 itself. This will guarantee you a strong corner, but it can be overkill. I'll leave it to you if you want to do this extra step.

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  • Would it be better/stronger if I added a tight wedge between the 4x4 and the stringer at the 45 degree angle and secured it with another screw? Or would that be adding too many screws?
    – DiverseAndRemote.com
    May 18, 2017 at 18:57
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    That's what my last paragraph details. The screws should be enough, but you can always add that extra wedge and screws
    – Machavity
    May 18, 2017 at 19:03

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