This tutorial shows how I get equally spaced fence pickets every time.

Make a Story Stick

This stick shows where each picket will go and how much spacing will be between each picket. I set my spacing at a minimum of 4″. Check your local regulations to make sure you’re in compliance.

I used 1″ x 2″ x 8′ pine to make my story stick. I added a one-foot section on the left side to get nine feet. The story stick has to be larger than my 8-foot fence panels. You’ll see why as you read on.

My story stick shows two more pickets than my 8′ fence panel needs. My story stick shows 14 pickets. This is because each eight-foot fence panel (with 3.5″ pickets and 4″ spacing) will have 12 pickets. So I need two more, or 14 on my story stick. This is important later when you equally space pickets on your panels.

Here’s my story stick:

Align Story Stick with Posts

Next, clamp your story stick to the posts on each side of a fence panel. Clamp it near the top rail. Like this:

Clamp one side first. Be sure to align a picket (marked with an X on my stick) with the first post. Then raise the other side until a picket marked on the story stick aligns with the second post. Set the story stick angle as flat as possible.

I align the story stick to the posts like this:

My posts and pickets are the same widths (3.5″). If yours are different sizes be sure to align the inside edge of the picket with the inside edge of the post.

Mark your Picket Centers

Next, I use a 2-foot level to transfer each picket’s center point from the story stick to the top rail. Be sure to mark on the top of the 2 x 4 rail. You’ll use this mark to align your picket later.