A California Style Fence

Fences do more than just mark a property line—they bring people outside, improve your home's curb appeal, and provide lasting structural security. A few months back, we decided to upgrade our yard with a custom 6-Foot California Style Fence. This unique design blends the warmth of a classic wooden frame with the durability and visibility of black chain link. If you are looking for a weekend home improvement project that provides excellent structural boundary safety for pets or family without completely blocking your view, this step-by-step guide is for you!

Project Note: Because this custom fence was built over the course of a few months, some of the initial layout phase and specialty tool images (such as the specific auger drill, concrete pouring process, and fence stretcher) are clean visual examples provided to give you the clearest possible blueprint for your own build. All final framework, hardware connections, staining, and finishing photos are from our actual completed backyard project!

To build a sturdy 6-foot California-style fence, you will need to gather the following materials and tools:

Vertical Posts: 4x8 pressure-treated timber beams (8 feet long total, sunk 2 feet underground to create a 6-foot fence height).

Horizontal Rails: 6x8 premium lumber boards (3 rails per section: top, middle, and bottom).

Infill Fencing: 6-foot tall, 8-gauge black diamond-shape chain link mesh.

Fasteners: 10x3" heavy-duty exterior wood screws (Deck Plus lifetime guarantee or similar) and premium galvanized fencing staples (1-1/4").

Foundation: Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix and clean water.

Finish: Behr Premium Waterproofing Wood Finish (Cedar Naturaltone or your choice of outdoor stain).

Optional Privacy: 6-foot tall heavy-duty black outdoor privacy screening and heavy-duty UV-resistant zip ties.

Tools:

Towable or manual post-hole auger

Milwaukee M18 Cordless Drill and driver bits

Reciprocating saw or circular saw (for clean lumber cuts)

Chain link stretcher or come-along tool

Sturdy metal mixing pole or rebar piece

Standard hammer

48-inch spirit level

Measuring tape

The foundation of a lasting fence is perfect post placement.

1. Place your pressure-treated 8-foot long timber post directly into the center of the dug hole, leaving exactly 6 feet of clearance above the ground line

Using the concrete fill the holes with about one to one and a half bags fill it up with water until it looks like it's enough mix it with the metal pole

Put the 4x8s in the hole

After the concrete is dried, using the drill, screw the one end of the 6x8 to the top of the 4x8 and the other end of the 6x8 onto the 4x8 so it's connected to both posts. And then use the level to make sure the 6x8 is even do the same thing for the middle and bottom then repeat this step and tell the whole fence is done

Now when all those steps are done grab your chain link and unroll all of it then attach the come along to the end of the chain link then after attaching the come along lift the chain link on the fence then the chain link and then after you stretch the chain link using the hammer, hammer the

fence staples,staple the chain link onto the fence. It should be tight and repeat this step for each section until you are done.

Note: click on fence picture above the circles are what needs to be stapled in.

Stain what ever color you want it let it dry for at least 6 hours or whatever the stain says

Optional: zip tie the privacy screen onto the Chain link

Now you have a California style chain link wood fence