# Forum Home Renovation Fences & Screens  Picket Fence on a Gentle Slope

## Lexi01

Hello. 
I'm building a picket fence. I've built a few fences in my time so I'm fine with most of it but our street a very gentle slope to it. 
As I look around at some other houses some posts seem to be slightly out of plumb, following the slope of the street and some appear to plumb posts with the fence rails (only) following the slope. 
Is there a general rule for this sort of thing? 
Thanks.

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## Cecile

> Hello. 
> I'm building a picket fence. I've built a few fences in my time so I'm fine with most of it but our street a very gentle slope to it. 
> As I look around at some other houses some posts seem to be slightly out of plumb, following the slope of the street and some appear to plumb posts with the fence rails (only) following the slope. 
> Is there a general rule for this sort of thing? 
> Thanks.

   My personal feeling is that posts should be plumb, as should all the pickets. Only the rails should follow the slope.  I like symmetry and order wherever possible and plumb fits with that.

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## jatt

+1 to that.  Level is the go

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## shauck

+2

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## Conor

Depending on how gentle the slope is, you could plumb the posts and level the rails and just scribe the plinth to the slope.  
Conor

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## Lexi01

> My personal feeling is that posts should be plumb, as should all the pickets. Only the rails should follow the slope.  I like symmetry and order wherever possible and plumb fits with that.

  Thanks for the responses guys. I think I get it.  Plumb posts it is. 
I found a little pic that shows the options too:  
Cheers...now back to the cricket.

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## shauck

Slopes can be deceptive. I would run a string line, between the two end posts, at bottom of posts (and top of posts) where you have measured and marked, up to either the bottom rail or top of plinth, a reference point basically. Use both string lines to help (along with a level) get your posts in plumb/level. Once all your posts are in you will see if you have any major changes in height/slope along the fence line. From the ground, up to bottom string line, will be your point of reference. If you do find a slope change of significance, you can make a change by putting a nail in the closest post where the string is furthest from the ground to the same height as the other two posts and hang your string line from that nail. This'll give you a change in slope slightly. After this tweaking (not twerking), I would then mark each post, at string line (use a bevel to get the angle, if you have one), for checkout of rails. Don't forget if you move a bottom string line to a nail, you have to do the exact same to the top string line. Eg. if you move the string line down 50mm, do the same to the top string line on the same post. Some will say put in an extra piece of plinth instead or bury some plinth if its the other way round.  
Oops, picket fence. Will you have a plinth? I've more described a paling fence but it'll still help you for marking out your rails to be parallel to the ground slope/slopes

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