Saw a guy use a string line for a curved fence last week

I was on a job in Denver where this older fella was setting up a curved section of cedar pickets and he pulled out a string line instead of a laser. He showed me how he uses the string as a guide to keep the top rail consistent even on the arc, and it looked way cleaner than what I usually do with guesswork and eyeballing. Has anyone else tried this approach for curves, or do you stick with lasers and measuring?

3 comments

3 Comments

angela72813h ago

Man I used to think string lines were just for straight fences, but that actually makes a ton of sense for curves. Might have to try it myself next time.

paulnguyen13h ago

Wait, doesn't the string line stretch or sag over the length of a curved section? I always figured that was the problem with using string for curves - the tension isn't the same across the whole arc so you'd get dips in your top rail. I'm curious if he used a specific knot or trick to keep it tight around the bend, maybe tied it off at multiple points along the path instead of just the ends.

joseph_green1345m ago

Tie it off at a few points along the curve, not just the ends. Keeps the tension even and stops any sagging.