What Hammer Do I Use to Build a Fence?

A fence-building hammer is medium weight and can pull nails.


If you think that a hammer is a hammer, you'll probably be surprised at the variety of manifestations of this indispensable carpentry tool. You don't need the same hammer for fence building that you do for framing, but you wouldn't use a tap hammer, either. A fence-building hammer is between these extremes.

What You Don't Need

The large variety of hammer styles bespeaks the multiple uses people have for this tool. When it comes to large-scale woodwork projects, the choices narrow to framing hammers, rip hammers and nailing hammers. Framing and rip hammers are typically heavy -- as much as 24 ounces -- and have long handles and checkered faces. They allow you to drive nails quickly with the understanding that damaging the surface of the wood is acceptable. They aren't the type of hammer you need for building a fence.

What You Do Need

Nailing hammers have smooth faces and weigh in the neighborhood of 16 to 20 ounces. They have claws, which is a necessity when fence building because you have many opportunities to pull nails. The handle isn't as long as that of a framing hammer, which makes a nailing hammer easier to swing. Any type of nailing hammer, whether it has a curved or straight claw, is suitable for fence building. Choose the weight that is most comfortable for you to handle.

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