Rackable wood privacy fence panel

Abstract

A fence panel includes a pair of end caps and a pair of rails extending between the end caps. Each rail includes a longitudinally extending groove. A plurality of pickets extend between each pair of rails and are retained within the grooves. Each picket has an end with an end feature formed therein which permits the pickets to cant in the grooves during racking of the fence panel. In an implementation, the pickets are formed from short boards, with separate boards on each row providing the illusion of one solid board running top to bottom for each picket while not requiring a single continuous length board. Alternatively, the pickets are formed of longer boards providing one board running from top to bottom. The short boards for the pickets can be made from lumber mill board “shorts” or “drops,” or alternatively made from recycled fencing materials. The shorts can be joined end to end to form longer boards.

1 . A fence panel, comprising:
 a pair of end caps;   a pair of rails extending between the end caps; each rail including a longitudinally extending groove; and   a plurality of pickets extending between the pair of rails and retained within the grooves, each picket having an end with an end feature having a non-squared end shape which permits the pickets to cant in the grooves during racking of the fence panel.   
   
   
       2 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein the end feature of the picket has a shape which provides a relief feature. 
   
   
       3 . The panel of  claim 2  wherein the relief feature is a sloped surface. 
   
   
       4 . The panel of  claim 2  wherein the relief feature is a curved surface. 
   
   
       5 . The panel of  claim 2  wherein the relief feature is two opposite sloped surfaces. 
   
   
       6 . The panel of  claim 2  wherein the relief feature is a sloped surface and a horizontal surface. 
   
   
       7 . The panel of  claim 1  further including at least one middle rail between the pair of rails and at least two rows of pickets extending between the rails, wherein the pickets in one row are separated from the pickets in another row. 
   
   
       8 . The panel of  claim 7  wherein the pickets in one row are vertically aligned with the pickets in another row when the panel is in either a racked or un-racked orientation. 
   
   
       9 . The panel of  claim 1  further including at least two middle rails and at least three rows of pickets extending between opposed pairs of those rails, wherein the pickets in one row are separated from the pickets in another row. 
   
   
       10 . The panel of  claim 9  wherein the pickets in one row are vertically aligned with the pickets in all other rows when the panel is in either a racked or un-racked orientation. 
   
   
       11 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of pickets extending between the pair of rails is made of a single material piece. 
   
   
       12 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of pickets extending between the pair of rails is made of at least two joined together material pieces. 
   
   
       13 . The panel of  claim 1  further including at least one middle rail between the pair of rails, wherein a joint between the material pieces is hidden by the middle rail. 
   
   
       14 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of pickets extending between the pair of rails is made of at least two separate material pieces, the panel further including at least one middle rail including opposed longitudinally extending grooves, the at least two separate material pieces being retained within the opposed longitudinally extending grooves. 
   
   
       15 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein each end cap includes a longitudinally extending channel which receives a side edge of one of the pickets. 
   
   
       16 . The panel of  claim 1  provided in a kit form. 
   
   
       17 . The panel of  claim 1  provided in an assembled form. 
   
   
       18 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein each end cap includes a pair of notches sized to receive an end of the rails. 
   
   
       19 . The panel of  claim 18  wherein the end of each rail includes an end feature having a non-squared end shape which permits the rail to cant in the notch during racking of the fence panel. 
   
   
       20 . The panel of  claim 19  further comprising a pivot point formed between the end of the rail and the end cap in the notch. 
   
   
       21 . The panel of  claim 19  wherein the end feature of the rail has a shape which provides a relief feature. 
   
   
       22 . The panel of  claim 21  wherein the relief feature is a curved surface. 
   
   
       23 . A fence panel, comprising:
 a pair of end caps;   a top rail extending between the end caps, the top rail including a first longitudinally extending groove;   a middle rail extending between the end caps, the middle rail including a second longitudinally extending groove and a third longitudinally extending groove opposite the second longitudinally extending groove;   a first plurality of short board pickets extending in a first row between the first longitudinally extending groove and the second longitudinally extending groove; and   a second plurality of short board pickets extending in a second row below the first row, the second plurality of short board pickets retained within the third longitudinally extending groove,   each picket in the first and second pluralities of short board pickets having an end with an end feature having a non-squared end shape which permits the pickets to cant in the grooves during racking of the fence panel,   the first and second rows providing the illusion of one solid picket board running from top to bottom for each picket.   
   
   
       24 . A fence panel, comprising:
 a pair of end caps;   a top rail extending between the end caps, the top rail including a first longitudinally extending groove;   a bottom rail extending between the end caps, the bottom rail including a second longitudinally extending groove;   a middle rail extending between the end caps, the middle rail including a longitudinally extending gap; and   a plurality of board pickets extending between the first and second longitudinally extending grooves and passing through the gap of the middle rail;   each picket having an end with an end feature having a non-squared end shape which permits the pickets to cant in the first and second longitudinally extending grooves during racking of the fence panel.