How to Create a Wall Barrier to Block Traffic Noise

Dig post holes to a depth of 2 feet then place 6-foot, 4-by-4 fence posts inside them. Ideally, the holes should be three times wider than the posts. For windy areas, posts should sit no further than 6 feet apart. Mix concrete with water and pour it into the holes. Use a carpenter's level to ensure that the posts sit evenly in the holes. Use a trowel to create a downward slope across the surface of the concrete so water flows away from the wood. Wait for the concrete to cure and the posts to set per the concrete packaging instructions.

Attach 7-by-1 inch railing sections, or gravel board, across the bottom end of the fence posts with 3-inch metal screws and a handheld drill. The railings should lie flush with the inside surface of the posts. Use the level to make sure the railing pieces sit evenly with the ground and with the sides of the posts. Attach 7-by-1 inch railing sections across the top portion of the posts so the railing lies flush with the outside, or “street-side,” surface of the posts. Attach a third line of railing across the middle of the posts so it lies flush with the posts' outside surface.

Nail feather-edge wood panels to the bottom railing from post to post with 3/4-inch lost head nails. Allow for a 1/4-inch overlap between panels. After paneling one side of the fence, attach a rubber sound insulation pad to the fence panels with 1/2-inch metal screws. Ensure the pad material covers the entire fence panel surface. Build the other side of the fence in the same manner so that the rubber sound insulation is enclosed between the two panel walls.

Cap the tops of the fence panel walls with wood panel capping strips. Capping strips provide a protective cover for the wood panel edges. Nail the capping strips into the top surface of the panels with 3/4-inch lost head nails.