9. Finish the post corners

Use a router fitted with a ½-inch chamfering bit to shape all four corners of each post. Make two or three progressively deeper cuts so you don't splinter the wood or overload the tool. Start the chamfers 3-inches below the 1x3 trim and end them 20-inches above the bottom of the posts. Sand the chamfers smooth with a random-orbit sander, then prime and paint them to match the rest of the structure.

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