Installing Fencing
1. What is the fences purpose?
2. What types or styles of fence do I like?
3. What type of fence will do the job I need it to do?
Post hole digger, long handled pointed shovel, string line, measuring tape, power saw with plastic cutting blade, extension cords, concrete mixing tub, 4′ level.
MATERIALS
- Fencing with all appropriate fittings, caps, rails,etc.
- Concrete Redi-mix, (bagged)
- Nails
- Paint or stain for wood fencing
There are many, many types of fencing available today including chain link, wood, aluminum, plastic, PVC to name just a few. If you are putting a fence up to contain a 150 pound pit bull, a soft plastic roll type fence sure wouldn’t work. If you are putting a fence up to protect your garden, soft plastic roll fencing or chicken wire fencing may do the job. Determine what the fence is for and that will lead your to the types of fencing available for your purpose. Several fencing types will work well for this application. PVC fencing comes in various heights, is strong and durable and provides vertical slats that are acceptable for a pool fence. This fence has locking gates, finials, corner posts and other decorative accessories that can be added to create a beautiful fenced in area by your pool. Wood fencing comes in many styles and heights. Wood fencing requires support posts set in concrete and can be modified by cutting and re-nailing for odd shapes and obstacles.
Chain link fencing comes in galvanized (gray), black and green wire colors. Fencing is held to steel upright posts set in concrete, with heavy gauge wire loop ties. Soft plastic roll fencing generally comes in 4′ wide rolls. Steel or wood support posts are required for mounting the fence. Fence posts can be driven in with a sledge hammer and may have pre-made hooks on them to engage the holes in the fencing. This fencing is inexpensive and considered disposable. Wind does a real mean job on this fence and requires high maintenance.
INSTALLATION
Layout-Carefully layout your fence line so you can measure the length, corner posts, gates, etc. that you will need for the job. Corner posts are easy to count. How many corners have you put in the fence? Write down 4 corner posts. Gates. Is there lawn inside the fenced area? In our example our fence is 36′ long on each side to form a square. One side has a 6′ gate so 30′ of fencing is required. Now add all the fence figures together and we find we need 135′ of fencing required. Posts-If we know the fencing we have chosen comes in 6 ‘ lengths we will need a post every 6′ feet and each side of each gate. A little math shows we need 25 posts. Pressure treated fence posts come in both round and square shapes. Why so long? That means a 9′ post. Posts come in other wood types as well. Willow posts if left untreated can re-root and create a “living” fence in wet areas.
Starting in one corner, dig your first post hole.
A shallow hole will weaken your fence and shorten its life span. A 12″ wide hole is acceptable for fence posts. Now continue down one side of the fence line until all the holes are dug. Place your two end posts in their holes. Perform the same function with the next corner post and the 4th post until all corner posts are set in concrete. Go back to your first two posts. With all the posts in on one side, pour them in concrete. Work your way around your fencing until all the posts are set.
Fencing-Each type of fencing has its own installation methods.
Wood fencing can be cut with a hand or circular saw for both height and length if necessary. Nothing looks worse than a fence with sloping or uneven tops. Check first before your install your fence.
Post setting is basically the same except the posts are steel.
Ask your retailer for post spacing recommendations for the height fence you purchased. After setting the posts and pouring the concrete, you must unroll the fence alongside the posts. Carefully standing the end of the fence up against the first post, place end clamps around the post and the end bar and insert the supplied bolts anchoring the fence to the post.
Now when you stretch the fence, you are really pulling on the post and the bar not on the fencing itself.
Once you have the chain link fastened to the first post, you must stretch the fencing to obtain a taut condition between the posts. By cranking the handle, you reel in the cable pulling the fencing taut.
Once you have the fencing pulled tight, you can start installing the wires ties on the intermittent post, tying the fence to the posts. Remember-Each time you end the fence, you must install an end or termination bar. A four foot fence requires at least three clamps per bar. If your fence is in excess of 4 feet, you may want to install a top rail to keep the fabric from bending or bowing between posts. LOCATING YOUR FENCE-
If you are placing your fence around your garden or pool, chances are you will not encounter a conflict with property lines. However, if you are installing a property line fence, MAKE SURE you know where the property lines really are located.
