How to build a fence around a garden

You have decided to build a fence around your garden?  You can save yourself a lot of money and end up with a professional job more easily than you think.  Building a fence around your garden is a great way to improve your security, delineate your boundaries, create a sound barrier, and give your family privacy.

Things to consider when you build a fence around a garden:

• What size fence would you like? Do you want the same height all the way around?
• What material would look best?
• What requirements does the fence have to meet?
• Does it need to be a dog or childproof?
• Do you want a solid structure?
• Have you spoken to your neighbors – you never know, they may be prepared to help fund it.

TOP TIP:  Check that you don’t need planning permissions.

Wooden Panelled Fencing.

There is a huge range of panel fencing on the market, at differing heights, and with different construction.  The vulnerable part of any wooden fencing is the posts – panels can be replaced relatively cheaply and easily, you may want to consider investing in concrete posts and baseboards which will outlive the fencing and allow easy replacement of individual panels.

Costing will vary depending upon the choice you make oversize and wood.

Wire fencing.

The wire can be purchased at differing heights, and in different finishes offering utilitarian stock type fencing through to green plastic fencing.  This will often work well if you need to continue to get light into the garden or grow plants against it to give a softer finish.

Hedging/Planting.

Plants give a less defined boundary, but a softer one also – you will not get the instant fix that hard landscaping will offer, but if you have patience and are prepared for the upkeep then hedge planting benefits wildlife and blends the boundary of the garden into the surrounding area.

Gabion Baskets – mesh baskets filled with stone

These are increasingly popular, especially in Europe and the UK.  The baskets come in different sizes and are filled with stone and stacked to provide a wall.  The stone can be chosen to give the color effect that suits the design of the area – the foundation of the basket wall needs to be firm and level, a concrete base is ideal.

As a fencing option or barrier, they offer complete privacy, maintenance free results, and a long lifespan.  They do however take up a larger area than a straight fence and do not allow light penetration.

Where do you start?

1. Make sure you know where your boundaries are. That sounds obvious, but you do not want to be moving anything later.
2. Clear the ground along the fence line, remove all old fencing and grub out any trees or shrubs.
3. Measure the line of the fencing you need – twice. String the lines so that you have a nice straight fence when you have finished.
4. Don’t forget to measure for any gates you need to fit – and detract that from your fencing order.
5. Work out the fencing quantities for the fencing option you have chosen, and any posts and make sure that you have sufficient.
6. Straighten ground level and prepare any base that you will need – whether that is laying concrete for the baskets or leveling areas of rising and fall.

For wooden fencing:

7. Dig your post holes – start at the corners of your plot, dig those and secure posts, then work in a straight line between them.
8. If you are using wooden posts then ensure that they are well treated. Even if using pre-treated wood it is always worth re-treating yourself before putting them into the ground.  This will be where the lifespan of your fence will be compromised.
9. If you are fixing the posts with concrete then make sure they are upright before compacting them in.
10. Fix the intermediate posts before adding the fencing.
11. Fix your gates to posts.

For Gabion Baskets

7. Dig out the foundation trench along the line that you wish to install the baskets.
8. Ensure that the concrete is laid correctly, and leveled.
9. You may find it easier to fill the baskets in-situ depending upon the size rather than fill them and then try to move them.
10. Fill baskets and line where required.

For metal fencing

7. Follow post installation as wooden fencing.
8. Once fence posts are in position attach fencing.

If you are thinking about your fencing but are not sure how to build a fence around a garden be assured that it is not a difficult task, although it is labor intensive.  You can do this yourself and save yourself money on a contractor.  Renewing fencing brings many benefits, and changes the look of the entire property adding value, and increasing resale appeal.

Author: Kyle Baxter

Kyle Baxter is married with one young son. A very short career in investigative journalism, and a particularly unfortunate experience over the purchase of a major household appliance that took many months to resolve when he could ill-afford the costs led Kyle to his current position as a consumer champion. When not seeking out guidance on the best-on-the-market Kyle enjoys watching baseball and tries to get away from the house long enough to do some off-road cycling.