How to Install a Garden Fence Yourself

Putting up a small garden fence can be an easy and rewarding task. Here are a few tips on installing them. Before doing any kind of digging, be sure to call your local utility company and have them mark underground utility lines.

The most basic and easiest type of fence is a plastic mesh or wire mesh fencing material like chicken wire. This is usually one to two feet tall and usually is made with small openings so animals cannot get through it. For this, you just need to use a wood stake or buy fencing stakes and pound them into the ground so that it is at least a third is below ground. Do this every 2-3 feet around the perimeter of your garden. Then attach the mesh fencing material to the stakes with either a staple gun, wire ties, or if you purchased fencing stakes you can hang it on the hooks. This kind of fencing is usually cheap and quick to install. It makes a good temporary fence to protect gardens during the growing season.

A picket fence is a decorative option that is easy to install. You can choose from vinyl, PVC or wood for materials. Now measure where your postholes will go and mark your posthole locations with spray paint or flags. To get started, use a posthole digger or shovel to dig holes for the posts. You will want to install all corner posts first. If you are using wood, it's best to use treated materials whenever possible. You may want to use concrete to help set the posts in place. A good rule of thumb is 2 feet deep into the ground with concrete stabilizing it. You might want to go below the frost line if you live in a cold climate. Quik-crete is a simple material you can use to set posts into the ground. Most picket fence panels come in specified lengths, so be sure to measure carefully. Attach the panels to the posts using deck screws or another rust resistant screw. Clamps will be helpful if you don't have a helper.

If you are looking for an even more decorative fencing material to accent your garden, you can choose from many different styles of fencing and materials. From bamboo, to iron there is something for everybody. You just need to be sure to match the material and look with what you are trying to accomplish.

Putting up a garden fence can be simple to complex depending on what materials you are using and the accessible the area you are trying to install the fence is. There is a wide variety of fencing materials to choose from. You can be as basic or extravagant as possible. Here are a few good resources to help you decide.

Sources:

http://www.doityourself.com/scat/fences

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/spacedpicket

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,345314,00.html

www.Acehardware.com

http://landscaping.about.com/od/fencedesignconstruction/ht/wood_fence_post.htm