MyHammer Newsroom UK

Wooden fences aren’t just dividers to stop nosy neighbours keeping track of everything you do; they can also be used as a mount for wall climbers and play an important role in the feel and look of a garden. Building a fence yourself isn’t rocket science, but it can require a certain amount of skill. You can either get one built by an experienced fencing company by posting a job online on a trades and services platform like MyHammer.co.uk, or you can read the following guide and try doing it yourself.

Hardware stores offer lots of readymade fence panels that come in enough different shapes, sizes and designs to meet anyone’s needs. First of all you need to find out exactly how much fence you need. To do this, carefully measure the side of the garden where the fence will go – any mistakes could really spoil the look and cause future problems.

How many panels do you need?

It’s also important to assess how close together the panels should sit, so that you can calculate exactly how many you need. You should buy a few extra as replacements for any that get damaged in the future, or during the erection process. Depending on what you bought, it may be necessary to treat the wood before the next step.

Laying foundations is an important step

Once you have all the right materials you can start measuring and marking out where each panel will go. Using a line and pins can help you maintain a nice straight line. Along this line you can start digging the holes for the fence posts; a depth of around 50cm (19.7 in) is recommended to ensure stability.
For a long-lasting and rigid fence you should lay concrete foundations and, if possible, use a frame to stop wooden posts coming into contact with the ground. Also make sure the posts are left high enough to ensure that the panels don’t touch the ground when you’re done. Make sure you compact the cement well (don’t forget to use a spirit-level for each post) then fill in the top of the holes around the posts with earth.
Once the foundations have dried, you can simply fit the panels to the posts. Depending on where you bought it, the fence should come with either pegs or screws to securely fasten the panels to the brackets on the posts.

Professional tradesmen for concrete foundations

For really robust fences it might be better to let a professional tradesman build the concrete foundations, with concrete fence posts, so that you can easily slot panels in yourself. Check with your supplier to see how often you need to reapply wood stain or paint. Once you’ve erected the fence, you can add trellises to the fence panels and plants such as Chilean glory vine (Eccremocarpus scaber), Clematis armandii or the chocolate vine Akebia quinata. Now sit back and enjoy!

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Tags: Fence, Garden

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