A yard fence is designed to keep a homeowner’s possessions safe and to keep intruders out while providing privacy. There are several tips for installing a yard fence. For example, wooden fence posts should be used with each one spaced several inches apart. Post holes need to be dug and packed with gravel before adding preservative. Brace the posts with wooden stakes and add dirt or concrete around the base to keep them in place before using railings to finish the job off. Barrier and privacy screen fences are just two examples of what can be built to protect a yard.
Fence posts should never be set more than 8 inches (20 cm) apart. This spacing depends entirely on the type of yard fence that is being built. Use chalk to draw a straight line to mark out where the fence is to be built. Begin with the end or corner post and work towards the center.
Drive small wooden stakes into the ground to show where the post holes have to be dug. The structural strength of a yard fence depends on where the posts are positioned. These wooden posts should have about one third of the their total length buried in the ground.
When digging the post holes, make the bottom a little larger than the top. Place some gravel at the bottom of each hole to stop moisture getting into the bottom of the stakes. Excessively wet stakes will rot, thereby compromising the strength of the yard fence. Place some wood preservative on sections of the posts that are underground. Allow the posts to soak in the preservative overnight.
After packing the posts with more dirt or concrete, make sure they are set straight. Place the small wooden stakes beside the posts to brace them while the concrete, if preferred to dirt, sets. If dirt is used, it should be patted with a shovel to ensure it is tightly packed around the posts.
When a post is set in position, use concrete to build a mound around the base to prevent water from building up. The corner and end posts must have extra bracing as they are carrying the weight of the fence in two directions. The posts should be left to stand for several days before adding the rails. It may be a good idea to cap or slant the top of each post to prevent water accumulating and rotting the wood.
Nail rails to the top and bottom of the posts to strengthen the yard fence further. Rails added to the center of the posts should be attached with metal brackets. Measure all railings to ensure they are in perfect alignment.
There are different types of yard fence that can be built. A barrier fence ensures that intruders have a hard time getting in and out of the yard but this type of fence offers little privacy. A privacy screen fence can be built as high as the homeowner wishes as long as it complies with local building codes. Its primary purpose is to keep prying eyes off a yard.
