Putting up wooden fencing for yourself is a very rewarding process and is easier than you think. Fences are often overlooked and taken for granted, but with a little effort they can enhance your garden environment.

Installing a fence

Tools needed

  • String line
  • Spade
  • Fence post
  • Hardcore / gravel
  • Post cement mix
  • Spirit level
  • Timber battens
  • Fence panels
  • Gravel boards
  • Post-caps
  • Finials (optional)
  • U-brackets
  • L-brackets
  • Wood screws
  • Drill

Fixing the fence post directly into soil

  1. Dig out a 600 mm deep and 300 mm wide hole (the depth of this hole should allow a quarter of you fence post to be below ground)
  2. Then fill the hole up to 25 mm with hardcore / gravel
  3. Place the fence post into the ground
  4. Gradually fill the with the dry post mix cement and compact down using the timber batten
  5. Check that the fence post is square using the spirit level
  6. Once the cement is 25 mm from the top of the hole, pour in water
  7. Use temporary batons to secure the fence post into place
  8. Once the cement has hardened, remove the batons and cover the remainder of the hole with soil

Installing the fence panels

  1. Using the string line, mark out the line of the fence and stake the string line where you'd like the fencing to stop
  2. Use a panel board to measure the distance to the next fence post hole
  3. Repeat adding fence posts up to the where you'd like to the fence to end
  4. Between the first two fence posts, attach the L-brackets at the bottom
  5. Attach the base gravel board to the L-brackets, using a spirit level to keep the board square
  6. Next attach the U-brackets 100 to 150 mm from the top of the fence posts and above the gravel board
  7. Pass the panel board through U-brackets and attach
  8. Repeat until you have finished building your new fence line