As they say, if you’re going to do a job, do it right. This holds true to the T in every possible department you try your hands on. From deciding what should be the interior of your house to building a fence to safeguard your privacy, everything should be near-perfect.
Although constructing a fence looks quite easy, it isn’t in reality. So before you dig your hands on any new project, consider these mistakes people often make while building a new fence around their house.
- Poor planning: The planning stage is the most important stage of all. It is the foundation upon which everything is laid. Don’t neglect any minute detail during this stage. Here are some tips you should keep in mind while planning/ building for a fence:
- Review your plat to be sure that you know where your property ends and measure the area multiple times so that you know exactly how many materials to order.
- Research potential fencing materials carefully, and study your preferred product before purchasing it. Think about the quality, durability, warranty, and maintenance in addition to the cost and appearance.
- Next, be sure that you have the tools needed to install a fence. You may be able to borrow or rent the tools you don’t have.
- After that, research your local zoning laws. There may be ordinances prohibiting certain types, styles, and sizes of fences. And if you’re building a fence to surround a pool, additional safety codes will apply.
- Misjudged measurements: Precise measurements are the backbone of any structure. Be double-sure to measure the area multiple times (where the structure is about to be constructed). Accurate measurements will let you get an idea about the exact amount of raw material you would need for building a fence. In addition, you will need to know the sizes of the sections you will need so that you can modify sections beforehand if necessary.
- Not using enough concrete: The quick-drying concrete you pour into the fence post holes is a crucial ingredient for a durable, long-lasting fence. One of the most common DIY fence installation mistakes is that the homeowner won’t use enough concrete, which doesn’t allow the posts to set correctly. If doing it properly, for a standard-sized yard you’ll end up using 120 to 160 pounds of concrete. Pouring enough concrete will make the fence post secure and stay stronger for a longer period of time.
- The fence post holes aren’t dug deep enough: When making the holes for your fence posts, it is important to be consistent and to ensure they are deep enough. FencePro recommends making the post holes between 30 inches and 36 inches deep depending on the specific fence type you buy. Going through the installation steps too quickly and making the post holes too shallow can weaken the fence. If the holes are too shallow, the fence may begin to tilt to one side and even fall over completely.
- Ignoring Inclines: Most yards have a slope, whether slight or significant. Even if you can barely see the incline or decline of a slope, it could have a profound impact on your fence’s installation. Account for the grade when purchasing and building your fence, and be sure to adjust panels as necessary to create a neat and uniform final product. You may wish to find a fence that can easily be racked, for example, so that the pickets remain vertical, the top of the fence is even, and the bottom has an even gap that follows the slope of the land.
- Gate installation issue: One of the most challenging parts of installing/ building your fence is installing the gate. Since gate panels have more moving parts than standard fence panels, they tend to give homeowners trouble. Plus, pool fences and gates have strict legal requirements that you need to follow — make sure you know what your town requires before you start the install.
- Not waterproofing the bottom lip: You must ensure waterproofing the bottom lip of the rails and boards. Since water will always run down, you will often see bubbling in the paint at the bottom areas of the rails and boards. Many people forget that the water will be sucked up into the wood and cause irreversible damage, such as rotting and warping. By sealing this area, your wooden fence will last a lot longer compared to other fences.
A fence is a major investment and its installation can be tricky sometimes, so if you don’t feel confident installing it yourself, go ahead and hire professionals. FencePro can do the job for you at a very nominal rate. Besides being one of the trusted fence constructors in Canada, we have the tools, training, and experience necessary to do the job right. In addition, of course, we avoid all the common fence installation mistakes listed above.