Erecting a Fence

Remove any old fencing and plants that maybe along the boundary. If you have climbing plants that you wish to keep then these can be cut back to ground level and they should resprout to cover the new fence. Any unwanted climbers, such as ivy, should be removed or killed with weedkiller or they can quickly return. Then mark out with string and a couple of wooden pegs to create a straight line along your boundary.

Place the fence post in the hole. For larger posts it’s worth putting some rubble around the base of the post to provide additional support. You can buy special post-fixing concrete mix, which will set extra quickly, mix this up as per the packs instructions. Pour the concrete into the hole and then make sure the post is level with your spirit level before the concrete completely sets. Alternatively you could use post supports which can be either hammered into the ground or bolted to concrete and means you can go for shorter fence posts.

Dig out a hole for the first post. If you have a fixed point for one end of the fence, such as the house, or garage then start there. The hole needs to be 60cm (2ft) deep. Make it roughly a spade’s width wide so you have space to put concrete around all sides of the post.

Once the concrete holding the first post has set, ask your friend to help you mark the position of the next post. Place the fence panel against the first post and either you or your friend can mark the position of the other end on the ground. Dig out the hole for the second post. Attach the fence panel to the first post using panel clips, spacing these evenly up the panel. Nail the clips to the post first, then the panel. To ensure your fence lasts as long as possible, make sure the panels do not rest on the ground as this will increase the chance of rot.

Place the second post in the hole and ask a friend to support it while you attach the panel clips to it to hold the other end of the fence panel. Once the panel is attached to the post, fix the post in position using the post-fixing concrete and ensure it's level. Repeat this process until you have put up all the fence panels you need. If you're putting a trellis on top (you may need to check how high you can legally have it) screw it to the posts – it's best to drill holes first to avoid splitting the wood.