Adding a fence or upgrading your current backyard fence is a great way to increase the appeal of your outdoor space in addition to its many practical benefits.
This post will look at a few reasons to consider installing a backyard fence and then detail how to install your fence, allowing you to create your perfect backyard retreat.
Let’s start by looking at why you should install a backyard fence.
Why Install a Backyard Fence?
Privacy
The primary reason homeowners choose to install a backyard fence is to increase their privacy. Especially in neighbourhoods where homes are close together, a fence is an important tool in making your space feel private.
Safety
Secondly, a new fence enhances the safety of your backyard. A well-built fence will keep unwanted animals out, reducing lawn and garden damage caused by animals digging in your yard.
Also, fencing will keep children and pets safely inside your yard without worrying about anyone getting out.
Peace of Mind
Third, give yourself peace of mind by adding physical security to your property. Fencing adds protection to your property by deterring intruders and preventing trespassing.
It also protects your backyard from the eye line of neighbours and passersby, ensuring the expensive items are better protected from theft. Out of sight, out of mind!
Increase Property Value
Finally, adding a fence can positively impact your property value. Potential homebuyers value fenced-in yards for many reasons, offering an excellent opportunity to capitalize on this potential.
Protection
Sturdy fencing enables you to better protect plants and trees from the elements. Fencing can also help limit debris from nearby trees from reaching your yard, pool or water feature.
Choosing the Right Backyard Fence for Your Space
Installing a new fence can be an expensive DIY project if you’re not prepared. Develop a budget to determine how much money you can spend on new fencing. Then, look at how much space you need to cover and how much fencing material will be required.
Planning Your Fence Project
Consider Your Materials
The first step in planning your fencing project is considering the necessary materials.
Choosing the appearance of your fence is the most crucial step, as your fence will be a feature of your yard for years to come. Plus, you’ll want to consider using a material that offers both durability and an attractive appearance.
Some common fence materials are wood, chain link, vinyl or metal.
Each fence material offers different levels of privacy based on how the installation methods. Wood, vinyl and aluminum fences can offer near-perfect privacy, with only small gaps between panels. Wrought-iron or chain-link fences have more significant gaps, offering less privacy.
The material you choose will depend on your budget and the size of the area you’d like to fence. For larger yards, simple options, such as chain link fencing, will be much more cost-effective than a cedar-panel fence.
Or, consider mixing and matching your fence materials for a budget-friendly and attractive finish.
There are also more natural alternatives to fencing if you’re just looking to increase the privacy of your yard. Consider a cedar hedge or a row of trees or shrubs to add greenery and solitude to your space.
Determine Where to Install
Generally, a backyard fence is installed along the perimeter of your property. One or two gates are usually included as entrances to make it easy to navigate.
Adding a fence can often raise the question of property lines.
Talk with Your Neighbours
Discussing your plans with your neighbours with whom you share a property line is essential to ensure a smooth process. If your fence will be shared between you and the neighbour, agree verbally on the fence and cost arrangements.
Also note that if your neighbour decides to move, the new owner will not be bound by your previous verbal agreement.
To prevent conflict, you can choose to be the sole owner of your fence, locating it entirely on your property. If you select this route, it’s still a good idea to discuss your fencing plans with your neighbours if it will affect their outdoor sight lines.
Be a good neighbour and communicate with others affected by your fencing decisions. If you’d like peace of mind should a neighbour move in the future, consider creating a formal, written agreement with your current neighbour.
Installing Your Perfect Backyard Fence
Next, let’s cover the steps to installing a backyard fence.
Check Property Lines
Ensure you know where your fence will be installed. If it will be a shared fence, ensure everything is settled with your neighbours.
Since this project involves digging on your property, checking for underground hazards, such as power, cable, or gas lines, is crucial.
At least business five days before you plan to dig, contact Ontario OneCall. They will notify buried infrastructure owners, who will come and mark any property areas to avoid while digging.
Decide on Materials and Features
Pick your fence materials, such as wood, wrought iron, etc. and essential features, such as gates.
Measure and Mark the Area
Once you know where the fence will be located, measure the perimeter and place small wood markers along the length. Use a taut string line to create a straight connecting line between each ground marker.
For corners where the fence will meet at 90 degrees, ensure the corners are square using the 3-4-5 method.
Measure the distance between each fence post based on the width of your panels, which are often 6 feet wide.
Dig Post Holes
Next, dig the holes for the fence posts. A few tools are available to help with this, such as a post-hole digger or auger.
The depth of your fence post holes will depend on the fence’s height, your area’s frost line, and the soil conditions (deeper if sandy). A general rule is to, at a minimum, dig holes one-third deep of the expected height of the fence. For a 6-foot tall fence, dig holes at least 2 feet deep.
Insert Fence Posts and Secure
Once your holes are dug, it’s time to insert the fence posts. A combination of gravel and concrete is ideal for securing the fence posts.
Add 4-5 inches of gravel to the empty hole and compact it. Then, add your fence post. Position it and ensure it’s perfectly level, adding braces to support it during placement. Add concrete mix to the hole, sloping it away slightly from the post while securing it in place.
Fill the hole around the post with a concrete mix within 6 inches of the grade.
Attach Fence Panels and Rails
Now that the fence posts are in place, you can add the panels. An important consideration at this stage is to ensure your fence panels are placed with the seams facing inward toward your property, no matter what material you are using. This will create a seamless finish from your neighbour’s side, which is especially considerate if the fence ownership is not shared.
For wood fencing, place the fence panel between two of your posts. Attach it using screws (3-inch deck screws are a good option for this). Connect the fence panels to the posts using at least four screws on each side.
Finish Decorative Features
After adding the fence panels, add any decorative finishing touches, such as fence toppers. Fence caps can also be installed to complete the appearance of fence posts.
Staining or Treating Wood
If your fence is wood, you can stain or treat it to change the colour. Some wood materials may come pre-treated, so you can skip this step if desired.
Conclusion
Once your fence is built, it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy your private backyard!
Many options are available when choosing a fence to install, making it a very rewarding home project.
While there are benefits to completing a fencing project yourself, it can also be a daunting process. Choosing the material, location, and installation can be costly if done incorrectly. If you’re looking for an attractive fencing solution but don’t feel up to handling the process alone, the Raymar team would be happy to help.
Contact us to discuss your fencing project today, and let’s get started!