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Garden Fence Installation Tips

Do you want, or require, a high or low fence? One with a trellis?  Do you want stone or wooden posts, and have you considered its strength, durability and quality during high winds; especially if you live at the top of a hill or any kind of incline?  At the risk of replicating the barrage of questions we face when merely requesting a coffee, all of the above factors are relevant if wanting to avoid the unnecessary situation of replacing shoddy work and products. Being aware of a few simple tips can save you time, money and

How do I make my life easier when planning a fence replacement?

Like many domestic jobs, all of the above can be saved in preliminary planning. Measure the width of your fencing [normally around six feet], and cut a piece of timber accordingly. This will help in the planning process by allowing you to predetermine the arrangement of your posts. Starting with the statutory builders plumb-line, aided by your trusty spirit level, this will totally improve your chances of a straight and sturdy construction. These two simple tools are a fencing experts best friends. A proper and extensive job cannot be completed without them.

Will I need a cement mixer?

In most cases, no. Of course, you will need a concrete mix, but simply ask your friendly garden centre for a ready-mix concrete called Postmix. Once you’ve dug out the holes for your posts, simply pour dry Postmix in, mixing with water and shaping the sides of mix sloping downwards to stop watering gathering after its dried out.

Do you recommend wooden or concrete posts?

Concrete posts will obviously last much longer, but you can extend the life of a wooden post by pre-applying a coating of bitumen, or soaking the last foot of your posts in a treatment solution overnight. Both are as equally effective, as is spraying your fence to defend against all weathers. Of course, many YouTube short-clip videos are available, as is a recommendation from your friendly garden centre regarding product and application .

What are the boards that run along the bottom of the fencing?

You may have noticed that some fencing is held up by a horizontal board, known in the trade as a gravelboard or kickboard? Equally, there is one that often runs along the top, which we refer to as a capboard. These are excellent purchases; One, because they preserve the life of your fencing giving a sturdier construction, two, because they allow much hardier treatment, especially after the children have used your new and impressive run of fencing as goalposts.

  • Identify what kind of fencing you require, whether with wooden or concrete posts and with or without gravel boards
  • Measure your fence, and work out the distances between them using a tape measure, spirit level and string plum-lines to keep your construction straight and true
  • Dig out holes for your fence posts, sprinkle some gravel to allow possible water flow, making the holes wide and deep enough to take your posts and Postmix concrete mix, constantly aware of keeping a congruous height for all posts.
  • Pour dry Postmix in to the dug out holes, pouring water on top. Mix, then slope the concrete away to allow for further drainage capability.
  • Sand down areas that have been sawn, apply preservatives for longer-lasting life
  • Add gravel boards and/or trellis’s according to personal tastes
  • Further protection can be added by the purchase of shaped caps to top your wooden fence post

Johnson Land Services are a trusted local landscaping company with over 17 years of experience. We’re one of Kent’s largest fencing specialists for both domestic and commercial customers within 25 miles of Tunbridge Wells. If you are looking for reliable service and quality wooden fencing, we are the right choice, so for a free consultation please don’t hesitate to get in touch today.