DIY Garden Fence Project: How to Build a Garden Fence

A garden fence is a structure that surrounds your garden space to prevent pests and other unwanted intruders from accessing your plants and produce. There are numerous types of garden fences that are both functional and stylish while protecting your plants, increasing your space’s privacy, and enhancing the curb appeal of your home. Typical materials for garden fences often include metal wiring and wood supports.

The cost of building a DIY fence depends on the type of fence you choose and your experience with the required tools and materials. If you have experience with easy DIY projects and basic power tools at your disposal, the process of installing your fence can be straightforward and relatively easy.

For those with limited building experience, manufacturers craft simple garden fence project options involving easy installation and step-by-step instructions or tutorials. Hiring contractors to build your garden fence will add to the cost of your project, but if you have chosen an intricate fence design, it might ultimately save you some time and headache to consult a professional.

You can get creative with a garden fence design, but keep in mind the specific critters prevalent in your region and how the fence style might enhance your surrounding landscaping. Here are four DIY garden fence ideas you can consider when it comes to protecting your garden:

1. 1. Metal fence: If your goal is to prevent bunnies from pillaging the veggies from your vegetable garden, a metal fencing option might be the quickest and most cost-effective remedy. You can purchase sections of chain link fence or build your own wire fence with hog wire or chicken wire from a local hardware store. Ensure that the gaps between the wire mesh are tight enough to prevent small animals from squeezing through and deep enough to deter critters from burrowing underneath.
2. 2. Picket fence: A white picket fence is synonymous with suburban comfort, but it can also protect your flower beds from the occasional family of deer or children who might trample them. Similar to several metal fencing options, picket fences retail in sections that you can install in a short amount of time. You will need to repaint a wooden picket fence every few years, but cheaper synthetic options are available that require limited maintenance.
3. 3. Privacy fence: Unlike a traditional split rail fence that has large gaps between fence rails, a privacy fence design blocks or impairs the view of traffic or passersby into your yard. A traditional privacy fence consists of horizontal fence panels supported by vertical fence posts. However, you can use pallets or wattle to achieve the same shielding effect. Wattle fencing can provide a natural and rustic aesthetic, but it is insufficient in deterring larger animals. A pallet fence is simple to install since the paneled structure is already present. It can also be eco-friendly if you use discarded pallets that would have otherwise ended up in the trash.
4. 4. Wooden fence: Capable of creating an attractive, protective perimeter for your raised garden beds, a wooden fence with a garden gate can be a sturdy barrier to large animals like deer or elk but will do little to deter smaller pests. You can add wire mesh to lower sections of the wooden fence rails to keep small critters out.

Different styles of fencing will require various methods of installation. However, the principles of fence building are universal—plan, support, secure, and finish.

1. 1. Plan your project. Use a measuring tape to notate the dimensions of the perimeter and the preferred height to which you wish to build your fence. Draw a rough sketch that includes the design and materials you will be using. Knowing the dimensions of your fence will also help you estimate the materials and costs necessary to complete the project. If you are building an exterior fence, consult your local homeowner’s association or city offices to ensure you will be placing your fence on your property lot and that the construction will also abide by local guidelines.
   
2. 2. Support the horizontal members of the fence. Use vertical supports or adjacent structures to stabilize the horizontal sections of the fence. For a traditional wooden fence, use a post hole digger and shovel to dig holes into the earth where you will place the corner posts. You can select pressure-treated lumber for your posts to give your vertical supports more moisture-resistance to deter wood rot. For taller fences with heavy paneling, it is best practice to fill the hole with concrete for added stability. If your plan calls for a gate, you will need to add additional posts on both sides of the gate to accommodate hinges and other hardware.
3. 3. Secure the material around the perimeter. Attachment hardware will accompany metal fences so you can link each section of the fence together. For wooden fences, you can typically attach horizontal panels or vertical pickets by driving deck screws into the rails that run between the posts. Ensure your deck screws are long enough to penetrate through the paneling and into the rails but not too long to protrude through to the other side. You can also utilize a string line and level to confirm that your fence remains level and plumb (straight vertically) during installation.
   
4. 4. Finish the material if needed. Once you have completed the installation process of your fence project, you should take measures to maintain the fence materials. Keep metal fences clean of debris and check for rust regularly. Consider sealing, staining, or painting wooden fences to keep the lumber in good condition.

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