Some say fences are as important outdoors… as walls are indoors. Here are tips and tricks on how to build a sleek fence that will make your neighbours jealous.

Before Photos:

Fence Building Rules 

Neighbours:  The very first thing you should do if you share a property line, is to let neighbors know you’ll be doing work. It’s a nice courtesy and will always make the job run smoother and establish the property line.

Fence Height: As you can see in the reference photos below, this fence is on a corner lot and backs onto the sidewalk, so that shouldn’t be an issue, but before you build you should consult local bylaws for height requirements. You do not want to be in a situation where you have to cut the fence down to height later.

Call before Digging: Also be sure to consider everyone’s safety. Before you dig you must always call or consult your utility providers to ensure you do hit any under ground services.

Demoing Posts 

Old fence posts are easy to pull out of the ground, they’ve lived their life expectancy and are most likely rotted and soft. Offset the new posts from the old ones- leave the old concreate for ease.

Building New Posts  

The post needs to be set with concrete at a depth of four feet to ensure the frost does not move them. Setting the posts is by far the hardest part of the job so it’s strongly recommended to hire a post hole digger to drill and set the posts. They are worth every dollar and the rest of the job is much more DIY- friendly.

In terms of wood for these posts, pressured treated 4x4s were used. Make sure to plan out the spacing in between the posts 8’-10’ creating even sections around the perimeter. It’s very important to do this in as straight a line as possible. Measure with string to make sure you’re getting straight lines, this is definitely harder than it looks!

Building Your Fence Frame and Caps 

To build the actual fence; use pressure treated lumber boards and cap them with these 2x4s on either end for a sleek look. Make 8-10 foot sections for no waste because material is expensive. Screwing fences together feels much strong, and is also easier to fix and repair down the road. Also be sure to use the correct screws, since this is outside regular screws could rust and break.

After you’ve attached your fence boards, can cap the posts with these fence caps to add another design detail. Since we used pressure treated wood, this beautiful sturdy fence now has an average life expectancy of 25-30yrs.