Now is the ideal time to put up new garden fencing – the weather is improving, there’s less rain and no frozen ground to contend with, and the posts and panels will be in place by the height of summer, when you really want to be outside enjoying your garden.
Here Lumberjacks, who supply decorative fence panels to customers in Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe and across Suffolk, provide some top tips on fencing installation.
Choose Your Products
There’s plenty of different fencing types to choose from, including:
- closeboard or overlap fencing, where the wood in the panels overlaps either vertically or horizontally;
- picket fencing, which isn’t ‘solid’ but usually has evenly spaced vertical boards;
- and trellis fencing, where a cross-hatched wooden section is attached to the top of the fence.
Follow this link to find out what fencing we currently have in stock. Your choice may be influenced by how much privacy or security you want, where it’s going in the garden (will it be particularly vulnerable to wind, rain or sun?) and your personal taste. If you aren’t sure what is most suitable, give us a call on 01473 461394 and we will be happy to offer some advice.
You have a choice when it comes to your fence posts too. Concrete will be longer-lasting than wood, as it is less susceptible to rotting and weathering, but it will be much heavier and more difficult to handle.
Another alternative is DuraPost®, where the posts are made from galvanised steel, meaning they will be lighter than concrete but stronger than wood. They won’t rot or warp, and they can withstand the harshest of weather. We have supplied DuraPost® fence posts to customers across Suffolk.
Be Prepared
Before you even start thinking about which type of fence panels to buy, check who owns the boundary if the fence is going to be erected on the edge of your property. If you don’t know, check with your neighbour; and if they don’t know either, contact your solicitor or whoever holds the title deeds to your home and garden. (It’s a good idea to let your neighbour know what you are planning anyway as a courtesy).
There may be something on these which will give a clue to the ownership. If there is a ‘T’ sign on the boundary, then whichever side the top of the T falls is usually the owner, and they are responsible maintaining the boundary.
Next, clear the area of weeds, level it out as far as possible, and mark out the line the panels will follow with some string.
Do Your Maths
Fence panels are nearly always 6ft wide (1.83m) so if you have a 48ft boundary then you will need 8 panels. Don’t forget to add a gravel board underneath for each of the panels. Always add an extra post at the end, as you will need it for stability as well as symmetry. And, if you are setting your posts in concrete, bear in mind that the bottom 2ft of each one should be going underground.
Be Safe
While you are installing the fences, make sure you wear old, comfortable, loose-fitting clothing, including gloves. Have a first aid kit to hand in case there are any problems. Make sure you have all the tools you need before you start, and that they are all in good working order. Remember that sharp-edged tools are actually safer than blunt-edged ones. If you are cutting back or planing something, you should always try to make the cut away from your body rather than towards you.
Posts First…
Dig the holes for the posts first, 6ft apart and three times as wide as the width of the post itself. Once it’s in position, fill in the hole, preferably with Post Mix.
…Then the Panels
Screw the panels to the posts with two or three U-shaped clips per side. Fix them in place using stainless steel screws to avoid any problems with rusting. If necessary, plane off the top of any posts to ensure they are exactly the same height as the panels. For artistic effect you can also add a post cap – again, many different designs are available.
Preserve Your Panels and Posts
Gravel boards are an excellent idea as they will keep your fence panels off the ground and avoid any problem with rotting. They can also be customised so if your ground isn’t level they can ‘square it off’ and you don’t have to adapt your panels at all.
At Lumberjacks we have a wide range of preservatives which will keep your fencing and posts in top condition – all are available here. Remember to paint posts before they go underground. Generally speaking, panels and posts should be retreated every couple of years to keep the threats of weathering, rot and insects at bay.
Decorative Fence Panels in Ipswich from Lumberjacks
At Lumberjacks we have a range of decorative and plainer panels, including those with square panels and lattice designs. You may be able to make them an integral part of the garden by growing plants up and through some of them.
For more tips on how to put up your fence posts and panels, download our ‘How to’ guide which can be found here.
And check out our offers as we have some great deals there – for instance, our Norfolk 1.8m x 1.8m decorative panels have been reduced to £50 each.
