DIY guide: Garden fences

The purpose of a garden fence should be to enhance your surroundings and compliment your home but sometimes the fence you have in mind is not commercially available. With a bit of know-how and the right tools, DIY installation is a perfectly viable choice.

Getting started on your garden fence

Once you've established what type of fence you'd like to build, the next step is to do your research on what you'll need to take into consideration to complete the project. These considerations should include

• The materials/tools you'll need to construct your fence
• Whether to purchase a ready-to-install fence or to build it from scratch
• The purpose of the fence, are there any safety issues to consider?
• Whether you need to outsource any part of your fencing plan
• Do you need to notify or get approval from any local government bodies?

It pays to look into these issues before you actually begin construction on your fence to avoid any problems cropping up during construction or worse, after the job is finished.

Fencing: Preparing your garden site

As with any handy work, site preparation is vital if your fence is going to be successful. Depending on the type of fence you plan to install, you may need to put in concrete footings, strainers or some other reinforcing work to ensure your fence is going to be stable. If you're unsure, find out before you begin the job.

The materials you choose to build with and the overall height of your fence will dictate what type of preparation work, if any, that you'll need to do. If your fence requires footings, make sure they are deep enough and of the correct construction to safely support your fence as taking short cuts at this point will impact negatively on the life of the fence and could even make it unsafe.

Don't be shy about asking for help either if there are some aspects of the installation that you are unsure about. If in any doubt, consult with someone who can help you with information or, in the case of a ready-to-install fence, talk to the manufacturer.