Panel Fencing Installation

The first question is not technical but practical: where exactly is your boundary? If you are not sure, have it marked out by a land surveyor. A fence that ends up a few centimetres on the neighbour's land is a classic source of disputes, and moving it later means a lot of work.

Whether your fence needs permission, a notification or nothing at all depends on local building regulations. Height, position and whether the fence runs along a public road or footpath often matter. Do not assume that "a fence never needs permission". Check with your local building authority before you order materials, and ask whether local planning rules set limits on fence height or appearance. If you live in a flat or a shared development, talk to the building management or owners' association first.

Before digging, find out whether any underground services run along the boundary: gas, electricity, water or telecom cables. Contact the utility companies or the local service locating scheme to have them marked. On a shared boundary it also makes sense to agree with your neighbour which side the footings will be on and who will look after the fence.

Setting out and spacing the posts

The fence line is marked with pegs and a tight string line. Post spacing is never guessed: it follows the panel width and the manufacturer's fixing system. A typical panel is roughly 2.5 m wide, so the posts must sit exactly at that spacing. Work starts at the corners and at any gate, because these are fixed points and everything else is adjusted to them.

Digging and concreting

A hole is dug or augered for each post. Depth is usually around 60 to 80 cm, and more for taller fences, corner posts and soft ground. In areas with cold winters it is worth going below the local frost depth so that frost cannot push the posts up. Each post is set in, plumbed with a spirit level in both directions and concreted.

Fixing the panels

Panels are attached to the posts with clips, clamps or bolted brackets from the same system. Installers work steadily from one end to the other so that small errors do not add up. If gravel boards are used, they go into their brackets at ground level before the panels.

Final tightening and checks

Finally the whole line is checked for straightness and level, and every fixing is tightened. Overtightening can damage the zinc or plastic coating, though, and that leads to rust later.

• 3D panels have V-shaped bends pressed into the mesh to stiffen it. They are the usual choice for houses and gardens.
• 2D panels are flat, with double horizontal wires. They are stiffer and suit places where the fence has more to resist, such as along a road or around a business site.
• Finish: galvanising alone protects against rust, while galvanising plus a powder or plastic coating lasts longer and looks more uniform.
• Posts should come from the same system as the panels and have the same finish. Stronger profiles are used at gates and corners.
• Concrete gravel boards close the gap at ground level, stop dogs digging underneath and make mowing easier.
• Ground screws or bolt-down post bases are alternatives to concrete. Bolt-down bases suit an existing low wall, and ground screws are better for lower, less loaded fences.

The simplest situation is flat ground with soft, stone-free soil, good access and no old fence in the way. The work takes noticeably longer and gets more demanding with:

• a slope, where the rigid panels have to be stepped and every section adjusted for height,
• stony ground, tree roots or old concrete footings in the way,
• removing and disposing of the old fence,
• many corners, changes of direction and short runs where panels have to be cut,
• gates, which need stronger posts and more precise measuring,
• poor access for machinery, so concrete and materials have to be carried by hand.

• Posts set "roughly right". If the spacing does not match the panel width, the panel will not fit or has to be forced and bent.
• Shallow or weak footings. The fence looks fine at first, then starts leaning after the first winter or a strong wind.
• Loading posts before the concrete has cured. The posts shift and the line ends up wavy.
• Untreated cut ends. A shortened panel has bare steel at the cut. If it is not painted with a protective coating, rust starts right there.
• Mixing parts from different systems. The clips do not grip properly and the panels rattle.

On level ground and at a normal fence height you can handle the job yourself. A second person helps a lot, along with a spirit level, string line, a manual or powered post-hole auger and patience with measuring. Leave slopes, automated gates and tall security fencing to a professional installer.

1. Confirm the boundary, check the rules with the building authority and have underground services marked.
2. Mark the fence line with pegs and string, starting at the corners and the gate.
3. Measure out the post positions exactly according to the panel width and the manufacturer's instructions.
4. Dig the holes to the required depth and put a little gravel in the bottom.
5. Set the end posts, plumb them with a spirit level and concrete them in.
6. Run a string line between the end posts at the height of their tops and set the remaining posts to it.
7. Let the concrete cure as the manufacturer states, usually at least one to two days.
8. Fit the gravel boards if they are part of the fence.
9. Offer up the first panel, fix it with the clips and check it is level.
10. Carry on panel by panel towards the end of the fence.
11. Cut the last panel to length if needed and paint the cut with a protective coating.
12. Tighten all fixings and go along the whole line once more with the spirit level.

• Posts are plumb and their tops line up
• Panels are straight, without sagging, and sit at the same height above the ground
• The fence does not move when pushed gently and the panels do not rattle
• All clips and bolts are tight and come from one system
• The coating is not scratched and all cut ends are painted
• The concrete around the posts is finished neatly and sheds water away from them
• The fence follows the agreed line and stays within the boundary
• Gates open easily and do not catch