Having a gap between the bottom of your fence and the ground can make yard maintenance and clean up much easier. Uneven landscaping or ground cover can make it difficult to mow, weed eat, and edge around your fence.
Between the posts, a fence should be a few inches above the ground. For yards that are relatively flat this isn't much of a problem. For yards with large changes in grade, there are a number of different ways to handle it. There are a number of different ways to handle sharp changes in grade.
To fill the space between the fence and the ground, use horizontal pieces of wood rather than bricks. Cut the wooden boards uniformly after measuring them. This is one of the best choices if you have a wooden fence because it will blend in flawlessly.
When building a wood fence, be sure to plan for a space between the pickets and the ground. In most applications, a wood fence should be installed at least two inches off the ground.
In EN ISO 13857, 180 mm is given. However EN ISO 11161 for integrated manufacturing system allows 200 mm. It is safer to go for 180 mm or less (our machine guard X-Guard has as standard 100 mm) to prevent persons from accidentally sliding into a hazard zone underneath a fence.
To get a perfectly square corner, you want to aim for a measurement ratio of 3:4:5. In other words, you want a three-foot length on your straight line, a four-foot length on your perpendicular line, and a five-foot length across. If all three measurements are correct, you'll have a perfectly square corner.
How much bottom clearance is required? You should allow for a clearance of at least three inches and no more than six inches under your driveway gate. A gate that's placed too high above the ground will look like it's floating, and one that's too close to the ground will look more like a fence than a gate.
Mark rail placement
The bottom rail should be located at least six inches above the ground. This helps keep the boards away from ground moisture, preventing decay, and makes it easier to trim grass if present.
Rocks. Rocks can be a great way to fill up the gap underneath your fence for cheap. All you need to do is get small to medium size rocks and fill them in the gap space. This method is a good choice if you don't have dogs that are particularly stubborn when it comes to getting out.
Windproof fence panels that let the wind pass through. It is known that the best fence panels for windy areas are the ones that let the winds pass through. This means that the fence panels need to have gaps left between the boards, in order to release the wind pressure from the panels.
To prevent these types of rot there are some actions you can take: Use rot-resistant, pressure-treated wood when selecting your fence material; during installation ensure that your posts are correctly installed clear of soil contact; finally, maintain your fence by regularly cleaning it and staining it.
1. Build a Berm. One of the most effective ways of preventing water from reaching your home is to construct a raised barrier made of soil called a berm. Not only are berms effective and generally easy to install, but they also add to the aesthetic value of your property.
A kickboard, sometimes known as a "rot board," is a piece of wood that's placed on the bottom of a fence and is in contact with the ground. Kickboards are typically pressure-treated. Pressure treating is a process where wood is treated so that it becomes resistant to rot, decay, and pest infestation.
We suggest you face the “good” side of your fence towards your neighbour. Here's why: It's simply the polite thing to do, and could help foster good relations with even the toughest of neighbours.
Metallic fences enclosing, and other metal structures in or surrounding, a substation with exposed electrical conductors and equipment shall be grounded and bonded to limit step, touch, and transfer voltages.
You can often guess who owns a fence by looking at where the frames are – the builders or property owners should have put the fence up facing away from their own property so their neighbour gets the 'good' side. This should be repeated with the neighbour on the other side so each home has one 'bad' and one 'good' side.
A kickboard is a piece of pressure-treated wood that is placed on the bottom of the fence and is meant to be in direct contact with the ground. Because it's pressure treated, it's more resistant against rot and pests, which will help the rest of your fence last longer.
First, the fence itself is likely to be weaker if it's not built on level ground. Second, an uneven fence is more likely to fall over, which could cause serious injury to anyone who happens to be nearby.
A lean-in or L-footer will do the trick. You make a lean-in by taking some farm wire and attaching it to the top of your fence so that it creates a sort of awning on the inside. Your dog will see fencing above them and that should deter any climbing.
Screws should never be used when installing a wood fence. While research shown that nails are better for the installation of a wood fence, using the right type of nail is paramount. The list of nails available at your local hardware store is endless, and each nail is designed for a specific purpose.
To summarise, unless there is sufficient space on the property to accommodate your driveway gate opening fully, swing gates should be installed to open inwards — it's the safest and most sensible solution. To maximise space, it could be worth considering a metal gate that slides open rather than swings.
Position the gate between the posts and place some packers underneath it to hold it in place. Now place packers either side of the gate to even out the gaps and hold the gate in place whilst fitting the hinges. The gaps between the gate and posts should be around 10mm.
Our top tip is to match your gate with your fencing, whether that's in design or colour. It extends the space, looks consistent and stylish. Keep the gate and the fence height at roughly the same level. If you're using the gate as a side entrance, we recommend the gate's height is level with the top of a wall.
There really isn't a “good” side. Some customers feel that the smooth side or the picket fence side is nicer looking and so many prefer to see this side. It is important to note that any fence visible from the street should have the smooth side facing out toward the street. Many if not most HOA's require this.
Fences are typically built between 2 and 8 inches from the line between properties. Some areas will allow the building of fences directly on the property line, but in this case, you'll have to cooperate with your neighbor and potentially share the cost of the fence.