Use Stones to Fill Gaps Closer to the Ground
River rocks or painted rocks would make an aesthetically pleasing addition to cover gaps at the bottom of a fence. Select stones between one to three inches in width and gently stack them into place.
Effective Barriers With Gravel Boards
These methods will effectively isolate the soil from your fence posts and panels, as well as strengthening your fence in general. Gravel boards can be timber or concrete, and will raise your fence panels off the ground and away from any damp soil.
Leaving a space between the bottom of your fence and the ground allows for landscaping changes and/or growth, prevents moisture absorption from occurring, and it also makes it easier to do yard maintenance and clean up along the base of the fence.
In most applications, a wooden fence should be mounted at least two inches off the ground. Your posts and rot boards (if you want to mount them) should be the only fence components that come into contact with the ground. Wood pickets are never meant to touch it.
To prevent your fence from rotting, you could stain your wood or seal it. One option is to use a sealant that is resistant to water. Alternatively, you can use sealant with a stain to provide protection for the wood and the colors. You can also invest a bit more in your fence by buying pressure-treated materials.
A kickboard will help your fence last longer. By keeping the main pickets away from moisture and other elements, they'll be less likely to rot. A pressure treated kickboard is specifically designed to handle ground contact so it makes sense to have one on the bottom of your fence.
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.
One of the most important reasons your fence posts should be set in concrete is to keep them plumb and level over time. If all supporting the fence post is loose soil or sand, a good storm with heavy rains and strong winds can leave your fence leaning and posts sagging.
How Deep Should a Fence Post Be? For an average fence post, about 6 to 8 feet tall, prepare to dig a post hole about 2 feet deep. To install a fence post, you'll need a shovel or post digger, a 6-foot level, soil, and gravel or crushed stone. For gateposts, you'll need concrete too.
Long Exposure to Moisture
The rot of fences usually happens with prolonged exposure to moisture. The most common area this happens is near or in the ground. Soil tends to give fence posts prolonged exposure to water.
A quick and easy solution would be to get a 2" x 12" x 10' P.T.board and bury it a few inches into the ground along the fence and screw it into the bottom of the fence. You could extend it as far as you needed along the fence. Get a board rated for ground contact.
A landscape fabric barrier between the soil and the gravel will insulate the ground from the extreme temperatures swings that may occur. A fabric barrier can also prevent some of the evaporation of soil moisture that can occur. Geotextile fabric beneath your aggregate or mulch can also save you time and money.
Center the kickboard under the bottom rail (secured with a cleat), or nail it to the face of the post and the bottom rail. Allow the kickboard to extend at least 4 to 6 inches into the ground to discourage animals from digging under the fence. After you've attached the kickboards you can begin with the siding.
Chicken wire: Bury a sheet of chicken wire along the base of the fence, extending it outwards at a 90-degree angle. This will prevent dogs from digging underneath the fence. You can also run the chicken vertically up the fence to prevent the dog from going through gaps as well.
While that approach makes sense in certain situations, for a lasting installation, experts are more likely to specify a combination of gravel (for drainage) and concrete (for much-needed stability).
With concrete holding the moisture against the wood, wood has no chance and will eventually lose the battle. Now you don't have to lose all hope because it's for certain that the concrete around the post will crack, therefore making it easy to pull out when it starts to rot. Even worse, the concrete cracks early.
While a treated 4x4 may last 10 to 25 years, depending on the wood, the soil, and weather conditions, following the simple steps below could double or triple that number. By comparison, an untreated wood fence post may need replacing in as little as five years.
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.
If your design calls for the fence boards to be installed horizontally, a middle rail won't be necessary. Starting at an end post, mark the placement for rails. The bottom rail should be located at least six inches above the ground.
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.
Kickboards. 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.
A gravel board is a protective board that sits at the bottom of a fence, underneath the panels. Their purpose is to boost the longevity of your fence by raising your fence panels up from the ground slightly, and therefore protecting them from debris, moisture and wildlife damage.
The main cause is the wood having prolonged exposure to moisture in soil which means fence posts decay at ground level – just above the concrete base. This means the post will still be solid below and above the damaged area. Insect infestations can also cause rotting in wooden fence posts.
A wood fence split rail, or picket fence can add value to your home's beauty and security. A wood fence usually lasts approximately 15 years. However, with the proper maintenance, you can extend the life of your wood fence to 20 years or more.