How to put up a fence

Whether you’re replacing an existing panel or putting up a new fence, it’s a relatively easy job to tackle (you’ll often need planning permission for fences over six feet high - see our planning permission guide). 

You’ll need to be physically fit to dig out the holes for the posts and it’s a good idea to have a friend to hand who can help with jobs like moving the panels into place. Post-fixing concrete mixes set in as little as 15 minutes so putting up a panel doesn’t take long to do.

You will need

• Fence panel
• Fence posts
• Panel clips
• Galvanised nails
• Spade
• Spirit level
• Tape measure
• Post-fixing concrete mix

When buying fence posts, bear in mind that 60cm will need to go below ground to hold the panel firmly in place. If you’re planning to have a trellis, remember to allow for that too.

Step-by-step guide

1 Remove old fencing and unwanted climbers

Remove any old fencing and posts. Climbers you want to keep can be cut back to ground level as they should resprout to cover the new fence. 

Any unwanted climbers, such as ivy, should be removed or killed with weedkiller or they’ll quickly return.

2 Dig the first hole

Dig out a hole for the first post. If you have a fixed point for one end of the fence, such as the house in this case, start there. 

The hole needs to be 60cm (2ft) deep. Make it roughly a spade’s width wide so you have space to put concrete around all sides of the post.

3 Secure the fence post

Place the fence post in the hole. For larger posts it’s worth putting rubble around the base of the post to provide extra support. 

Use a post-fixing concrete mix to set the post in position. Add water according to the instructions on the bag. Check the post is level and make any adjustments before the concrete sets – this takes as little as 15 minutes.

4 Mark the position

Once the concrete holding the first post has set, ask a friend to help you mark the position of the next post. 

Place the fence panel against the first post and either you or your friend can mark the position of the other end on the ground.

5 Attach the fence panel

Dig out the hole for the second post. Attach the fence panel to the first post using panel clips, spacing these evenly up the panel. 

Ensure the bottom of the fence panel won’t rest on the ground (to avoid rot). Nail the clips to the post first, then the panel.

6 Position the second post

Place the second post in the hole and ask a friend to support it while you attach panel clips to it to hold the other end of the fence panel. 

Once the panel is attached to the post, fix the post in position using post-fixing concrete (ensure it’s level).

7 Repeat with additional fence panels

Repeat this process until you have put up all the fence panels you need. If you’re putting a trellis on top (you may need to check how high you can legally have it) screw it to the posts – it’s best to drill holes first to avoid splitting the wood.