Fences and gates, step by step

1. Posts

A fence rarely falls down in the middle: a post gives, and the whole run goes slack.

1. A third in the ground — An intermediate post goes roughly a third of its length into the ground, 60–80 cm (2–2½ ft). Corner and gate posts 90–120 cm. In soft ground, and below frost depth in cold US and Canadian regions, go deeper.
2. Hole and gravel — Dig the hole with an auger or spade, 10–15 cm wider all round. Put 10 cm of gravel in the bottom so water drains away from the end of the post.
3. Ram in layers — Post upright, thick end down, checked with a spirit level on two sides. Soil and gravel in layers of 10–15 cm, each rammed with a bar until it rings.
4. A mound round the post — Heap the soil round the post into a gentle mound so water runs away from the wood.

Why: A rammed timber post outlasts one set in concrete. Concrete round timber holds water at the ground line, and the wood rots exactly where it breaks.

• Black locust, oak heartwood and sweet chestnut last in the ground; spruce and pine without industrial pressure treatment rated for ground contact rot within a few years.
• Metal posts are concreted in; cap the top of the tube, or it fills with water and splits in a frost.

2. The corner: H-brace

Tight netting or 4–5 wires pull on a corner post with a force of several hundred kilos to over a tonne.

1. Corner and brace post — Corner post 15–20 cm, brace post 12–15 cm, 2.4–3 m (8–10 ft) from the corner post, in line with the fence.
2. Rail at 2/3 of the height — A horizontal rail 10–12 cm thick and 2.4–3 m long, at 2/3 to 3/4 of the post height, housed into the posts or fixed with a pin.
3. The diagonal wire — Double galvanised wire, 3–4 mm, runs from the top of the brace post to the bottom of the corner post.
4. Twist tight with a stick — Tighten the diagonal by twisting it with a stick, then check the corner post is upright.

Why: A post on its own, however thick, will lean. That's why the corner, the end of the fence and both gate posts are braced. If the diagonal wire is fitted the wrong way round, the brace doesn't work.

• Where the fence runs off in two directions from a corner, you need an H-brace in each direction.
• A strut is quicker for short runs: a prop from 2/3 of the post's height down to the ground, on the fence side, at about 45°.

3. Netting and wire · Locked

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4. Timber fences and wattle · Locked

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5. A gate that doesn't sag · Locked

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6. Gate posts · Locked

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