How to Install Privacy Fence Panels

He is all pine and I am an apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, 'Good fences make good neighbors.'

Robert Frost may have been critical of his neighbor who opined that fences were essential to maintain cordiality between neighbors, but the truth is without them, there would be a lot more discord in an already disharmonious society.

Whether you are using fences for privacy or to mark the territory of your property, they ensure that you do not add fuel to the fire if your neighbor is not exactly your best friend.

Privacy fences can be assembled easily and are not exorbitantly priced. You can select fencing material depending upon your preference and your budget. While vinyl and composite fencing tends to be more expensive, they are more durable and will last you much longer. If you are opting for wooden panels, then you have several designs you can choose from.

You could have panels that are solid, which means there is no space between any two or you could opt for spaced options. Solid ones provide complete privacy, and if you have a swimming pool in your backyard, then you may want to opt for this type in order to keep away peeping toms.

A spaced panel while ensuring that the boundaries of properties are defined, looks attractive. The third type available to you is shadowbox, wherein the look is the same on both sides maintaining the beauty and uniformity of the fence.

Learning how to install these panels is very easy. Just follow the easy steps given further.

Materials

• Hammer
• Saw
• Level
• Tape measure
• Digger
• Drill
• Nails
• 2 x 4 for post bracing
• Fence posts
• Fence panels
• Concrete
• Grade stakes
• String

Directions

1. The first thing that you need to do is measure the area where you want to put up the fence. Ensure that you know its exact length. Do not allow the tape measure to sag as that would cause the measurement to go haywire.

2. Most of them in the market are eight feet long. Remembering this, measure how many panels and posts you will need. Learning to install a post is very easy. More the number of posts, stronger will be the fence. People also put up posts on each side of the gate and at meeting point of two panels. For perfect fit you may cut a panel to match the measurement.

3. Once you have all the tools and materials that you need, lay out the plans that you have designed earlier. If you are unsure about the installation, consult someone who has experience. The main things you need to decide when you are planning the installation are deciding the height of the panels and how you will want the fence to look.

4. Start at one end of the perimeter of the area where you are putting up wooden fences. With a hole digger, make holes about 2 feet deep to bury the posts. As soon as you have dug out all the holes, mix the concrete. Now put a post into each hole and fill it with concrete. Ensure that you fill up the holes well so that the posts do not move about.

5. Leave the concrete to dry overnight. Now, you can start installing the fence. Every panel has a front and back side. Ensure the sides are correctly aligned. The gate is the last thing to be installed. First attach the hinges of the gate and then attach it to the post. Once you attach the gate, you have completed the task of installing a privacy fence.

While putting up the panels, there are some things that you need to keep in mind. One of first things to keep in mind is that do not let the ugly side of the panel to face your neighbor's side. Ensure that you discuss any property disputes with your neighbor and decide on where one person's property ends and the other ones' starts.

You could discuss the probability of a joint fence installation with your neighbor. If it does not work, notify your neighbor before starting the installation of the panels. Once you have installed the fence, maintain it. The main reason for the installation may be privacy, but if you do not maintain the fence, it may spoil the beauty of your house.