R&L Fence and Deck

Installation Instructions

Privacy Fence

1.      Before installing your fence, you must call your local utility locator to check for buried utility lines.  Begin installing your fence by staking out your fence line, paying close attention to your property markers.  Dig and set your end and corner posts first and run a string line between them to help lay out the line posts in a straight line.  Lay out the line posts according to the proper post center.  Posts for privacy fences are set on 8’ centers.  This means that from the center of one post to the center of the next is 96”, or 91” in between posts.

2.      Dig holes 10” in diameter and 30” deep, or to frost line.  Place a couple of inches of loose dirt or fine gravel in the bottom of the hole for drainage.  Insert the post in the hole making sure it is plumb and lined up with the string.  You may want to use a pole or a board cut to 91” and placed on the ground between posts to space them properly.  Now determine the rough height of your post, this can be done by using a second string along the top of the posts.  Your post should be set a little high at this point so it can be pounded into place later.  Fill the hole around the post with dry post mix or concrete mix and tamp it in the hole to eliminate air pockets.  Plumb your post again. You should use at least one 80 lb bag per post.  You can also pre-mix your concrete and pour it in wet.  

3.      After all your posts have been set, they need to be pounded to the proper height so they all line up and your fence looks good.  When pounding posts down, always use a block of wood on top of the post.  Never strike the post directly.  If you have to raise any posts, make sure you re-tamp the concrete around them to prevent the post from sinking later.  When all your posts are lined up, pour water around your posts to set the concrete.  Your concrete should be about 4” below ground level to allow the water to fill the top of the hole and percolate through the concrete mix.  Each post should be watered twice.  Allow 2-3 days for concrete to set up.

4.      To assemble fence sections, insert steel channel into bottom section of bottom rail.  Insert lock ring in both ends of rail and insert into post.  Install top rail without lock rings.  Install tongue and groove pickets and secure top rail by installing a vinyl block in the top of the post.  This must be screwed into the rail in the top of each post to hold the rail in the post.  After all the fence sections have been installed, glue post caps on with PVC cement.