Planning the work

Prefabricated fence panels are made to standard 1.8m (6') width. They are generally available in four heights - 900mm (3'), 1.2m (4'), 1.52m (5') and 1.8m (6'). Trellis panels can be used for decorative screening, either separately or along the top of a panel fence.

Before you buy your posts, decide whether you want to set them in concrete or post supports.

Concreting fence posts into the ground will ensure that your fence is sturdy, but it does require a considerable amount of work. Also, your posts need to be at least 600mm (2') longer than the height of the panels. Being buried in the ground, there is a slightly higher risk that the posts will rot. Using metal post supports overcomes some of these problems, and you can erect a fence relatively quickly. The material costs are about the same.