- 1). Consult local zoning and building codes. Some areas require you to have a building permit if you construct a fence. Other locations may specify that your fence be a certain distance from public roads. Many areas also outlaw using electric fence in residential areas. Knowing your local building requirements before you start constructing your fence helps eliminate heartache and wasted labor.
- 2). Clear the path for your fence. If there is a fence already in place, remove all old pieces of wire or board. Pull up rotting posts and dispose of them. If you're putting up a new fence, remove all brush and trees along your proposed fence line. A controlled burn helps eliminate unwanted vegetation as well, but if you choose to do this, be sure to consult with the fire department before you start your fire.
- 3). Measure the area that your fence will cover. Now that your entire fence line is cleared, determine the quantity of supplies to buy. Depending upon the size of the fence you're going to construct, you can use a tape measure or string to get a general idea of the length of your fence. If your fence is going to be a large one, consider investing in a measuring wheel, a tool that rolls along on the ground in front of you and automatically measures the distance it covers.
- 4). Install your fence posts, starting with the corners. Using a handheld post hole digger, dig a hole for each corner post. Insert the post in the hole, making sure it is level, then tamp down the dirt around it with a tamping rod. Once all of your corner posts are installed, run a barbed wire along the ground between the corner posts to mark the locations for your line posts. Leave the barbed wire in place, since it will deter predators from digging under your fence. Use your post hole digger to install the line posts in the same way as the corner posts.
- 5). Install the wire on the posts. Starting with the bottom wire, stretch your wire between two corner posts, attaching the wire to both corner posts with insulators before repeating the process at the next set of corner posts. Repeat this process for each wire. Adjust the tension using fence strainers to tighten the fence wires until they no longer sag.
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