DifficultyFlex your DIY muscles.
Time to completeIt’ll take one to two days, depending on your skill level.
$100–$500
Doing the labor yourself goes a long way.
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
- Hammer
- Tamping bar
- Staple gun or crown stapler
- Drill
- Level
- Miter saw
- Measuring tape
- Brad nailer
- Bucket/container for cement mixing
- Kreg jig
SUPPLIES
- String
- 4x4x6 treated posts (amount will depend upon fence length)
- 80-pound bags of concrete (one for each post)
- 1x4x8 treated planks
- 2-inch exterior wood screws
- Exterior paint or stain
- Brush, roller, or sprayer
- Fencing roll
- 2-inch finishing (brad) nails
- Gate hardware, hinges, and latch
- 2.5-inch pocket hole screws
- 2 2x4 treated planks
Building a DIY garden fence is one of the best ways to ensure your plants have all the room they need to flourish without any interference from unwanted visitors like hungry bunnies or nosy cats. And building one is a relatively easy (and cost-effective!) project to DIY.
Use this guide to figure out which type of fence is best for your garden, plus all the materials and tools you’ll need to get the job done.
Prepping to Build a DIY Garden Fence
As the saying goes, measure twice to cut once. Use pen and paper to map out what your garden fence will look like, especially if you plan to expand your garden, shorten it, or taper off certain sections.
The easiest way to do this prep work is to use measuring tape, twine, and stakes to precisely map out the perimeter, and don’t forget to factor in a spot for a gate once you've drawn a blueprint.
That way, you can calculate exactly how much material you need to complete the project—and you won’t have to make multiple runs to the hardware store.
Choose Your DIY Garden Fence Materials
The type of fence you choose to build depends on what you’re trying to keep in or out of your garden. Here are some pros and cons for using wood, chicken wire, vinyl, or metal—all popular options for DIY builds.
Wood
Installing a wood fence around your garden is a great way to give your yard a classic look. These types of fences can last between 10 and 15 years with regular maintenance.
But because they aren’t always sufficiently sealed off from the outside world, they can be prime targets for mice or rabbits. If your goal is to keep your plants as safe as possible, this might not be the best option for you.
Chicken Wire
Along with being inexpensive, this option is easy to care for and even easier to repair. Chicken wire is great at preventing both big and small invaders from entering, so it’s among the best options for keeping pests at bay. And because it also happens to be see-through, it won’t block your view of the garden.
Vinyl
While slightly more expensive than wood at $10 to $40 per linear foot of material, vinyl is easier to clean and maintain—and better at keeping pests out.
Metal
Aluminum, steel, and wrought iron fences are often stylistically intricate and a great way to amp up the decor of your yard. They’ll establish boundaries in your outdoor space without blocking your view of the garden, but they also aren’t as great at keeping out small pests for this same reason.
Stake Out and Dig Post Holes
Establish the ends and corner points of your fence and mark them with stakes. With a shovel or a post-hole digger, dig a 2-foot deep hole in each marked spot. When in doubt, digging a hole that’s two to three times larger than the post’s diameter will guarantee you have enough room to lay down cement.
Use a level and measuring tape to ensure each hole is the same size so the posts will be evenly lined up. Be sure to dig holes for additional posts where the gate will be placed.
Set Your Posts in Concrete
Mix an 80-pound bag of concrete for each post in an old bucket. Working one at a time, place a post into a hole and use a hammer or tamping bar to secure it into the ground.
From there, fill the hole with concrete, using a level to ensure the post stays straight as you pour. Repeat until all posts are planted, then wait until the cement has fully dried to continue building.
Paint Fence Panels and Rails
While you’re waiting for the cement to dry, use a brush, roller, or sprayer to paint your fence panels and rails. It’s easier to do this step before the fence is built when all the elements are still separate.
Even if you love the look of raw wood and would rather not paint it, finishing it with a protective spray will keep it in good shape longer.
Dig a Trench Around the Perimeter of Your Garden
If you’d rather have a gap between the ground and the bottom of your fence, you can skip this step. But remember: Building a fence directly into the ground is a great way to keep pests from burrowing through. When you’re ready to start, dig a 1/2-foot deep and 2-foot wide trench all along the border.
Line the Tops and Bottoms of Your Posts With Rails
When your trench is good to go, measure the distance from one post to the next and use a miter saw to cut 1-by-4 foot wooden planks that will fit between that space.
Place a rail into the trench and use a drill and 2-inch exterior screws to attach it to the posts. Repeat until the bottom is completely covered. Then, follow the same process, working up and taking extra care to ensure everything is perfectly straight.
Attach Fencing
Using chicken wire or a fencing roll makes this step easy. Measure out exactly how much you’ll need to cover any empty space between the posts and the railing. Then, use a brad nailer and 2-inch brad nails or a staple gun to fix the fencing roll to the wood. Repeat this until the whole fence is reinforced.
Build a Gate
Before installing a gate, be sure to leave a three-quarter-inch gap between each post so it has enough room to open and close. Use a miter saw to cut the wood railing to fit within this space, then assemble the pieces into a rectangle using 2.5-inch pocket hole screws.
Use a Kreg jig to drill two holes into the top and bottoms of each side piece. Use a brad nailer and 2-inch brad nails or a staple gun to attach chicken wire to the gate. Then, attach hinges and latch to the gate and hang it from the posts. Your new garden fence is now ready to enjoy!
Cost Comparison: DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
The cost to install a garden fence will depend on both the size of the project and the materials you’re using. A wooden fence can cost as much as $7 to $15 per foot of material, whereas a chicken wire fence will be much less at $0.10 to $0.30 per foot of material.
Hiring a professional contractor will speed up the process, but will cost more. A pro can get the job done in a day or two, while the average DIYer will need double the time. You’ll pay anywhere between $17 and $45 per linear foot of fence for labor.
And don’t forget about the tools. While you may already have a number of them in your shed—a heavy hammer, drill, and measuring tape—the cost for what you don’t have can really add up. In some cases, it will be less expensive to hire a local fence company than it will be to invest in all the extra equipment.
Additional Questions
What is the best material for a garden fence?
Because it's cost-effective and does a great job of keeping pests out and plants in, vinyl is probably the best option for building a DIY garden fence. The material is also easier to work with than metal, which may prompt a homeowner to tackle the project themselves instead of hiring a pro.
What is the most affordable material for a garden fence?
Vinyl and chicken wire are both highly affordable materials for a DIY garden fence build. Vinyl fences average as low as $10 per linear foot (perhaps less if you're installing it yourself). Chicken wire fences can cost as low as $2 per linear foot.
Chicken wire is obviously more affordable, but if privacy is something you're seeking, vinyl is the best option. The price you pay will depend on your needs.
What material is the easiest fence to put up?
Pre-built wood panels are probably the easiest, as you simply have to stake out post holes and set them, then install. However, if you have access to the right tools, vinyl, chicken wire, and metal can all be pretty simple to install.
