Wood Fence Installation Instructions: Sloped Fences
1 Before installing any fence you should always establish grade levels, property boundaries, utility easements, underground cables/pipes, municipal permits and/or compliance with relevant bylaws. Call for all underground utility markings before you dig. ONTARIO: 1-800-400-2255 QUEBEC: 1-800-663-9228 (for other areas try the North American One-Call Referral System at 888-258-0808.
2 Lay out the fence line(s).
3 Establish a way of determining where End and Corner posts are to be installed once you’ve dug postholes (and erased your markings). note: A good idea might be to make marks 12″ in each direction from centre.
4 Establish the overall finished height of the fence style that you have chosen, and determine the minimum distance that you would like to keep the bottom of the fence above ground level (i.e. 2″ or 3″).
5 Make a pencil mark on all posts, at a length that is equal to the overall finished height + the minimum distance off the ground + 2″. i.e. The overall finished height of a 6′ privacy with lattice fence is 74″. To keep the bottom of this fence 4″ above the ground you would mark the posts at 80″ (74″+4″+2″).
6 Dig all of your End and Corner postholes. We recommend an 8″ diameter hole that is at least 36″ deep, and is wider at the bottom of the hole than it is at the top (If you have ground conditions that do not allow for 36″ depth call us for some free advice as to options).
7 Cement all of your End and Corner posts, in their proper locations, such that your post markings (from step #5) are at ground level. Note: Concrete is normally brought up to about 3″ below ground level and the postholes are then topped-up with soil/sod.
8 Establish location for all of your Line posts. We do not recommend more than 8′ between posts.
9 Dig and cement all of your Line posts so that they are in line with the appropriate End and Corner posts and your post markings (#5) are at ground level. Note: Before the concrete starts to set, stand back and verify that you like the flow of the fence across the yard. You may want to raise a post or two for better looks, although this will mean some gapping underneath the fence.
10  Determine the appropriate rail spacing for the style of fence you have chosen and mark rail locations on all posts.
11  Install Galvanized fence rail brackets on the appropriate markings. Note: Be sure to determine if the style of fence that you have chosen requires rails in the centre of the post or on an outside edge.
12  Install the rails, boards, trim and gate(s).

Wood Fence Installation Instructions: Stepped Fences

1 Before installing any fence you should always establish grade levels, property boundaries, utility easements, underground cables/pipes, municipal permits and/or compliance with relevant bylaws. Call for all underground utility markings before you dig. ONTARIO: 1-800-400-2255 QUEBEC: 1-800-663-9228
2 Lay out the fence line(s).
3 Establish a way of determining where End and Corner posts are to be installed once you’ve dug postholes (and erased your markings). note: A good idea might be to make marks 12″ in each direction from centre.
4 Establish the overall finished height of the fence style that you have chosen, and determine the minimum distance that you would like to keep the bottom of the fence above ground level (i.e. 2″ or 3″).
5 Make a pencil mark on one of the posts, at a length that is equal to the overall finished height + the minimum distance off the ground + 2″. i.e. The overall finished height of a 6′ privacy with lattice fence is 74″. To keep the bottom of this fence 4″ above the ground you would mark the posts at 80″ (74″+4″+2″). .
6 Determine which one of your End or Corner posts is going to be installed at the highest elevation.
7 Cement this highest End or Corner post in it’s proper location, such that your post marking (from step #5) is at ground level. We recommend an 8″ diameter hole that is at least 36″ deep, and is wider at the bottom of the hole than it is at the top. (If you have ground conditions that do not allow for 36″ depth call us for some free advice as to options.)
8 Establish location for the next post in the line of fence. We do not recommend more than 8′ between posts.
9 Cement this next post in it’s proper location, at the same height as the first post that was installed. Note: Concrete is normally brought up to about 3″ below ground level and the postholes are then topped-up with soil/sod.
10  Make a pencil mark on this second post at a height above ground level equal to what was determined at step #5 (i.e. 80″).
11  Dig and cement the next post in the line of the fence, in it’s proper location, at a height that is level with the new pencil marking on the last post.
12  Repeat steps #10 and #11 throughout the remainder of the fence. Note: Before the concrete starts to set, stand back and verify that you like the flow of the fence across the yard. You may want to raise a post or two for better looks, although this will mean some gapping underneath the fence.
13 Determine the appropriate rail spacing for the style of fence you have chosen and mark rail locations on all posts.
14 Install Galvanized fence rail brackets on the appropriate markings. Note: Be sure to determine if the style of fence that you have chosen requires rails in the centre of the post or on an outside edge.
15 Install the rails, boards, trim and gate(s).