How to Put up Vinyl Fencing

Vinyl fencing is as popular as never before. Available in a myriad of styles and sizes, you can replace your dilapidated wood fence with prebuilt lattice topped vinyl fence panels, a classically built gothic picket fence, and even go for the quintessential American West feel with the vinyl rail and line structures reminiscent of ranch buildings. There is no need to paint, maintain or treat for termites. Learning how to put up vinyl fencing is almost as easy as maintaining it, and when you follow these simple steps you are sure to have a home surrounded by an attractive fence in about an afternoon.

Things You'll Need

• Fence and posts
• Permit
• Stakes
• String
• Shovel
• Measuring tape
• Premixed concrete
• Level
• Bricks (optional)
• Gate kit
• Aluminum rods
• Post caps
• Sealant

Instructions

Prep Work

1. Visit your local building department and request a building permit for exterior landscaping work. Since this is the kind of work that involves a structure usually affecting you, your neighbor, and any passers by, building codes must be enforced and the building inspector needs to sign off on your fence.

2. Remove your old fence and dispose of it properly. You may need to rent a dumpster if you have a lot of wood fence that needs to be hauled to the dump.

3. Place a stake in the first fence post hole your previous fence left behind. Walk to the next hole and place a stake in it as well. Continue this process until all of the holes have stakes in them.

4. Fasten the string to the first stake and then roll it out in a straight line until you reach the next stake. Pull it taut and then secure the string to the second post. From there, move to the third stake, and continue this process until you have a reliable plumb line around your property.

5. Measure the spacing between the posts and verify that it is sufficient to accommodate the prebuilt fence pieces.

6. Remove any debris and large rocks that are under and around your plumb line.

7. Clean out the post holes with the shovel and make sure they are deep enough for your new fence posts. Generally speaking, a hole should be about 30” deep and have a circumference of about 10”. Double check the depth and width of each post hole with the measuring tape and make adjustments to the hole as needed.

8. Tamp down on the earth to pack it tightly. Mix the concrete and prepare to install the fence.

Fence Installation

1. Position the first fence post into a prepared hole and fill in the hole with the concrete. Push down on the mix to remove any air bubbles.

2. Place the level on top of the fencepost and continue to position the post until it is perfectly level.

3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 of Section 2 until all of the fence posts are installed.

4. Mount the prebuilt fence portions next. They usually have bullet clips that will attach directly to the fence posts and when released anchor the fencing to the post. In rare cases you may find that there is some hardware to go along with this installation. Check the manufacturer’s instructions pertaining to the particular fence style and product you have chosen for your yard.

5. Place a brick underneath the middle of the prebuilt fence portion you just installed to support the weight and keep the fencepost in place until the concrete dries. This step is optional and only applies if your fencing does not reach all the way down to the ground.

6. Install the gate last, using aluminum rods to offer additional support to the fence posts supporting it. Since gate kits are usually sold separately from other fencing materials, there will be some hardware and instructions included in the package.

7. Cap the fence posts with post caps and seal around the bottom edge of the caps with clear sealant.

8. Call the building inspector and invite him to come out and sign off on the finished fence.

Tips & Warnings

• Never hammer the top of a vinyl fence post with your hammer in an effort to drive it deeper into the ground. The vinyl will split and may actually render your entire fencepost unusable.