Congratulations. You’ve taken the brave step to install your vinyl fence with your own two hands. It’s not easy, it’s work, but it’s not difficult either with a little help.
This article is designed to help you learn what pitfalls and traps to avoid when installing your own vinyl fence, so it will last longer and give you the enjoyment and privacy you want in your home and yard.
Use Cement
If you didn’t know, yes, you do need to cement the posts. But make sure they are spaced properly for the correct amount of support and the vinyl fence isn’t particularly heavy, but it still needs a solid foundation to rest upon.
This includes measurements for 6-7 foot distance for privacy, semi-privacy, and picket styles. For ranch rail styles this means 8 foot spacing. , Doing this helps with the structural integrity of the fence and allows for longer life and less unexpected maintenance down the road.
Mark Your Fence Prior to Installation
Measure twice cut once applies for fencing as well, even though we won’t be doing much cutting. It’s wise to measure out and pre-mark your fence posts as well as get an exact idea of how many you are going to need before you order. Access our free guide for planning your layout here https://vinylfencestor.wpenginepowered.com/creating-your-layout/
You don’t want to be nearly completed on a Saturday evening and realize you don’t have enough posts or slats to complete the job. Measure it out, mark it, get it right the first time.
Fence Spacing
One of the biggest mistakes we see with vinyl fence installation is people trying to save out their posts too far to save costs. While this does save you money in the short term, it will almost certainly cost you more in the long run. 8-foot spacing should only be used on ranch rail styles. Other fence styles should have 7-foot spacing or less.
When fence posts are set too far apart, the bottom rails tend to have sagging issues over time. While that may not seem terrible, it can actually cause structural issues with the entire fence itself and lead you to have to completely start over.
We hope these three simple tips can get you off to a good start and avoid any pitalls from installing your own vinyl fence. You can do it. Please send us pictures!
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