How to install fence panels

Video by Wickes. This guide draws on "How to Install a Fence" from Wickes, which steps through the full process from post spacing to panel fitting and timber treatment. It is particularly clear on the Postcrete technique for setting posts securely without mixing concrete in a barrow — a genuinely handy shortcut for a solo job.

1. Check the boundary and plan the layout

Before you dig anything, confirm where the boundary actually falls. Fence panels come in standard 1.83 m (6 ft) widths, so space your posts to match that width plus the thickness of the post itself — typically post centres of around 1.87 to 1.90 m. Mark each post position with a cane or spray line.

Measure the full run first and work out whether you will end up with a full panel at the far end or need to cut one down. A cut panel at a gate or corner looks intentional; a cut panel in the middle of a run looks like a mistake.

2. Dig or auger the post holes

Fence post holes should be at least 600 mm deep for a 1.8 m panel fence — a third of the post length underground is the general guide. A manual post hole borer (clamshell digger) works well in most UK soils; hire a powered auger if you have clay or heavy ground.

Keep the hole as narrow as possible. A tight hole means less concrete to pour and less movement before the Postcrete sets. Drop a layer of gravel or hardcore into the bottom of each hole for drainage.

3. Set the first post in Postcrete

Lower the first post into the hole and check it is plumb on two faces with a spirit level. Hold it straight, then pour dry Postcrete granules around it straight from the bag — no mixing required. Add water slowly from a watering can until the surface is wet, then leave it for about ten minutes.

The Postcrete sets quickly enough to hold the post while you work along the fence line. Brace the post with a temporary offcut wedged against the ground if the post will not stand on its own while the Postcrete goes off.

4. Work along the fence, post by post

Set each subsequent post at the correct spacing from the last. Use a panel as a spacer: slot it into the first post, hold the next post up against the other end, check it is plumb, and pour the Postcrete. This way the spacing is determined by the actual panel width rather than a tape measure, which is more reliable.

Keep checking that the post tops are at a consistent height — use a string line or a long spirit level laid across adjacent posts to check.

5. Fit gravel boards first

Once the Postcrete has set (wait at least a couple of hours, ideally overnight), fit the gravel boards. These are horizontal boards that run at the base of the fence, sitting on the ground so the fence panels do not sit in wet soil and rot prematurely.

Fix them to the posts using L-brackets or timber screws driven at an angle. Gravel boards are often concrete rather than timber for this reason — concrete does not rot. Either way, they lift the panels clear of the ground and make the whole fence last significantly longer.

6. Slot the panels into post clips

U-shaped panel clips screw to the inside face of each post at the correct height. Screw two to each post — one near the top and one near the bottom — then slide the panel in from above. The clips hold the panel without nailing directly through it, which means panels can be replaced individually without disturbing the posts.

Alternatively, drill and screw directly through the panel frame into the post. This is a more traditional method and equally solid. Use 65 mm or 75 mm exterior screws and pre-drill to avoid splitting the frame.

7. Fit post caps and treat the timber

Fit a post cap to the top of each post. Caps keep rainwater from sitting on the end grain, which is where rot sets in first. A simple pyramid cap does the job; decorative finials look smart if the fence is near the house.

Apply a good coat of fence stain or timber preservative to any raw cut ends, the gravel boards if timber, and the posts above ground level. Most pressure-treated timber will have some treatment already but it does not hurt to add a topcoat, especially on the cut ends at the top.

When to call a handyman

Call Richard if the ground is on a slope and the fence needs to be stepped or raked, if there are old posts to dig out first, or if the fence run is long and you would rather not spend the weekend with a post hole digger. Fence work is satisfying but physically demanding — an extra pair of hands makes a real difference.