In case you’re wondering how to install a chain link fence, this article will show you step-by-step how to do just that. By the time you finish reading, you’ll have a chain link fence in place and all of the supplies you need to maintain it.
Did you know that many people put a chain link fence around their property to deter intruders? That fence is probably made of either galvanized or aluminum wire, and if it’s on the owner’s side of the property, then there are posts at 10-foot intervals. This blog post can help you install a chain link fence.
How to install a chain link fence?
A chain link fence should be installed neatly and tightly to prevent unwanted access. Here are a few items that you will need to install the fence:
(1) A 10-foot level with bubbles.
(2) A 1-inch hammer and nails.
(3) 6″ x 6″ aluminum tubing for the fence posts (4)Maybe you have your fence posts ready, but you’re missing a vital part of the chain link fencing system – the railing. You will need to buy 2″ x 4″ boards from your local lumber store, and cut them into 2-foot long pieces. They will be used as the railing of the chain link fence.
(5) A ladder (6) Chain link fencing; you can use either galvanized wire or aluminum wire.
(7) A staple gun and staples (the one used for making bulletin boards in offices).
(8) A 5-foot level.
(9) A hammer and nails (10) Wood boards to make the fence posts.
(11) Nails (for wood boards – these are for the fence posts).
Resources / Tools
- Set of ratchets
- Pliers
- Digging for posts
- Water supply and a garden hose
- Shovel for trenching
- Post-bubble level
Materials
- Chain link fabric, 1 roll
- Two terminal posts, each six feet long
- 6 foot line post, one
- 1 top rail, 10’6″ in length
- Two tension rods
- 6 elastic bands
- 30 count tie wires in one bag
- 2 post terminal caps
- Top of 1 line post eye
- Rail ends two
- Stress wire
- Two band brace
- 4 bags rapid-setting concrete
- String and wooden stakes
- Garden gravel
Chain Link Fence Installation, Everything You Need To Know
1) Find out where your property lines are. If there’s no way of knowing where they are from your current vantage point, use GPS or compass to find them. If they are unclear, get a surveyor. You need to know where your property lines are before you install your fence.
2) Locate the anchor stakes used in construction of the house across the street or along a property line. If there were no anchors, talk to neighbors and find out if they can refer you to anyone who was involved in construction of their homes. This is better than not knowing where any anchors will go on your property.
3) Buy the supplies you need to build your fence—chain link, wood screws and wire staples.
4) Measure the pre-existing fence that’s surrounding your property and find out how high it is. For simplicity sake, if it’s 8 feet or higher, you’ll need 4 links of fencing. If it’s between 7 and 8 feet, you’ll need 3 links.
5) Buy the correct amount of chain link fence panels, cut to size and length based on the measurements you took. If you’re using a measuring tape, get one with at least 100 feet of tape. This way, if you have to measure something that’s over 100 feet away from a corner post, you can walk the tape between the two corners.
6) Measure the perimeter to determine the length of fence panels you’ll need. In order to line up your panels, you’ll need at least two sets of 10 fence posts that extend two feet beyond each corner of your property. So if you have a 1,000-foot square yard, or a little over half an acre, you’ll need 20 posts.
7) Dig small holes and place stakes in them before placing your first set of fence posts. This will provide you with a place for the corner anchors to be placed.
8) Use the wood screws to attach your posts to the stakes. Attach them on a diagonal or at an angle depending on how your property line is surrounded.
9) Drill holes in each post so that they are large enough to accommodate the wire staples and use them to secure your fence panels between the two posts. Pull on the wires taught and snug them up against the fence panel, then use more wood screws to secure them in place. Make sure the wire is tight and loose at the same time.
10) Once the corner posts are installed, use screws to attach the fence panel to the post. This can be done by driving a screw through a furring strip from the sheeting and into the post. Use another screw to secure it at an angle to your other panels.
11) Repeat this process for the rest of your fence.
12) If you have a dog and are concerned about them getting tangled up in the fence, buy a few metal stakes and use them to secure the bottom strand of wire on each panel. This will prevent them from chewing through it, although they can still open holes in it if they’re persistent.
13) Line up the fence so that it’s straight and true before affixing more staples to secure it. Doing this will make sure that the boards are even and straight.
14) Use a hammer to drive a few screws into the fence to hold it up. The staples can be held on with just the screws, but they’ll eventually become weak as time goes by. If you drive your screws in after you affix the staples, they’ll likely stay strong because they’re being driven into another piece of wood instead of into drywall or sheetrock.
15) After you drive your wood screws in, use the wire tie to secure them in place. This will prevent your fence from needing to be anchored with chain link or wire rope.
16) To maintain your fence, you’ll need a few staples for each panel (follow the same steps above for making sure it’s straight and true before stapling it). If you live in a windy area, consider adding anchor stakes so that the wind won’t blow the panels around too far from each other.
Lastly, you’ll also need a few staples for each panel. They need to be installed when you drive the wood screws into the fence post to hold it up. It’s best to use galvanized staples for this purpose because they won’t rust or cause corrosion in your fence if you don’t keep them clean.
Final Words:
That’s how to install a chain link fence. As you can see, this isn’t a difficult process, but it can be time consuming. The good side is that chain link fences are easy to maintain as long as you have the right tools.
