suggestions for economical fence

[irmanator]

I need a fence around my yard for the dog. The house came with fenceing that looks like they got a peice from this junkyard and a peice from that one. It is all falling apart. Style is not the most important aspect and the dog is good and doesnt try to escape unless the gate is open. it is like she understands that this is the line even though a horse could go thru she stays in. I want something that is inexpensive i will have plantings in front of it. Any suggestions ??

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I suggest you go to a big hardware store and look at what some of the fencing options are to get an idea of the cost of something you install yourself. But if you live in a development with home owner's associations restrictions or deed restrictions, don't forget to find out what is acceptable.

If a short fence is acceptable, and because your dog does not aggressively try to escape, an old-fashioned wire fence might be the cheapest way to go. I'm speaking of the kind of wire fence that was in common use before "hurricane fencing" or wire mesh fencing was invented. Sometimes it is called rabbit fence, though I have no idea why, as it certainly doesn't exclude rabbits. I've seen it for sale at Home Depot. It is scalloped on the top and has progressively smaller patterned opening as you go down the fence. The wire itself is wavy, squiggly. You attach it to metal posts sunk in concrete. The posts are only about $3 each.

Do you live in a city? I see rolls of fencing like this being offered for free as people in old neighborhoods update their fences to something more modern. I used second-hand rabbit fence to section off a part of my yard and it has held up fine for 15 years so far. Presumably the rest of the matching fence on the perimeters has been there since sometimes between 1910 and 1920. Gates to match rabbit fencing can be found in antique and junk stores for some reason. I don't think I've seen the gates at Home Depot. You could probably use the gates made for short hurricane fences, just substitute a piece of the matching rabbit fence. Oh, you will need cable cutters or heavy duty wire cutters to cut the fence, ideally. (I used old railroad spikes as a chisel to cut my fence, but don't really recommend it. )

If you like wood fence and have access to scrap, that could reduce your costs. Decorative topped pickets are quite easy to cut, if all you want is a pointed top. You should be prepared to spend money to paint, stain, or otherwise preserve the wood. And probably it would be best to start with new wood posts and horizontal supports. Pickets can easily be replaced as needed, but the posts and horizontals are essential foundations to the fence that you don't want to have to replace. Take the time to use a plumb bob or other method to get your post up absolutely straight. If you want to hire out part of a do-it-yourself fence job, putting in the posts would be the part to hire out.

Especially if you are going to plant in front of the fence, make sure you dig really good post holes so that posts will not later slump if you dig near them. A flare at the bottom of the concrete really helps hold the post securely, but requires more effort to dig out the hole.

[terry1156]

I have an electronic fence for my dogs and it works great. You just have to remember to place their collars on when they go out so they don't break the line.