Vinyl Fence Installation Guide
Learning how to install a vinyl fence is a snap – literally! Because vinyl fences use panels that lock together installation is quick and easy to do yourself.
Step One: Measure out your fence location. Before setting up any fence on your property be certain to find where your property line is. Once you do that you can mark where your fence will go. Use an easy to see paint to mark the spots for corner posts and then measure out the location for support posts, typically at 8 foot intervals, and mark those as well. An easy to see color of spray paint works great here.
Step Two: Set your posts temporarily by digging holes with a post hole digger about two feet deep and roughly 10” around. Add two or three inches of gravel to the bottom of your holes, this will add drainage and help keep your cemented posts from moving later on. Place your posts in the holes, starting with the corner posts. Brace these with 2x4s to hold steady.
Step Three: Making certain everything is even is easy when you run a string line. A string level is an inexpensive level that sits on a piece of string. This string is then run from fencepost to fencepost and held tight. This will help ensure that your fence posts are all put in at the same height and are even. Once the corner posts are correct, add in one support post at a time and check each one to be certain that it is level and flush with the corner post poles.
Step Four: Put the panels together by attaching the top and bottom rail to the slats. The manufacturer of your panels should have included instructions on the correct way to do this. Follow those instructions and build your panels.
Step Five: Remember how we said that installation of a vinyl fence is a snap? Now’s the time to push the ends of the top and bottom rails to the appropriate holes in the fence posts, snapping them in place.
Step Six: Set your posts permanently by mixing a quick drying cement (per the directions on the packaging) and pour into your post holes. Leave up those 2×4′s to keep the posts in place for about 12 to 16 hours so that the cement can cure. The next morning, once the posts are set, remove the braces and using a PVC based cement, attach the post caps to the top of all of your fence posts.
Congratulations! You’ve now learned how to install vinyl fence and can get your new privacy fence up in a snap!