A simple wooden fence can keep your livestock right where you want them
If you keep large animals on your property, knowing how to build a farm fence can give you a stylish corral to ensure they stay safe. While it's a straightforward job that requires few tools, it's also highly labor-intensive and uses lots of costly lumber. Many save time by hiring a pro, but if you'd rather roll up your sleeves and tackle livestock fencing yourself, this guide can help.
Before you build a wooden cattle fence, you'll need to get your property ready. To avoid overstepping boundaries, hire a local land surveyor. They'll identify your property lines and provide documentation. You should also call your local utility company to mark the location of any buried pipes or gas lines that you'll need to avoid digging into.
You'll need to bury fence posts below the frost line, or the level at which groundwater freezes. Otherwise, posts can get moved around by the expansion of the soil as it freezes each winter. The frost line differs by location, so check your local building codes for information. Those living in colder northern states will have to dig the deepest post holes to get below the frost line.
Pound wooden stakes into the ground with your mallet to mark the location of each corner or other spot where the fence will change directions. You should also mark the spots where your gate posts should be. Stretch a nylon line to connect each stake. This line will be your guide as you place posts.
Use a post hole digger to dig a hole at least 10 inches below the frost line. The width of the hole should be three times the width of your posts. Continue to dig identical post holes, spacing them seven and a half feet apart. You should also dig a hole at each corner.
Fill the bottom of each hole with about four inches of gravel. This will allow proper drainage for posts and help prevent moisture damage.
Set your first post in one of your holes. Place two planks perpendicular to one another and have them stand diagonally against the post. Clamp the planks onto the post to create a brace. Use a level to ensure the post is horizontally level and vertically plumb, adjusting the brace accordingly.
Splash a bit of water onto the base of the post and against the sides of the hole. Next, backfill the hole with quick-setting concrete according to the instructions on the bag. Some types recommend adding water to the hole before pouring in the dry concrete mix, while others recommend the opposite.
As the concrete cures, repeat steps three and four for all remaining posts, removing braces after about 20 minutes to reuse on subsequent posts.
All your concrete should be cured about 48 hours after setting your final post. Cut each corner post to your desired fence height and string your nylon line between posts about an inch below the top. Mark where the line hits each post. This is where your top rail will intersect.
Use a power drill and galvanized screws to secure rails about an inch from the end on the inside of the posts. Placing rails on the inside will strengthen them by bracing them against the posts if pushed on by any animals you're containing. Space rails evenly from top to bottom and leave at least 4 inches of clearance at the bottom.
For additional strength, stagger the rails so they don't begin and end on the same post as the rails above and below. For example, if you're building a three-rail fence with 16-foot rails, start the top and bottom rows on one post and start the middle row on the next post down.
Continue until all rails are securely attached.
Determine which way you’d like each gate to swing and which side the gate latches will be on. Ensure that the height you’re setting your gate at allows for a few inches of ground clearance to allow the gate to settle into place over time and still swing freely.
With your gate height chosen, measure and mark where to drill holes in the fence post for the gate hardware. Use a drill bit that’s slightly smaller than your screws so the grooves catch tightly. Starting at the bottom, secure your gate hardware to the post with screws.
Set the bottom of the gate on the bottom screw. Lift the gate and slip the gate cylinder up and onto the hardware, tightening the bolts once you have it at the correct height. Check to see if the gate is level. If it’s not, tighten or loosen the hardware screws to adjust it until it is. Attach the gate latches and test to ensure they function properly and the gate swings freely.
With that, you’re done and ready to use your farm fence!
The cost to build farm fencing yourself varies depending on the size of the fence and what tools you already own. Expect to save up to $500 on labor and spend at least $1,000 to DIY.
These relatively small potential savings may not be worthwhile, considering that mistakes while building a farm fence can lead to high future maintenance costs and an ineffective fence that won't contain your animals. Avoid escaped cows, pigs, or horses by hiring a fence company near you to complete your installation for an average cost of $2,000.
The least expensive farm fence to install is actually a wire fence rather than a cow fence made of lumber. A hog wire fence can be strong, long-lasting, and relatively easy to repair. A woven wire fence also requires less lumber than a wooden fence, reducing the overall cost of your project. However, wire fences tend not to be as aesthetically pleasing as wood fences.
The best wood for a farm fence is pressure-treated wood that will stand up to various weather conditions, animal contact, and moisture. Farm fences need to resist rot and damage, so choose a species such as cedar or redwood. The natural oils in these woods give them decay resistance, which also makes them ideal for other fence types, such as a wooden snow fence.
