There are standards for installing fences that the best fencing companies live by—and others are often content to ignore.
Perhaps most important is the manner in which fence posts are set into the ground. Many companies pour dry cement into the posthole and add water with a hose. According to Genevieve Van Bebber, Vice President of Arbor Fence, this technique is called dry packing and it causes the cement to dry in chunks rather than a solid mass. As moisture saturates the soil, particularly in winter, the cement loosens. Posts set in this manner start to lean much sooner than solidly anchored posts, often in just a few years.
Ideally, concrete should be mixed beforehand and poured into the posthole. The concrete then sets into a solid slug that should hold the fence post vertical for years— —and even decades, no matter the condition of the soil.
Mrs. Van Bebber also suggests choosing a fence-builder who uses galvanized, rim-shaped nails. The alternative non-galvanized nails and staples rust and cause telltale black "runs" down the fence planks. These runs are often visible, even on newer fences. Moreover, explains Mrs. Van Bebber, proper galvanized nails are shanked along the shaft, almost like screws. The shanks prevent the nails from lifting and backing out of the wood, thus creating a better-looking fence that lasts longer.
Additionally, Mrs. Van Bebber recommends always using posts and kickboards of the highest quality, which is an ACQ pressure-treated Douglas Fir material. This material is a harder, denser wood that better withstands all elements and extends the longevity of your fence.
