At first glance, it may seem like a stretch for you to install an aluminum fence, but the truth is that it’s not really that difficult. If you have basic handyman skills, you can install your own fence.
Most of our customers install their fences themselves. It’s not that hard, and that includes driveway and walkway gates. In fact, most of our customers are doing it for the first time.
Unlike other types of fences, our aluminum fencing panels are designed for self-installation. Fences made of steel, wood, stone or wrought iron are probably not meant for installation by the customer. First of all, these materials are often heavy, and they may not be designed with the customer in mind, at least not in terms of installation. Furthermore, unlike aluminum, steel panels are much more difficult to trim on site and there may be welding involved.
We have designed our aluminum fencing panels with the idea that you will be able to erect them yourself, which can save you a lot of money. You don’t need to hire a crew to come out and put up your fence, and if you run into trouble, we’re here to help. Moreover, there is NO on-site welding involved. Call us and we’ll help you solve your problem. Before you even start, you can download our installation manual. Print it out and read it to get answers to most of your questions before you even start.
We say you can build your fence yourself, but you will need a helper, and it doesn’t hurt to have two. Lure them in with the promise of pizza after the job is done. You can’t get help for much less than that.
Before you get too far along, you should plot your fence runs and figure out what you need to order. Check the cost online and place your order, or call us on the phone.
Post Installation
When you build your fence, remember that it all rests on the posts. You will dig post holes for most fences, with the exception of surfaces such as decks and staircases, in which case you will need to buy our welded plated (flange) posts to support the posts.
You will dig holes of various depths and radii depending on the length of a post and your local building codes. We provide minimum guidelines for post lengths on our website so you can get the right post length. Generally, you will need to dig a hole with a 6” diameter for posts up to 2.5” square, and 8” for larger posts. Unlike wood fencing, however, the cement goes in last.
Sometimes you will end a fence run at a wall or column, or perhaps you’re using your own posts. We sell powder coated, metal mounts designed for these situations.
Putting up the Fence
If your fence includes a gate, you should install the gate first and build outward from there. Set posts as you go, and insert the fence panels in the slots we include on our prepunched posts. You can also order blank posts and mounts for transitions like angles and racked panels for hills and stairs. After you put up a few aluminum fence panels, check the alignment before continuing. This helps you to identify problems before you’ve proceeded too far. Continue like this, and you’ll be finished before you know it!
If you get to the end of a run and need only a partial panel, just trim a panel to the needed length with a hacksaw. You’ll have to notch the partial panel to connect to the post, but this is easy to do. The entire process is very straight forward, so make the right preparations and give it a try!
