Save Thousands By DIY Fence Building: Step-by-step Guide

[@paulcresswell1690]

Cheaper than a contractor......and done properly because you care. Good job

[@PurpleTT99]

Seriously impressive fence, love the look of those posts and it'll be sturdy. But what struck me most was your display of stamina. We're about the same age (and build!) and I have to say seeing you attack and relentlessly pursue a pretty mammoth task on your own is genuinely inspiring. So inspiring in fact that it's 8;45am on a sunny Sunday morning, and after I finish this comment I'm up and out to the garden to get stuff done. Thank you 🙂

[@martinjenkins1827]

Don't let age stop you

[@hughoconnor9172]

Obviously your cost comparison doesn't include time and labour costs and someone may simply not have the ability or time for whatever reasons to do it themselves. However, that apart, it does show the savings that can be achieved by doing it yourself. I did wonder why you chose feather edge as they can be more prone to expansion/contraction due to the weather?

[@ProperDIY]

Thank you and I'm glad to have inspired you.

[@ProperDIY]

My time and labour costs in the even and weekends are zero

[@CNKXU1]

@@ProperDIY and you can subtract the gym workout time and cost as you don't need it. But you will live longer so you need to save more.

[@boyceuk]

Love the no look nail gun action at 17:42! Like a BOSSS. You truly are the Ivan Toney of the fence world.

[@pauledwards9493]

John Wick approved

[@demonicsquid7217]

Roberto Firmino...

[@sircyrus00]

@@boyceuk agreed, that was such a fun little sequence!

[@rogerbeeson4697]

I noticed that you've nailed the feather-edge boards in the same direction. My dad was a carpenter for the local council, and had erected and repaired hundreds of fences. He always alternated the direction of the boards for each section. The traditional rationale was that if wind is blowing diagonally against the line of the fence, only 50% of the force is being exerted on it. The other 50% being deflected by the narrow edge of the feather-edge. Given that wind-strength is increasing over time, this consideration is becoming more important, especially on a long run like yours, even if you're using metal posts. I commented at the time about the wisdom of planting your laurel hedge. I see that even in this short period it's becoming a beast. As branches grow to the width of an arm, unchecked, they will bear down on the fence and damage it. I speak from experience. Laurel is a very heavy wood. Laurel hedges need regular and brutal maintenance to keep them away from fencing. When laurel is young, it seems like an attractive cheap solution, but you're making a rod for your own back in the longer term. I'd advise your followers against using laurel as a hedge.

[@johnmcfarland9630]

Totally agree with the comment on the laurel hedge. Get rid of it now!

[@Petertronic]

Excellent advice

[@DavidMartin-ym2te]

That is a smashing job, I must say. I prefer to use plants as fence barriers - pioneer trees like birch, quickthorn, hazel and dog roses to tie it together. The resulting hedge supports wildlife and is significantly cheaper with not much maintenance. Three/four years will give you a good result. Obviously he isn't particularly into gardening (laurel bushes? I don't think so) so I guess that is not an option. I have three acres, so fencing is out of the question!

[@davidstevensasidewayslook8831]

hmmm I used to have to maintain ( in our old house's drive) a 100ft Laurel hedge from saplings when we moved in, when we moved out 12 years later the hedge was 10ft high and 4ft deep despite continual pruning AND me actually removing quite a few early on as the builder had put in far too many! They do make a nice dense hedge BUT need a lot of annual maintenance. In the end I had to get a contractor in to do the work.

[@slowmarchingband1]

Agreed. I'd never plant laurel next to a fence, in fact I'd never plant laurel at all out of choice. It never looks good when it's trimmed IMHO, the leaves are too big.

[@NoCPU]

I recently had to change 70m of fence. I put it off for so long because I had never done fencing. I got quoted about £8k in the best case. I decided to do it myself and also used the durapost system. In total it cost me £4k, but included in that I bought a petrol hole digger (Chinese cheapo), a nail gun for my compressor and various items like magnetic post levels etc. My neighbours were so happy they insisted on paying half which was a lovely surprise at the end. The duraposts are expensive compared to other options but are worth every penny. I did the whole 70m over 2 weekends solo.

[@ProperDIY]

Nice one!

[@richardwallace2458]

Aside from the money saved, the satisfaction you must feel from just looking at it must be a fantastic feeling! Top job sir.

[@earlgray71]

"You need motivation, stamina & perseverance" ...and A LOT of the right tools 😂. I love seeing your collection of gadgets and specialised bits of kit on these projects. I'll have a fully stocked Man cave one day too. Keep the great videos coming 👍

[@sircyrus00]

We've recently had gardening work done by a landscaper/contractor: they asked €2000 for a 9m fence, which we ended up doing ourselves to save money. We wanted to use natural looking wood (don't know the English term for it, sadly). It ended up not quite 100% straight and level, and according to the contractor we also did a bad job in terms of sturdiness. However, I feel it looks good, it's actually solid enough to resist any weather, and it only cost us €680 in total.

[@ProperDIY]

Nice one!

[@kendallwright7793]

I live in the US .. the midwest. I love your channel and watch several different DIY channels out of the UK. Lately, I've been referring to any nuts and bolts and screws I need as "fixings" - my wife just shakes her head. Thx for the content and really like the channel.

[@chrispaterson1777]

I'm a retired odd job man , done quite a lot of meters of fencing .I use to concrete in a vertical centre stump in the middle of each bay at the back of the fence, supporting under the bottom rail and fixing the gravel board to the face. This stopped the fence sagging and the gravel board pushing out. Enjoy watching the channel, keep them coming.

[@neilmckie2768]

You obviously live in an expensive part of the world as far as fencing contractors go - recently looked at my daughter's fence which is the same length as yours. Decided, for longevity, to use concrete posts and concrete gravel boards, with standard feather edge panels. Included was a gate to allow rear access to the garden - total cost £2400. Excellent job by the two guys who did it and saved me a lot of back-breaking work, not to mention getting the stuff delivered, etc., etc. I have to admit that I was amazed at the quote and the standard of workmanship - maybe I just got lucky! Great video, though - even though I was getting tired just watching your efforts, lol. Thanks

[@MrGarth311]

Absolutely love your excellent videos. You are so easy to listen to and your presentation is second to none. You pack so much information in to them that we can't fail to learn from you. Not to mention your personality that shines through, and your attention to detail as you explain every little thing you do. Can't speak too highly of you. Thank you for all your hard work in compiling a marvellous selection of videos.

[@gobbledygook4000]

Great job, never seen the capping used before. A tip to stop mixer splashes is to have an old dustbin lid to hang on the drum opening.

[@RayMondElec]

Excellent video , amazing that you did it all yourself. Would like to know the name of the capping and where you purchased it from please. Thank you.

[@frankdutton8448]

Very interesting was when you were nailing the feather board on, the fence moved. It shows the post aren't strong enough to prevent deflection. I use galvanized steel posts concreted in to 600mm deep, then stagger the rail joints. The rails are fixed to 3 posts at 2.4m spacing, meaning the rails are under the 5.4m long available timber rails.

[@moo7137]

10:22 genius use of hanger/spacer👍👍👍great video as usual and fence that will last. Also can not wait for paddock clearing video with new power barrow.🍻🍻🍻

[@johnbanks8065]

I used Durapost to replace my fence earlier this summer, although I opted for concrete gravel boards and ordinary fence panels, both of which slip perfectly inside the web of the Durapost. I must admit, I think it looks pretty darn good; I'm certainly very pleased with it and my neighbour the other side of it must think it looks good too as he's asked for help fitting the same along his fenceline the other side of his garden. Like you, I got the posts from Wickes.

[@Lutzboater]

Really enjoyed this video on the construction of the new fence. Your attention to detail, and your perseverance are admirable. Got a chuckle over the nailing sequence as you went down the line!! Beautiful fence that should last a lifetime.

[@MrJordanwain]

I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw a feather edge fence built properly! Yours looks like it’ll be there for years now. Tying the gravel board to the feather edge with the CLS is an excellent idea.

[@martinhunt6004]

A great job there! Well done Stuart. I saved money by brushing used car oil on my wooden gravel boards.

[@user-fy4xn7hh2p]

Best part of Sunday morning 🎉 a video on a job I’m about to do! Thank you for everything you put on!

[@newbeginnings8566]

Excellent work and well thought out .. personally I would have added some gravel under the gravel board to avoid earth splash rot..

[@jessejameson154]

That is nothing short of absolutely outstanding workmanship. Top quality finish and I know how hard that was working on your own, which many people wouldn't. Two of us recently completed a 300 metre CLS treated post and rail fence from scratch ....and even that seemed easier than what you did on your own. Bravo mate 👍

[@Growlerinthebush]

I did a 30 foot fence for a client that had multiple levels, materials and labour was £3000 I was on my own with that one too and it took 3 days and that was as a handyman not a fencing contractor. I did work for a fencing supplier so a lot of what I learnt was from there. I have retired now and my next job is a shed base and more fencing for her that must be obeyed or long haired RSM.

[@dewiwilliams975]

I used the Durapost website to find stockists, there is a link there etc.. some supply really good advice as well… Job looks great and good explanation on how/why you carried it out. Durapost really good for different styles… used DP composite gravel board with posts and 6”x2” and 4”x2” rails layered horizontally with 1” gaps to give a different slant on traditional post and rail in my garden, 25mtr job. With regards Sagging issue with f/edge maybe 1.8mtr gaps between posts and if using durapost use a 6”x2” rail as the gravel board slotted inside the posts? F/edge then nailed on the outside, also 3 rails @ 450mm gaps makes for a strong fence, although more expensive… Enjoyed the video

[@pault8734]

Hi Stuart, yet another superb account of DIY. Skills, quality, information, all at the highest level and so good to watch! Your videos are so far above anything else in this category. Class, class, class

[@ProperDIY]

Many thanks

[@ProperDIY]

Well thank you very much. I’m glad what they contain is useful

[@colinpenson9029]

Great video and job. I particularly like the detail you give about completing a task from a DIYer's perspective even down to mixing jobs up to reduce fatigue.👍

[@ProperDIY]

Thank you very much!

[@crazykittenvideos855]

Loving your work. I think the look is fantastic. A mate and I went all out and put concrete posts, gravel boards and feather edge up on 20m across the back of my garden. 15 years on it’s still doing great. Never liked the look though but the wood is all off the ground so it will live on. The arris rails shrink over time so there are gaps that have to be repaired and a bit of adjustment needed. The posts haven’t moved.

[@robgullen]

The steel post system is great - we went one further and used the same manufacturer's composite gravel boards to create a low retaining wall/fence along the sideway of our house - hopefully there for the duration. Not cheap but maintenance free and longer lasting than timber.

Thanks Stuart, you did a great job there, thanks for pointing out the stamina required here and the need to structure the job we're a similar age I think and I now need to think more about art I can realistically achieve in a day or week so very valid advice !

[@royhorn9412]

Great video! I am not totally,convinced about the 2.4m centres, that looks a windy site, so I might have reduced it a bit to 1.8 to 2 metres. Looks good though.

[@ellisruff3314]

Hahaha that middle nailgun montage made me laugh 😂 another good video 👍

[@ProperDIY]

Glad you enjoyed

[@marlinstudio.]

Yes spot on! Not only a cost saving, but constructed to your specification. With a focus on a quality install.

[@andymarriott8150]

That's a lovely build Stuart and the no look nailing clip was sheer brilliance and a true demonstration of your skills 😀

[@ProperDIY]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@joedraneiii6390]

Nicely done! In the US contractors calculate their estimates by adding up the cost of materials, doubling it, and then doubling it again. So the contractor would charge about 4800, or most probably round it up to 5,000, including demo and disposal.

[@browniemitch8]

Fantastic job, love Durapost, used it few years ago and fence still not moved 😊 Tha gravel board solution was brill too, 👍

[@richardd825]

Love your channel. So informative and learn something new every episode. Fence looks fantastic.

[@TeresaBell-k7p]

Very good and helpful information. We just replaced all our fencing after hurricane Beryl in June. Love the metal posts ! Thanks for your posts they are always helpful 😄

[@ColinMasterson-o6h]

As usual SM great video. Just watch that laurel. It will go wild and take over your garden in no time. Well done.

[@DJProjectss]

Not sure who’s charging between 4 and 6k as we would have charged under 3k for this job 😊. Lovely job done by yourself Sir 👊🏻❤️

[@rossadam2126]

Used concrete gravel boards with my Duraposts. A years after installing them still up and straight even with the stormy weather. Cost me around £500 for 7bays, did the work myself.

[@mcnultywayne]

I wondered were concrete gravel boards compatible. Do you reckon you could stack two gravel boards securely using the Durapost system?

[@rubiccube8953]

Done a similar installation using concrete posts . Built a support post system to keep each post level whilst setting. These metal posts look a lot easier.

[@nevillewebb2856]

Great job Stuart, looks really good. You are right - biggest issue is stamina, resilience, perseverance and determination😂

[@roviwoteap2375]

Nice looking fence! Great video. Must be very satisfying, especially saving that amount of money.

[@c.a.g.1977]

17:41 hahaha brilliant Stuart! Job well done! Fence looks pretty good!

[@MuddathirQ]

I used the Duraposts myself for my garden recently and they are indeed a game changer for long lasting low maintenance fencing, however, I'm surprised you didn't at least consider an alternative material for the gravel board. I find treated timber to be very short lived, so alternatives like plastic are a better option IMO.

[@vmemtsas]

@17:44, haha, smooth. fence looks awesome. totally agree that the black posts give it a nice modern look! awesome work

[@l.j.b9863]

Excellent looking job Stuart. I think a nice grass bank on the outside of your fence along road would really tidy things up and help the look of your fence and property. Those nettles are a nightmare. Great result 👏

[@ProperDIY]

Although I don't own it I agree it would look good if it's cut regularly - maybe a future project

[@adamali2886]

Your work is always solid. You are really a proper diy guy.

[@jayseabie215]

Nice job Stu, you got all the toys there, not sure which one's my fave, the power barrow or the blower vibrator! (ooh er missus!)

[@chumley24]

Good timing, i am looking at Durapost to replace a small run of fence in next few weeks so got some guidance now, thanks

[@rodgerbell810]

Very well done Stuart, the final result looks fantastic 👍

[@ProperDIY]

Thanks 👍

[@AdamHurley]

Seriously impressive fence! Having all the tools and gizmos makes it go much easier I’m guessing

[@FrankWoodPhotography]

Wow. You couldn’t buy that care and precision! Incredible.

[@derekoneill-ge1fy]

You could but it costs a fortune

[@briansimon4363]

A very smart job. I would have been tempted to do a hit and Miss fence rather than solid panels. This would reduce the wind pressure which probably brought about the earlier than necessary demise of the previous fence.

[@BarFlyBrewing]

I built a horizontal hit and miss fence in 6x1 with 4x4 posts I think and it saved me a lot . It's bullet proof and looks way better than a B&W panel

[@carllamb6711]

Really enjoyed that Stuart thank you what are great job you did that all on your own mate the best bit for me was the drone footage and how perfectly straight it looks from above great content thanks Stuart ps love your new motorised wheelbarrow 😊😊😊😊😊

[@yiannisevangelou6246]

Thank you for using metric along with the old fashioned imperial. Appreciated.

[@Cavalier_Steve]

I’ve been waiting for this video, and I will be following you by doing this exact style on my own fence, thanks for this I’m really impressed by the finished article. Cheers. Steve.

[@jablot5054]

Looks neat but it had alot of flex in it when you nailed it. How has it stood up to the storms?

[@bunnywarren]

When laying out the featherboard, I watched a neighbour do it and they used a storyboard with marks on it where they would go and then transferred those to the cantrails. They can then lay out the whole fence (or in sections) and line up the featherboards with them afterwards. This avoids creep as you go and makes lining up quicker since you don't need to use the jig for an offset, with a hand to hold it.

[@ProperDIY]

Yes, thats a good idea

[@barryhughes1612]

Good job, good use of the laser and a very good looking result.

[@ProperDIY]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Palo-jm7xc]

The reason the Cant/Arris rails and feather edge sagged over time is because you need to add a centre stump support. With normal 6ft bay panel fencing this is not a problem because the span is not wide enough to cause a sag, but with closeboard the bays are usually 2.5-3m so they need supporting in the middle. Usually this is done by concreting in a 2x2" peg in the centre of the bay at 1.5m which is then fixed to the first lower cant/arris rail and gravel board. Your original fence didn't have a centre stump so it didn't have the correct support.

[@lesmorton4623]

You remind me of Norm Abram on the New Yankee Workshop (loved that programme). I'll just use my nuclear powered dado blade in the table saw... Seriously, though, top quality job, aided by your multitude of tools.

[@stephencave187]

A thoroughly proper job as always Stu. Love the jig for spacing the middle rail 👌🏻

[@ProperDIY]

Thanks 👍

[@samdub]

That looks absolutely brilliant, and great tips along the way as always!

[@mzeeshan]

Great informational video as always! Loved it. Would you be kind enough to also mention from where did you source all the timber, boards, how did you treat them and cut them etc ?

[@rfrisbee1]

Along with perseverance and stamina you also need plenty of free time and a spell of decent weather! We just paid £188 / panel for our Durapost and composite gravel board fence, which I thought was worth it given all I had to do was supply tea and coffee every few hours!

[@RB-xg2vz]

We ended up using Double Sided Paling fence panels, which allow wind to come through but also provide privacy - the wind blew everything else over

[@jamesharris9029]

Brilliant as always stuart, my favourite DIY man. (You dont look an ounce over 11 and a half stone. ) 😉

[@simonmiddleton4977]

A lot of hard work but very worth it your fence looks great! Proper Job Stuart 👍😃

[@chimairanl9043]

Mixing concrete next to your crisp white walls...brave man😉 Why did you not trim the hedge from the fence side before putting up the new fence? The fence came out great. It does look like a wind catcher.

[@StevenMurray-mt7om]

Stuart That fence looks absolutely brilliant.Great tips as well. Love the battery buggy 😂

[@thornbottle]

brilliant job, will be refering to this video when I do a small 10m half height fence in my garden :)

[@ProperDIY]

Go for it!

[@chrisdowning7543]

On you go!! I agree with everything you say! iv always done my DIY of course with your help!

[@normancoutts]

Good job as always and the final drone shot showed it off a treat.

[@RichardInTheLakes]

Great content thank you. Very glad to see top cap, they really extend life of fence in my experience, and really smarten the look.

[@davidsecker5161]

Well done Stuart, amazing job.

[@smoggydrones5664]

Fantastic fence. Postcrete may be more expensive but the saving in time and effort I find is worth it. I always get a quote as the amount I save gives me the motivation to get the job done. My only concern is wind.

[@djvoodoo01]

The eye contact multi nail gun shot 😂😂😂

[@LMCFootball]

Such a satisfying job, well done Stuart !!

[@stephenwelch339]

Lovely job ,very impressive finish 🎉 regards Steve.

[@ProperDIY]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@MdSiraj-ud8yc]

Very nice work and finishing. 👍

[@forgotrafe]

Great job on both fence and editing

[@ProperDIY]

Thanks!

[@PatParvum]

Beautiful job. Well done

[@marksweetman8765]

Beautiful fence. Loved the nailing clip towards the end😂

[@OliWarner]

Have you ever tried driving these posts straight into the ground? Post knocker would probably bend one but you could temporarily reinforce their sides. Could be an interesting concrete and groundwork -free fencing option.

[@craigwilliams6734]

That’s really nice Stuart! Quality!! That’s easily a £4 Grand job matey.

[@johnwallis96]

Great job Stuart as always , you do proper DIY.

[@barbarawiddowson635]

Lovely job.Perfect fence.Thank you Stuart.

[@raycarter6037]

Absolutely fantastic work! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@grahammethold]

Nice fence Stuart - good job and well put together video, as always!

[@ProperDIY]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@garulusglandarius6126]

Excellent video, excellent job Stuart 👍

[@ProperDIY]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@SJR313]

Looks amazing, you make it look easy, but that’s your skill….inspired! 👍

[@jasoncharlton]

Fantastic job 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@ProperDIY]

Thank you very much!

[@frankoneill4692]

Superb job Stu. 👏👏👏👏👏🥂🍾

[@VVellieMan]

Great job as always Stuart. But perplexed why you want the fence AND the hedge. The Laurel hedge is now thick enough to provide the boundary on its own, no?

[@ProperDIY]

No, security wise the hedge is easy to push through

[@rufus_mcdufus]

Very impressive! Glad I've got a tiny garden.

[@DazDaz105]

Smart job and very well done. Looks great 👍

[@johnnoble7610]

Brilliant that pal well done cracking fence 👏 👍

[@RiBenjafield]

Looks fantastic and thank you for the tips on making sure everything is level. 🙂