Tips for installing a vinyl fence the easy way

With an innovative no-dig installation method, installing a vinyl fence is one home project that just got a lot easier.

ARA -- If you need to keep the neighbors out or the pets and children in, it may be time for a fence, preferably one that will last a lifetime and requires very little maintenance. But if you know much about installing a fence, chances are this is a home project that makes you want to run for the hills. After all, who wants to rent power augers, dig deep holes, tear up the yard, remove excavated dirt and pour hundreds of pounds of concrete?

Probably not you. The good news is that you can actually install a fence without all this hassle. Do-it-yourself homeowners across the country are now installing sturdy vinyl fences without digging holes, making a mess of the yard or pouring concrete.

No-dig vinyl fence systems are installed by driving pipe deep into the ground using a post pounder. Fence has been installed this way for years, but for vinyl it can be tricky because it's almost impossible to drive pipe into the ground perfectly straight, which results in crooked fence posts. This problem is solved by a clever leveling device that compensates for the crooked pipe so that when you slide your vinyl fence post over the pipe, the post is ultimately straight and level.

While driving pipe into the ground can require a bit of muscle, it's still much easier than digging 3- or 4-foot-deep holes, dealing with excavated dirt and pouring three or four bags of concrete per hole, as most traditional vinyl fence installation instructions demand. Alternately, you can also rent a pneumatic post pounder to make it even easier.

Installing vinyl fence by driving pipe into the ground has been used in Western Canada on tens of thousands of fences for more than a dozen years by professional fencers and home owners. However, it's only recently that companies such as WamBam Fence have been manufacturing a full no-dig fencing solution designed for the do-it-yourself homeowner, offering a variety of styles and sizes. Alternately, there are companies that offer just the leveling devices to keep the pipes straight.

Homeowners often end up hiring a professional due to the amount of labor and equipment involved in a fence installation, but the no-dig method makes it much easier - and therefore more attainable - for the average do-it-yourselfer.