At United Fence Co., we’re proud to offer whatever level of service you require when it comes to fencing materials and installations. We’re happy to help with installations of any of our residential and commercial fence materials, from vinyl fencing to wood, chain link and several other quality options, but we know many home and business owners take a do-it-yourself attitude – and we’re here to provide support and materials to those in this boat as well.

One interesting challenge for advanced DIY home or business owners: Installing a fence on a sloped surface, areas that are common throughout Utah. If your yard or property is uneven, there are a few additional factors to consider when it comes to building a fence – let’s take a look at a couple techniques you might consider here, plus one common issue to ensure you’re on top of.

Stepped Fences

One popular style for fences being installed on sloped properties is the stepped format, one that’s great for particularly steep slopes. Each individual panel of a stepped fence will be slightly higher or lower than the next, creating an aesthetic that appears somewhat like a set of steps.

Stepped fences are a great choice because they can be made with preassembled panels quite easily. When it comes to posts, however, you’ll have to individually cut each one to match the height of the panels you need. But this is a simple enough process that can easily be defined by the precise slope of the area.

Contoured Fences

Another option for fencing sloped areas, particularly minor slopes, is what’s called a contoured fence. As the name suggests, a contoured fence follows the lines and contours of the property precisely, with horizontal rails providing a parallel line to the ground at all points. Rather than stepped panel areas, panels will look smother and be grouped closer together.

In many cases, often due to gap issues we’ll discuss in a moment, contoured fences will need to be custom-cut – pre-cut panels may not properly follow the property’s contour lines.

Gap Issues

Panels need to be even and level for both these fence types, and this often means there are gaps underneath the panels in areas where the ground is not fully level. This is particularly common with stepped fence options, which are not following precise contour lines.

In these cases, you may need to find a way to fill these gaps to prevent pets from escaping, pests from invading or weather elements from bothering the property. You can add planters along the fence to cover these gaps, or consider growing plants in these areas instead. Combining practicality and aesthetics here is never a bad thing.

For more on building a DIY fence on a sloped surface, or to learn about any of our fencing services, speak to the staff at United Fence Co. today.