A reliable fence is planned before panels are selected
Wire diameter, aperture and colour are visible choices, but alignment and safety depend on the route, ground, post system, corners, levels and gates. The same panel needs different support details on a concrete base, soft soil or a slope.
This guide deliberately gives no universal footing size or post spacing. Those values depend on the exact manufacturer system, height, wind and service loads, soil and local conditions. Tall, security, privacy-screened or public-area fences require manufacturer details and competent engineering.
1. Survey the line and verify boundaries and services
Mark every straight run, turn, gate and level change. Total length alone does not identify corner posts, stepped panels or gate supports. A measured sketch and site photographs make the quotation more reliable.
Confirm the legal boundary and locate electricity, water, drainage, irrigation and communications before excavation. Consider pedestrian and vehicle movement, sightlines and the space needed for gates.
2. Select panel, post and fixings as one system
Panel width alone does not set post centres. Match the post profile, clips or hooks, caps, bolts and overlap arrangement to the same installation guide. Betafence tables show that post length and fixing quantity can change with fence height and mounting method.
Privacy strips, artificial foliage or sheeting increase the area exposed to wind. State these additions before ordering; do not increase loading later without manufacturer or engineer approval.
3. Do not confuse embedded and base-plated posts
For ground installation, footing design depends on soil, drainage, frost where relevant, height and loading. Loose fill, waterlogged ground and retaining-wall edges need specific assessment. Do not load posts before concrete has achieved the required strength.
Base plates require verified concrete thickness, edge distance, condition and anchor capacity. A thin screed, hollow block or weak kerb is not a structural base. Select anchors and tightening from approved data.
4. Detail corners, slopes and level changes
Corners may need a shared corner post, special clips, double posts or another approved arrangement. Forcing a panel around a turn or cutting wires can damage both strength and coating.
Sloping ground may be handled by stepping panels or by a system designed to adjust. Betafence identifies products able to negotiate slopes, steps and corners, but this cannot be assumed for every system. Draw step heights, bottom gaps and the top line first.
5. Treat a gate as a separate structural element
Gate weight, width, hinges, locks and repeated operation load its posts differently from a panel. Use the approved gate posts and footing; record swing direction, ground clearance and vehicle manoeuvring.
For sliding gates, plan run-back space, track or cantilever arrangement, drainage and power. Powered gates, cables and safety sensors need competent design and installation.
6. Specify coating for a coastal environment
Salt, humidity, irrigation and trapped dirt can increase corrosion. Ask how panels, posts, plates, clips, bolts and cut edges are protected. ISO 1461:2022 covers general properties and tests for fabricated articles hot-dip galvanized after manufacture, while expressly excluding some continuously galvanized wire and sheet products that use other standards.
Manufacturers offer different galvanized, zinc-aluminium and polyester systems by environment. Betafence likewise distinguishes coastal corrosion categories. Repair installation damage as instructed, avoid incompatible metals and prevent standing water.
7. Inspect more than straightness
Check plumb posts, top line, spacing and gate operation, plus every clip and bolt. Correct missing fittings, sharp cut wires, broken caps, coating damage and water traps before handover.
Set maintenance by exposure. Remove coastal salt and dirt with an approved method, keep soil and irrigation away from metalwork, and repair impact or coating damage early.
Information for a useful quotation
Send the following information together so panels, posts, footings and accessories can be assessed correctly:
- Length of each run, corners and a measured sketch
- Fence height, panel type, colour and security purpose
- Soil, retaining edge, concrete base or base-plate mounting
- Slope, level changes and site photographs
- Gate locations, types, widths and opening directions
- Coastal distance, irrigation, humidity and corrosion exposure
- Privacy screening, artificial foliage or other wind-loading additions
- Delivery, unloading and installation access