Many yards have some sort of slope or hill in them. This may leave homeowners wondering if it’s possible to install chain link fence on uneven ground. While it may be more challenging to install a good-looking fence on a hill, it certainly is possible. It’s best to leave the job to a fencing professional to guarantee a professional looking result. However, if you are interested, we’ve outlined the basic methods a fence architect can use to install each type of fence on a slope.
Chain Link Fence
Each type of fence has to be approached differently when working with a slope. Chain link fences are relatively easy to install on a slope. First, the fence posts are installed. They are installed vertically, no matter the slope they are installed on.
Then, a section of chain link fence is hung. This section is carefully measured to be oversized, as it will be cut down later. The chain link fence is hung parallel to the slope of the ground. This means it will be at an angle to the fence posts, with extras hanging over the end. These extra sections are cut at what is called the bias. Basically, the sides of the chain link fencing are cut at an angle in order to be attached to the fence posts. The end result is a fence that perfectly follows the slope of the ground without any awkward gapping at the bottom.
Privacy slats can be installed in a chain link fence on a hill. They will need to be installed at an angle in order to match the angle of the chain webbing. Homeowners occasionally worry about how this will look, but we find that it ends up looking quite natural on a hill and is nothing to worry about.
Picket Fences
If you are installing a wooden fence with individual pickets, you have the option to create what is called a racked fence. Each picket of the fence is cut to a different length, so that the fence appears level at the top while the bottom follows to the slope of the ground. This results in an aesthetically pleasing fence and looks especially good if some of your yard is sloped while other sections aren’t because of the even appearance of the top of the fence. However, racking a fence is time-consuming because each post has to be cut individually, and the measurements must be precise to ensure that it lines up precisely.
Panel Fences
Many fences are sold in pre-assembled panels. These can be intimidating when you’re installing a fence on a slope because you can’t exactly cut off the extra like with a chain link fence or rack them like a wooden fence. However, a method called stepping is available for these pre-assembled fences. It’s called stepping because it looks like the steps in a set of stairs. Each section of fence is installed level instead of sloped, which means it will touch the ground at one end, but leave a gap at the other. Each section is installed a little higher (or lower, depending on which end of the slope you start on) to accommodate the slope. This creates the stair appearance because each section is at a different height. Stepping is often the only fencing option for dramatic slopes and looks good with many different types of fence panels.
Professional Installation
We hope these have given you hope that you can have a fence installed in your sloped or hilly yard! As always, we recommend that you hire a trusted fence installer, especially because it can be difficult to install a fence on a slope properly. If you are fencing professional, we invite you to check out our selection of fencing products for all of your fencing needs, including hilled yards!