Are you planning to build a new fence around your backyard? Or have you shifted to a new place with no fence, and you cannot afford to call someone to make it for you?
Whatever the case, measuring the backyard for a fence, its not an easy job. You should prepare for a long and tiring mathematical exercise to measure the fence. You’ll need to take measurements and calculate the length of the fence using measuring tape or a wheel.
In this article, we’ll show you how to measure the backyard for a fence.
You cannot even take the first step of the installation if you are not sure about the exact measurements of the backyard. In some cases, when you buy or rent a new property, the house owner might tell you the general measurements, but those would not be the real-time measurements.
You can buy extra wood planks. If you don’t use them, you can easily return them. Before you start fencing, follow some steps.
Learning about the property’s lines
If you live in a suburb, then discerning the property lines can be hard, especially when it is a ready-made space. For example, my parents’ house is far from the city, and there are lots of fields around the house. It’s hard to know property lines.
If you build the fence without knowing the legal property lines, you could get in serious trouble. For example, if the landowner around your house doesn’t complain, you will have to take down the fence.
Thus, it is essential to check the legal property papers and learn about the property lines before buying a house. If you have bought your house from someone, then openly ask them about the size of the backyard. They might be able to help you in this regard, and you may not need to measure the backyard separately.
Marking the obstructions
There can be several unnecessary things in your yard, such as a dog house. Or maybe some extra old fence parts or planks. Whatever they are, one needs to check them before installing the fence. Some structures are hard to remove by hand, and you would need some extra machines to pull them out.
Unfortunately, you’ll need to get extra financing for this. if you have something unwanted in your backyard and it’s at the same place where there would be a fence, you can’t avoid it.
Fix the slopes
A level yard is best for a fence; otherwise, you might need to cut the fence’s wooden planks shorter or get an extra long one. It will cost you more; thus, to avoid it, you need to have a leveled backyard.
The reason you would have tiny slopes of mud in your backyard could be some lines going beneath the ground.
Measuring the yard
If you have the right tools, it’s simple: you can measure your yard area.
Measuring tape or measuring wheel
Now, you can easily guess what you want to measure the area of your yard, an inch-tape. Remember a regular tape would not be enough. The one that has a spring, normally called the pocket spring return tape. It has a large stick for measurement.
If you don’t have the inch measuring tape, get a measuring wheel. Generally, the area is measured in feet. If you use the inch measuring tape, you will need mathematical measurements to convert the inches into feet.
Measure the backyard Area in Square feet
After you have the length and width of your backyard, multiply length by width (L x W = Sqft) to get the square feet of your backyard.
120 x 80 = 9,600 sqft
Find the number of pickets.
You can quickly and easily calculate your fence pickets number using an online fence calculator because it’s an easy and best way to for beginners; Otherwise, you can simply tell your yard area to fence pickets seller and he will guide you through the process of choosing the right fence.
The design of the fence
There can be two types of fences. For some people the separated fences work; however, if you wish to have extra privacy then you must need more fence planks.
In the first case, the distance between the two fences should be equal to the length of a plank. It is a round and easy estimate; otherwise, you will need to measure the distance everytime you place a plank.
How much wire will you need?
It is very easy to find that out. Obviously, the length of wire required for connecting the planks is the same as the perimeter of the yard.
What to do in case of any issue?
If you are not confident about this DIY, then the best solution would be to call the experts in. Of Course, they will do everything for you.
Should you buy the fence kit?
Yes, the fence kit is a ready made kit with a specific wooden plank size. Once you have measured the yard; you can easily select from the several options available for different yards. Such fence kits also have accessories; to make the entire process very easy.
Final words
Measuring the yard is very easy; all you need is some basic formula, and a measuring tape. This is it; however, learning about the necessary technicalities, such as the obstacles, and the property lines, can be tricky.