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The recommended height for a garden fence depends on its primary purpose. For pest control, the necessary height varies by animal. To keep out small pests like rabbits, a fence should be at least two to three feet tall. If you live in an area with deer, you will need a much taller fence, at least five feet high, to prevent them from jumping over. If the main goal is privacy, the fence should be at least seven feet tall. For purely decorative fences, the height is a matter of personal preference.

Aluminum is among the longest-lasting fencing materials, with a lifespan of 30 to 50 years or more. One of the reasons it lasts so long is because aluminum is highly resistant to rust and corrosion. You can help prolong its lifespan by keeping it free of vegetation and cleaning it every few months with a hose and mild soap.

There are two things you can do to make a fence replacement easier—but keep in mind that easier doesn’t mean better. First, you can use a jack or some other type of machinery to pull the post out of the ground. If that’s not available, a digging bar can help.

Second, you can backfill the hole with gravel rather than creating a concrete footing. Keep in mind, gravel is less secure. You should only use it if you’re installing a lightweight fence or have heavier, clay soil.

Deer can crawl under a fence if it has a gap of around 6 inches or more. Make sure to close all gaps at the bottom of your fence to keep deer out, and the bottom of the material should be tightly secured, or the deer will push right through it. As an added benefit, closing shorter gaps at the bottom of a fence can also keep rabbits out of your yard.