Best fencing pros near Calumet Park, IL

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.

Generally, the height of your dog fence should be 3 times the distance from the ground to your dog’s shoulder. For most small breeds, a 4-foot high fence will be more than enough to keep them from jumping out. Medium-sized breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labradors, and German Shepherds will need at least a 5-6 foot fence to stay contained. Large breeds that are also excellent jumpers, such as Greyhounds, may need a 7-foot high fence. 

You’ll need to bury the garden fence about 1 foot underground. It’s tempting to save on materials by burying the fence just a couple of inches, but if you do so, determined pests will still be able to dig under the fence and access your plants. Burying your garden fence deep into the soil is an important step that allows you to attach a wire barrier to the fencing. 

Burrowing animals (like voles, moles, rabbits, and gophers) can’t dig or chew through this wiring, meaning that you’ll be keeping your prized petunias or your robust veggie garden from being eaten.

In terms of materials, chicken wire mesh will be the most inexpensive option to use when building your fence. The downside is that it’s not the most attractive garden fence option. In a similar vein, you could choose a DIY fence made out of repurposed items, like car tires, or wooden pallets, either of which would be free to collect.