Build A Fence With 6x8 Wood Panels Without Any Concrete

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A wooden fence is one of the classic ways to add an attractive boundary to your yard, and 6-foot-by-8-foot panels provide privacy while also remaining affordable. You can usually find several styles at your local home improvement store or a greater range at specialist fencing suppliers. You might want to do a little research on the different types of wood fences to consider so you understand about appearance and durability before you shop.

One of the key tasks when building a fence is installing the posts that the panels are attached to. It's often recommended that these are set in concrete to provide maximum support. There are a couple of issues here: First, there's the added expense. Each post hole probably needs half a bag of concrete mix or more. Second, in areas where there's heavy rainfall, the concrete can trap moisture and promote rot in the wooden posts.

In a detailed video on YouTube, content creator The Rustic Handyman installs a 6-by-8 privacy fence without any concrete. As you'll see below, an effective way to stabilize the panels is to make sure the posts supporting them are inserted deep enough into the soil. Below, we'll walk you through this method in detail and list a few alternatives. 

The fencing supplies used in this project are pressure-treated posts and panels. This is important to note, because this type of lumber has been injected with chemicals to combat insect attack and rot. It will last many years longer than untreated wood, even when it's in direct contact with the ground.

The key to stability is making sure there's plenty of the fence post in the ground. It's recommended that at least one third of the length should be buried. So, in the case of a 6-by-8 fence panel, a 9-foot post is needed so that 3 feet of it are in the ground. The Rustic Handyman can be seen using a manual post hole digger at one point, though he also has a powered auger, which makes the job much quicker and easier. The other advantage of this tool is that it disturbs very little of the soil around the post, so it is well supported. There is a Harbor Freight tool that will help you install your fence with the same speed and efficiency. Once the post is inserted, backfilling the soil and firming it down also helps.

You can see from the video that the soil at the site is quite heavy. The same method would be less effective in loose or sandy soil. If soil is looser where you live, using concrete is highly recommended.

One of the things you'll want to make sure of is that the posts are installed perfectly upright. A tool like the Kapro 340 Postrite Post Level can help you do this for under $10. If it's the first time you're tackling a job like this, there are other tips for building the perfect fence that should prove useful.

Digging a hole and ramming the dirt in around the post isn't the only way to build a fence with 6-by-8 wood panels without using concrete. Metal supports like the Arifaro Fence Post Anchor Ground Spikes take standard 4-inch fence posts and are an alternative that's strong, durable, and easy to install. The 30-inch version is recommended for 6-foot posts.

Whichever method you use to build a fence with 6-by-8 wood panels, planning and careful measurement make a world of difference to the final result, so take your time. Also remember that while pressure-treated lumber lasts long, it still benefits from a little care, so you'll want to check out the wood fence maintenance tips for keeping it pristine year-round.