Fence Building Tools: Everything You Need
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A privacy fence is mostly repetitive work: dig a hole, set a post, attach rails, hang pickets. Repeat 30 to 60 times. The right tools make that repetition efficient. The wrong tools make it miserable. Here is what you need.
Planning and Layout
Tape measure (25 or 35 foot). You will measure post spacing (6 or 8 feet on center, typically), total fence length, and gate openings. A 25-foot tape is fine for most fences. If the fence is over 100 linear feet, a 100-foot reel tape ($15) is useful for the initial layout.
String line and stakes. For marking the fence line. Drive stakes at corners and ends, stretch string between them, and mark post locations along the string. This ensures a straight fence.
Spray paint (marking paint, not regular paint). For marking post hole locations on the ground. Upside-down spray cans designed for ground marking ($5) are easier to use than regular spray paint.
Call 811 before you dig. Not a tool, but a requirement. The national dig-safe number sends utility locators to mark underground gas, electric, water, and cable lines for free. Every state requires this before digging. The phone call takes 5 minutes and prevents a $10,000 gas line repair.
Post Holes
Post-hole digger (clamshell type). The manual tool with two handles and hinged blades. Works in most soil types for holes 6 to 12 inches wide and up to 36 inches deep. For 10 or fewer posts, this is fine. Your shoulders will remind you the next day.
Gas-powered or electric auger. For 15+ posts, borrow or rent an auger. A one-person electric auger ($200 to $300 to buy, $50 to $75/day rental) handles soft to medium soil. A two-person gas auger ($75 to $100/day rental) handles clay and rocky soil. This is the number-one tool to borrow for a fence project.
Digging bar (tamping bar). A 6-foot, 16-pound steel bar for breaking through rocks and compacted clay that the digger or auger can't handle. Not needed in sandy or loamy soil. Essential in rocky soil.
Shovel (round point). For cleaning loose dirt out of holes and backfilling around set posts. Also useful for initial hole marking in soft soil.
Level (48-inch and torpedo). The 48-inch for checking posts are plumb in both directions before the concrete sets. The torpedo for checking rails and quick spot-checks.
Setting Posts and Building
Concrete mix (not a tool, but buy enough). Two 50-pound bags per post for 4x4 posts in 8-inch holes, three bags for 6-inch posts in 10-inch holes. Pre-mixed fast-setting concrete (Quikrete Fast-Setting) sets in 20 to 40 minutes so you can start building the same day.
Circular saw. For cutting posts to height, trimming rails, and cutting pickets. A 7-1/4 inch blade cuts through 4x4 posts (flip the post and cut from two sides) and handles all 2x rail cuts. Cordless is ideal for fence work since you are far from outlets.
Cordless drill/driver with impact driver. The drill for pilot holes, the impact driver for driving 3-inch structural screws into rails and 1-5/8 inch screws into pickets. You will drive hundreds of screws. The impact driver's torque prevents stripping and wrist fatigue.
Clamps (bar clamps or quick-grip, 12-inch). For holding rails against posts while you fasten them. At minimum 4 clamps. 6 is better because you can pre-clamp the next section while fastening the current one.
Framing square or speed square. For marking 90-degree cuts on posts and rails, and checking that posts are square to rails.
Chalk line. For snapping a level line across all the posts to mark the rail height or the top-of-fence line. One snap, every post marked at the same height.
Buy vs Borrow for Fences
Buy: tape measure, string line, spray paint, screws, concrete, clamps, speed square. Inexpensive, consumable, or used constantly on future projects.
Buy if you don't own: circular saw, drill/driver, impact driver. These are core tools for any project.
Borrow: auger (the single highest-value borrow on a fence project), 48-inch level (if you don't own one), digging bar (only needed in rocky soil). A neighbor who has built a fence probably owns the auger and the level and would be happy to lend them.
Skip entirely: nail gun for fence pickets. Screws are superior for fence construction because they hold better in the long term, don't back out like nails, and allow you to remove and reattach a picket if it needs replacement. Nails are traditional but screws are better.
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep should fence post holes be?
One-third of the total post length as a minimum. For a 6-foot fence with 4x4x8 posts, that means 24 to 30 inches deep. In areas with freeze-thaw cycles, local code may require the bottom of the concrete footing to be below the frost line (24 to 48 inches depending on climate). Check your local building code.
Do I need a permit for a fence?
Most jurisdictions require a permit for fences over 6 feet. Many HOAs require approval for any fence regardless of height. Some cities require a permit for any fence, period. Check with your local building department and HOA (if applicable) before starting. Also verify your property line with a survey to avoid building on your neighbor's land.