Fence Building and Concrete in DFW

Fence Building in North Texas Clay

A fence in this part of Texas lives or dies on the posts. Our clay swells when it rains and shrinks through August, and a post set shallow or set in dirt will lean inside two seasons. We dig below the active zone, set every post in concrete, and crown the footing so water runs off instead of standing against the wood.

Solid privacy panels catch wind like a sail. On an open lot or a corner, that load goes straight into the posts and the gate hardware, which is why we tighten post spacing and step up post size on exposed runs rather than building the same fence everywhere.

Wood and Vinyl

Cedar is the common pick here and it holds up to the heat, though it will gray out unless you seal it. Vinyl costs more at the start, does not need staining, and takes the sun without splitting. Both work. What we will not do is set either one on posts that were dropped in dry and backfilled with soil.

Gates get their own attention. A gate is the part that fails first, so we hang them on heavy hinges with a diagonal brace and a latch that still lines up after the ground has moved a season or two.

Concrete Flatwork

We pour walks, small slabs, patio pads and equipment pads. On this soil that means proper base prep, control joints cut on time, and a finish that sheds water away from the house rather than back toward the foundation.

Drainage is the part people skip. Water that pools against a slab on expansive clay is the same problem a bad gutter creates, and it shows up later as a cracked slab or a foundation call. If we pour it, it drains.

What To Ask Any Fence Contractor

How deep are the posts going, and are they set in concrete
What is the post spacing on the exposed runs
Who calls 811 for utility locates before anything gets dug
Is the survey line confirmed, or is the fence going where the old one was
Does the HOA need to approve the height, material and stain color

That last one catches people in the northern suburbs regularly. Approval comes before material gets ordered.

Fence Work

New vinyl privacy fence along an open yard

Questions

How deep do fence posts need to go here?

Deep enough to get below the soil that moves. Our clay swells and shrinks with the season, so a shallow post leans no matter how good the panels are. Every post goes in concrete.

Cedar or vinyl?

Cedar looks better and costs less up front, and it grays out unless you seal it. Vinyl costs more and then mostly leaves you alone. Neither one saves a fence built on bad posts.

Do you replace a fence on the same line as the old one?

Only if the survey says that line was right. Rebuilding on an old fence line is how boundary arguments start, so we would rather confirm it first.

Do you do driveways?

We do walks, patio pads, small slabs and equipment pads. Full driveway replacement we will look at and tell you honestly whether it is our job or a specialist's.

Fencing and Concrete