Most of the aluminum fence on the market today is sold in pre-assembled sections that are either 6’ or 8’ wide. When dealing with property lines and fencing applications in general, it is very rare that the dimensions needed are in exact 6′ or 8’ increments. Thankfully, your aluminum fence section from Fence-Depot.com can be trimmed down with a hacksaw (or any metal blade saw) to just about any width needed.

For example, you have a run along the front, side or back of your property that is 52′ long to the property line. Six or eight does not divide into fifty two evenly. This is not a problem with an aluminum fence. The solution is to purchase 9 of the 6′ wide sections or 7 of the 8’ wide sections and cut down several of them to make the spacing between each post as symmetrical as possible. This will give you the most professional looking installation.

You may not have to worry about cutting down a lot of the aluminum fence sections if the fence is not being installed in a highly visible area. One example would be if your aluminum fence is being installed at the back of the property out of view. Another example would be if the area is covered or will be covered with vegetation or shrubbery. There’s no need to make the fencing look symmetrical because it’s just going to be covered up or not visible anyway.

Planning which aluminum fence sections you’re going to cut down will be a very important part of your installation. It’s always easier to execute just about anything if you plan ahead instead of doing it "on the fly". After you’ve made the proper cuts to the fencing and you have the sections trimmed to the width you need, you slide the horizontal rail of the fence into the pre-cut holes in each post so the cutting you’ve done is hidden inside the posts. This will give your installation a clean and professional look where the post and fence section meet. An important tip is to recreate the ¾" notch that is at the edge of each rail when the aluminum fence section is uncut. This allows the top half of the rail to slide inside the post while the bottom half rests against the post and acts as a stop.

An aluminum fence is very flexible when it comes to installation. The fence sections are sold in 6’ or 8’ pre-assembled widths but can easily be cut down to fit the measurements you need. Have no fear when it comes to installing your new aluminum fence. It’s easier than you think! By installing it yourself, you’ll now it’s done right and you’ll save a lot of money in the process. Call one of our fence professionals at Fence-Depot.com to talk about your project today at (800)760-5170.