When we decided to purchase our home last year, we knew we would need a fence for our big dog. But as you probably know, our grandiose plans were throttled for a bit, and we didn’t actually get to it until this year. We certainly had lots of time to consider what type of fence we wanted and if we could (feasibly) do it ourselves.
In this post, we’ll share the reasons we settled on a cattle panel fence, how we built it, the cost for materials, and some things you might consider for your own fence. If you’re needing a budget-friendly fencing option, this can be completed in one free weekend, and is a simple process that requires very few specialty tools.
Why We Chose Cattle Panel
When you think of fences in the city, the common types are chain-link and privacy fences. We didn’t want a privacy fence because we didn’t want to create any curiosity about what might be behind our fence. If people can see into our yard, they know there’s nothing worth taking from us. We also didn’t want chain link. It was decently expensive, and seemed cantankerous to do on our own.
The idea of a temporary cattle panel fence was brought up to my husband, and we ran with the idea. After some consideration, we decided to make it a bit more permanent for resale value, but we built it in a way that is simple to move or remove if need be. We wanted a fence that fit our lifestyle and future plans, and that would look nice as well.
From Planning to Building
The first step to building our fence was measuring the perimeter of our yard and drawing a few plans. We have one side of our yard that has a large tree, so we brainstormed how to go around it. At this point, we also decided how many gates to have and where to put them. We also bought small wooden stakes and marked the corners for reference.
After planning the placement, it was time to calculate amount of supplies needed and source them. This process took some time as cost and availability meant small changes to the plans that also needed to be factored in.
Once we were ready to jump, Caleb ordered the Cattle panel for pickup. He chose the lumber and picked up the panels on Friday evening to begin work on Saturday. He spent about 4 hours driving around town to pick up lumber and panel and unloading at home.
At sun-up Saturday morning, he began digging post holes. He started with the corner posts, digging them 24 inches down, placing the posts, and tamping the dirt back around the posts. We opted not to use concrete because the moisture from concrete would be more likely to rot the wooden posts.
After placing the corner and gate posts, he measured again to make sure they were spaced correctly and level. He then continued to dig and place more posts. This did take him all day, but he was working alone to set 21 posts. Extra hands could make it go faster.
The next morning, he started by figuring out where the top rail would go based on the fall of the yard and height of a cattle panel. He then cut the posts based on where the top rail would meet it to make top rail installation a simple task. This day of work took about 3-4 hours.
One night during the week, we measured, cut, and installed our bottom rail. We made them level between posts, but at different heights to accommodate for the fall of the ground. This also made the finished product look a bit more neat. About 2 more hours of work.
The following Friday, we took the afternoon and evening to hang our panels. This process was simple, but took some time. The spacing of our posts was not equal to the length of a panel, so we used a grinder to cut the panels as needed. We hung the panels on the outer side of the posts with galvanized fence staples. About 2 hours of work this day.
The plan for our Saturday was to wake up and build our gates. But as plans go, they changed when God blessed us with heavy rain and flooding. It truly was a blessing, because it showed us how loosely-set our posts were. We pivoted the plan and made a run to the store to buy fill dirt to add to our post holes. This took about an hour of work, and we got to our gates after lunch.
We opted for a simple plan for each gate that matches our fence. We used extra lumber we bought for the fence and one panel to get 3 gates. We purchased simple gate hardware from ‘the blue store’, and installing those was simple.
Going forward, we plan to scab the outside of the posts to hide the staples, run 2x6s across the top, and stain the wood for a finished look.
Cost Breakdown for the Fence Supplies
This cost breakdown is for about 130ft of fence. Obviously, yours wouldn’t be the exact same as ours, but you can use these amounts to estimate your own cost. All Prices are in USD.
| Item | # | Price/Item | Total w/tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle Panel | 9 | 29.99 | 292.18 |
| 4x4x8 Treated Posts | 21 | 10.28 | 233.69 |
| 2x4x8 Treated Lumber | 40 | 3.88 | 168.00 |
| 2x8x8 Treated Lumber | 1 | 11.58 | 12.54 |
| Galvanized Staples | 3 | 7.98 | 22.12 |
| 3-in Exterior Rated Screws | 1 | 34.98 | 37.87 |
| Gate Hinges | 3 | 16.78 | 54.49 |
| Rebar rod & Eyes | 15.08 | ||
| Gate Latches | 2 | 15.55 | |
| Fill Dirt | 10 | 3.49 | 37.78 |
| TOTAL | – | – | $889.39 |
Remember that some costs will be different based on how many gates you will need, what kinds of latches you choose, etc.
Additional Supplies Needed
In building this fence, we used a lot of tools. This list is everything we used, but you can get away without some of them.
- Level (4ft min)
- Sturdy Twine
- Wooden Stakes (24 ct.)
- Post Hole Digger
- Tamp
- Circular Saw
- Reciprocating Saw
- Impact Driver/Drill
- Grinder
- Tape Measure
- Line Level
- Rake
- Good Pair of Boots
Things to Consider
If you’re considering using cattle panels for your own fence there are some questions you may want to ask yourself. The good thing is, most parts of this fence are customizable, so you can still follow our process with any changes made.
How permanent do you need this fence to be? If you want it to be more temporary or you anticipate needing to move it or adjust it for animals or other use, you may consider using T Posts, though you’ll need to place the posts closer together.
What do you need from your fence? Do you have small animals that you need to keep contained? Cattle panel has pretty large gaps, so if you have chickens or a small dog, you may want to look at different types of panels. This will increase the cost, though, as cattle panel is the cheapest option.
Conclusion
Building this type of fence on our small property was simple and just what we needed. It could be completed in one free weekend, and doesn’t require too many specialty tools. There are some tips and tricks to doing it really well, and some great YouTube videos were a great help.
If you’re on a budget and in need of a fence, we would definitely recommend this style for its ease and customizability.
If you have any further questions, leave us a comment and we’d be happy to help!
Thank you for visiting Headed for a Homestead Blog. I’m Rebekah, your creator and author since 2023. As a new blogger in this big space, I’m still learning the ropes, and just as excited as when I began. I hope you’ll take some time to look around and maybe find a recipe or project you’d like to try.
If you like what you’ve found, make sure you follow me on social media for access to more content and resources. I’d love to get to know you and hear your thoughts.
This is a good summary of the fence building process! It can feel like a daunting task, but the steps are very helpful. I particularly like the cost and tool breakdowns.