Here’s how to make sure your fence is straight and square so it looks its best.

You will need to already have your fence or property line mapped out with tape or string. If you haven’t located your fence or property lines yet, click here to learn how.

When squaring up a fence, using the classic 3-4-5 rule is the most effective way to get an accurately squared corner.

Start in one corner of the fence layout. If the corner isn’t marked with a temporary stake, mark it. Using the temporary fence or property lines, measure three feet down the line to the left, and mark the spot with a stake. Start at the corner again, and now measure four feet down the line to the right, and mark the spot with another stake.

Starting at the left stake, measure straight across to the right stake. If the distance is exactly five feet, your corner is perfectly square.

For larger projects simply use a larger number combination making all three numbers divisible by 3-4-5, i.e., 21-28-35 (21÷3=7, 28÷4=7, and 35÷5=7).

The best way to begin the process of locating and marking your property lines is to identify the corners of your property. The property corners are typically marked with metal identifiers by a surveyor team upon the purchase of a house or property.

If possible, contact your surveyor or your county records department to get a property plat map with the approximation of your property boundaries.

Start near where you think the corner is, according to your property map, and search for your property’s corner markers. If a marker has been driven below the surface, sometimes probing with a shovel will help to find it. If the marker is too deep, a metal detector should solve the problem. If the marker is invisible to the naked eye, use a temporary stake to mark the corners.

Once you have located and marked all the corners of your property, tie a string to your original stake and run the string to each corner marker, trailing the string behind you as you walk until you have the border of your property outlined by string.

You should now have a properly marked property line, and are ready to begin construction on your new fence.

The easiest way to begin laying your new fence is to identify where the corners will be. Hammer a stake securely into the ground at each corner. Once all of your corners are marked with temporary stakes, run mason’s line or string tightly from stake to stake, tying around each stake as you go. This will allow you to visualize your fence line’s layout, and address any problems in the layout plan.

Use these lines to mark the position of the first post. Then measure out on the line to mark the rest of the posts along the fence. Next locate, mark, and measure any planned openings, such as gates.

Now measure off your line and gate openings, and you should have an accurate estimate of the applicable materials you will need.