How to install fence panels
Fence panels are installed by setting the posts first, plumb and in concrete below the local frost line, then fitting each panel or slat bay to the posts as you work along the line, checking level and spacing at every bay. The method is the same for a modular aluminium slat system and for galvanised steel mesh or palisade panels: get the posts right and the panels follow. This guide covers setting out, digging and concreting the posts, spacing, fixing the panels, gates, fasteners and protecting any cut edge, so the finished fence is straight, secure and long-lasting.
What fence panel installation covers
A panel fence is built from repeating bays fixed between posts, rather than from individual pales nailed on site. The two main types supplied for the European trade are the modular aluminium slat system, where powder-coated slats and rails clip between aluminium posts, and galvanised steel panels, such as welded mesh and palisade, bolted to steel posts. Both share the same installation logic and the same critical detail, which is a set of true, plumb, well-founded posts. For the aluminium system itself see our guide to modern aluminium fencing systems.
Planning and setting out the run
The run is set out before any hole is dug. Mark the two ends of the fence and stretch a taut string line between them at ground level, so every post front sits on one true line. Work out the post centres from the panel width plus the post thickness, so a 2,000 mm bay with a 100 mm post gives centres 2,100 mm apart. Marking each post position along the string, and checking the total divides evenly into the run, avoids a narrow, awkward end bay later. Note underground services before digging.
How deep to set the posts
Post depth decides whether the fence stays upright for decades or leans after a few winters. The working rule is to bury about one third of the total post length, so a post standing 1,800 mm above ground is set roughly 900 mm into the ground, over a small drainage layer of gravel at the base of the hole. In colder parts of continental Europe the hole must reach below the local frost line, because trapped water freezing under the post will otherwise heave it upward over two or three winters. Where the frost line is deeper than the one-third rule, the frost line wins and the hole goes deeper.
Setting the posts in concrete
Each post is set in concrete and held true while it cures. Stand the post on the gravel drainage layer, bring it to the string line and to the correct height, then plumb it in both directions with a level and brace it with timber stays. Pour the concrete around it, working out air pockets, and slope the top of the concrete away from the post so water drains off rather than sitting at the base. Leave the concrete to cure before hanging any weight on the post. Getting every post plumb and on line at this stage is what makes the panels drop straight in afterwards.
Post spacing and keeping the line true
Panel fences work to a fixed bay, so the post spacing is dictated by the panel and cannot drift. ULAMEX recommends 100 x 100 mm posts on concrete foundations at a maximum spacing of 2,000 mm for exposed aluminium slat runs, and the same discipline applies to steel panels sized to their own bay. Keeping every post on the string line and at a constant centre distance means each panel fits without forcing. On sloping ground the fence either steps down bay by bay, keeping each panel level, or racks to follow the slope where the system allows it.
Fitting the panels bay by bay
The reliable method is to fit the panels as you go, not to concrete every post first. Set and brace the first post, offer up the first panel or slat bay to mark the second post position exactly, then set the second post to suit the panel rather than to a guessed measurement. This install-as-you-go sequence absorbs any small error in post plumb or spacing, so the fence stays tight and even along its whole length. Each bay is checked level with a spirit level before its fixings are finally tightened.
Aluminium slat systems: clips and screws
The modular aluminium system needs no welding or specialist tools on site. Slats and cross-rails locate into the posts with bracket clips and are fixed with self-drilling screws, so a bay is assembled in place and the whole fence reads as one clean line. Because the aluminium is EN AW-6063 T6 and powder-coated to a minimum 60 micron finish, there is no rust and no repainting, and the fixings are simply tightened to the manufacturer’s pattern. Post caps close the tops of the posts against water. For the alloy and finish detail see our guide to modern aluminium fencing.
Steel mesh and palisade panels
Galvanised steel panels, such as welded mesh and palisade, are bolted to steel posts with panel clamps or brackets. The panel is held to the string line and to a constant height above the ground, then clamped at the recommended points up each post, with the fixings tightened evenly so the panel sits flat. Steel panels are heavier and more rigid than aluminium, which suits security and industrial boundaries, and they come galvanised, often with a powder-coated colour over the zinc. For the material and coating see our guide to galvanised steel and DX51D and the galvanised fences range.
Ground clearance and drainage
A panel that sits on wet soil holds moisture and dirt against its base, so a small ground clearance is left under each bay. A gap, or a gravel board where the system uses one, keeps the panel off the ground, lets water drain and stops soil bridging the coating. On steel panels this clearance protects the galvanised and powder-coated finish at the most vulnerable point, and on aluminium it keeps the base clean. Grading the ground so surface water runs away from the fence line, rather than pooling at the posts, adds years to the whole assembly.
Gates and end bays
Gates load their posts far harder than a fixed panel does, so gate posts are larger in section and set deeper, in a bigger concrete footing, to carry the swinging weight without leaning. The gate hardware is fixed to these posts and the gate is hung and adjusted to swing freely and latch cleanly. Where a run does not divide evenly, the end bay is measured and the last panel is trimmed on site by the installer to suit the opening. Any cut edge on a galvanised or coated steel panel is then re-protected, as the next section describes, so the trimmed end does not become a rust start point.
Fixings and galvanic isolation
The fasteners are matched to the fence and to the exposure. Stainless fixings, A2 (1.4301) in sheltered positions and A4 (1.4404) outdoors and near the coast, resist corrosion and will not stain the panels. The rule to remember is to avoid coupling dissimilar metals in a wet joint, because that drives galvanic corrosion of the less noble metal. Where a stainless or aluminium part meets a galvanised steel post in an exposed detail, keeping the joint dry and using the correct washers stops a corrosion cell forming. Matched, correctly specified fixings are a small cost that protects the whole fence.
Protecting cut edges and finishing
Wherever a steel panel or post has been cut or drilled on site, the bare edge has lost its factory coating and must be re-protected. A zinc-rich paint restores the sacrificial protection on a galvanised cut end, and a matching powder-coat touch-up covers the colour. Aluminium does not rust, so a cut aluminium slat needs only a tidy, deburred edge, though a touch-up keeps the powder finish uniform. Finishing off the caps, clearing swarf and drilling debris from the base of the fence, and washing down the panels leaves a boundary that needs little more than occasional cleaning for decades.
Meeting the rules on height and loading
How high a fence may be, and what wind and boundary loads it must resist, are set by local building and planning rules and by the relevant Eurocode for the country and the exposure, so they are confirmed at the planning stage rather than assumed. Wind load in particular drives post section, foundation size and spacing: a solid or close-slatted panel catches far more wind than an open mesh, so exposed sites need heavier posts and deeper footings. Setting these out correctly before digging, rather than discovering them afterwards, is what keeps an installed fence both compliant and standing.
Common installation mistakes to avoid
Most fence problems trace back to a handful of avoidable errors. Setting the posts too shallow, above the frost line, lets them heave and lean within a year or two. Concreting all the posts before checking the panels fit leaves bays that will not close without forcing. Skipping the ground clearance traps moisture against the panel base. Leaving a cut galvanised edge bare invites rust at exactly the wrong point. And mixing unmatched fasteners with dissimilar metals starts galvanic corrosion at the joints. Working post by post, deep enough, with matched fixings and protected edges, avoids all five.
Fence panels and systems from ULAMEX
ULAMEX has supplied the fencing trade since 1988 and manufactures under EN 1090-1 EXC2 and ISO 3834-2.
| What you get | Detail |
|---|---|
| Aluminium system | EN AW-6063 T6 slats, rails, posts and gate hardware, powder-coated minimum 60 micron |
| Steel panels | Galvanised mesh and palisade panels and posts, powder-coated to order |
| Colours | RAL 7016, 9005, 7035, 9006 as standard; any RAL on wholesale request |
| Certification | EN 1090-1 EXC2 and ISO 3834-2; material documentation on request |
| Terms | No minimum order on stocked SKUs, dispatch 2 to 7 working days, Europe-wide delivery from Poland |
Planning a fencing project? Send the style, colour, run length and quantities, and ULAMEX will return a non-binding quotation with lead time and availability, and can prepare cut lists for larger runs. Browse the modern fencing system range, read our guide to modern aluminium fencing systems, see how to keep panels sound before fitting in our guide to storing steel products, or view our supply capabilities. Contact the export desk at [email protected] or +48 504 424 761.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should fence posts be set?
The working rule is to bury about one third of the total post length over a gravel drainage layer, so a fence about 1,800 mm high needs its posts set roughly 900 mm into the ground. In colder regions the hole must reach below the local frost line, or the post will heave over a few winters. Where the frost line is deeper, go deeper.
Do you fit the posts or the panels first?
Work post by post. Set and brace the first post, offer up the panel to mark the next post position exactly, then set that post to suit the panel. This install-as-you-go method absorbs small errors in plumb and spacing, so the fence stays tight and even rather than leaving a bay that will not close.
What is the maximum post spacing?
Spacing is set by the panel bay. ULAMEX recommends 100 x 100 mm posts on concrete foundations at a maximum spacing of 2,000 mm for exposed aluminium slat runs, with steel panels worked to their own bay. Keeping every post on a taut string line at a constant centre keeps the run straight.
How are aluminium slat panels fixed?
Slats and rails locate into the posts with bracket clips and self-drilling screws, with no welding or special tools on site. The aluminium is EN AW-6063 T6, powder-coated to a minimum 60 micron finish, so the assembled fence does not rust or need repainting.
Do I need a gap under the panels?
Yes. A small ground clearance, or a gravel board where the system uses one, keeps the panel off wet soil, lets water drain and stops soil bridging the coating. On galvanised and powder-coated steel this protects the finish at its most vulnerable point, and it grades the ground so water runs away from the posts.
What do I do with a cut panel edge?
Re-protect it. A cut on a galvanised or coated steel panel loses its factory coating, so the bare edge is restored with zinc-rich paint and a matching powder touch-up. Aluminium does not rust, so a cut aluminium slat needs only a deburred edge and, for looks, a touch-up of the powder finish.
Can ULAMEX supply a complete fencing system?
Yes. ULAMEX supplies aluminium slat systems and galvanised steel panels with matching posts, gate hardware and fixings on wholesale terms. Send the style, colour, run length and quantities and the export desk will return a non-binding quotation with lead time, and can prepare cut lists for larger runs.