Asked on Oct 19, 2019
How can I seal the bottom of a privacy fence?
by
Joan Stanley
+2
My neighbor replaced the privacy fence between our yards. But, the crew doing the work kept the entire fence 2 inches ABOVE ground level! Perhaps that's to keep the wood from rotting from moisture. No problem for him since he has no dogs. But, I do! I have escape artists who think the world loves them and they want to run find new friends at EVERY opportunity. (Plus the neighbor has a pool so the dogs could fall in and not find their way out.) I am on a limited income so I'm hoping someone has an idea of how I can seal the 90 feet along that fence line that won't break the bank, and not too hard for an old lady to install. Ideas?
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Hi Joan,
Not to sound cruel or give you the impression of not being an animal lover, I would tether my dogs in my yard so they cannot go anywhere outside of my yard. They are your responsibility and not your neighbor's who was gracious enouh to replace a privacy fence. You could think of this as a way to protect them rather than letting them run amuck into the neighborhood and into traffic.
I'm going to venture to guess that you have small dogs since a 2" gap would not pose a problem for a Rottweiler. I would install 2 ft vinyl coated wire fencing about 6 inches inside the wood fence. You would need two rolls of 50' for around 40 dollars each. Do not attach it to your neighbor's fence, you will need some stakes of some sort. Or you could purchase just one roll of the fencing, cut it down the center and lay it on the ground by the fence (for diggers), use landscape timbers, pavers or bricks to keep it in place. Again, do not allow them to touch the fence. Another alternative would be to invest in a couple of ex-pens to make a play yard. You can attach them together to make one large space for your dogs to spend time outside unattended. You can get these for 20 dollars and up from Chewy.com. If your dogs are climbers you can fashion a top for them out of 1x2s and wire or cloth. It really depends on how determined your dogs are to escape.
If you don't own a flirt stick, look it up. These are essential for wearing dogs out so they don't behave badly. I made mine from pvc, paracord and duct tape. Add a stuffed toy in the noose and you're good to go. Not pretty, but does the trick. A tired dog will not look for trouble. 15 mins a day and they will be happy. You could also plant treats around the yard (I use jerky cut into 1" pieces) to keep the dogs distracted from trying to escape. Works their minds and noses. I fostered dogs for adoption for some 30 years and the escape artist was always my biggest challenge. I've dealt with over, under and through escapes, nearly lost my mind with a few :) Keep your sense of humor and good luck!
You can buy push in decorative garden fencing that is usually used to border a garden. There are different heights so you can buy the shortest height. This is available in metal, plastic or wood. You can buy individual pieces or sections that include more than one piece. I used this under my deck to keep the dog from crawling under to get rocks and taller sections around my garden to keep the dog out of the tomatoes! It worked like a charm and was fairly inexpensive especially when it was on sale at my local Menards and Walmart. I have included a picture so you know what I am talking about. I purchased the green color so it was barely noticeable from across the yard. You can buy the fencing with smaller holes than what I have shown.
Be careful about placing anything directly against your neighbor's fencing to avoid accusations of damage.
First, try liberally spraying the entire perimeter with a citrus based spray, which most dogs will avoid. It will require repeat applications, but may be a easier solution.
Because your neighbors' fence is not sound proof nor scent proof, you may ultimately have to resort to installing barbery hedging, or a fencing of your own.