You may have had split rail fencing installed years ago because it provides a wonderful rustic look to your home. Unfortunately, these types of fences are not great at keeping a pet contained to your yard. This brings up the concern of what to about it. One option is to modify the split rail fencing. Here are a few ways you can do it.

Install Welded Wire

You'll need to eliminate any gaps in the split rail fencing, which can be done using welded wire. This type of wire is sold in rolls or panels. If you've decided to use the panel version, you simply place the panels against the fence and secure them to it using staples. As long as the staples go deep enough into the wood fencing, it will stay in place. For welded wire rolls, measure and cut a section of wire to fit over a single section of fencing, then attach it to the fence using u-nails or staples.

Welded wire is also sold as chicken wire or hog wire. Be aware that chicken wire has small gaps in the material of the two types, and hog wire will have bigger holes. If the holes in the wire are too big, it could leave a gap big enough for a really small pet to fit through.

Install An Extra Rail

Not into the idea of how welded wire will look on your fence? An alternative is to install an extra rail to your split rail fencing. The design of split rail fencing is fairly simple, and adding an additional rail can be done by making holes in each post that a new wooden rail can slide into.

The result of adding an extra rail will be a fence that still resembles the split rail style, but will not have big enough gaps for an animal to fit through. It still may no be enough to prevent small pets from slipping through though.

Install An Invisible Pet Fence

If you really do not want to disrupt the look of your fence, you can install an invisible pet fence next to your split rail fencing. It will do a great job at keeping any size pet contained to your yard, and it won't alter your existing fencing. Invisible pet fences are easy to install on your own, since they just involve digging a trench to bury the wire near the fence

If you need help modifying your fence, or even installing a new fence to replace the split rail fencing you currently have, contact a local fencing contractor like Citi Fence and Concrete.