Building a Fence in Alvarado, TX: What Blackland Clay and Acreage Demand

Alvarado is where our shop sits, on County Road 514, so most of what we know about building fences comes from this ground. Here is what it takes for a fence in Alvarado to stay straight, and what to ask any contractor before they dig.

The soil is the first thing we design for

Much of Johnson County sits on expansive blackland clay. It swells after a wet spring and shrinks hard in an August drought, and that cycle is what pushes fence posts out of plumb. A leaning fence around Alvarado is almost never a picket problem. It is a footing problem. We explain the mechanics in why fence posts lean in North Texas clay.

So on an Alvarado job the footing gets as much attention as the finish. That means augered holes deeper than the standard residential spec, full concrete collars crowned above grade so rainwater runs off instead of soaking the post, and extra bracing at gates and corners where the leverage is greatest.

• Deeper footings for expansive clay
• Crowned concrete collars
• Galvanized steel post option
• Braced gate and corner posts
• Grade-following stepped runs
• Line checked before a picket goes on

Steel posts: the upgrade that matters most here

On most cedar fences we build around Alvarado, we recommend galvanized steel posts set in concrete. Steel does not rot at the ground line, termites cannot eat it, and it does not twist as it dries. The cedar still faces the street, so you keep the warm wood look while the structure holds its line. Read more in why we set cedar fences on steel posts.

Town lots and acreage, often on the same property

Alvarado is split between neighbourhood lots off FM 917 and US-67 that want a stained cedar privacy fence, and acreage out toward Venus and Grandview that needs long runs, cross-fencing and a gate wide enough for a trailer. Plenty of properties need both: a privacy fence around the house and something tougher around the land. We build both, and we price them together so the lines meet properly.

On a long rural run, the corners and the layout decide everything. We string and check the line before digging, and we decide early whether the fence steps with the grade or follows it. For working acreage, see farm and ranch pipe fencing.

What to ask before you hire anyone in Alvarado

• How deep will the posts be set?
• Wood, steel or both?
• Who handles tear-out and haul-off?
• Does the gate have its own heavier posts?
• Will the fence step or follow the grade?
• Is the price written and itemised?

Because we are based in Alvarado, most local estimates can be scheduled within a couple of business days. See our Alvarado fence company page for the areas we cover, or start with cedar and wood fence installation.

Frequently asked questions