Top 10 DIY Fencing Kits + 11 Must-Have Tools for Easy Fence Building

If you’ve got a garden, you know it can turn into a critter buffet without proper fencing.

Whether it’s a tenacious deer treating your veggie patch like a salad bar or your own toddler waltzing in with a shovel (“helping” by relocating your carrots), a good fence keeps cherished plants safe.

The great news is DIY garden fencing is totally doable (and even fun) with the right kits and tools. It doesn’t have to look like a fortress or cost a fortune.

In fact, with a sprinkle of homestead know-how (and maybe a cup of coffee in hand), you can set up a fence that says “keep out” to bunnies and “come on in” to compliments from the neighbors.

In this article, we’ll chat about some of the best DIY garden fencing kits and the essential tools you’ll want in your toolkit.

Why Garden Fencing Matters

Putting up your own garden fence helps you save money and create a setup that actually fits your space, your goals, and your gardening style.

Maybe you need a tall fence to keep deer at bay, a small border to stop the chickens from roaming, or a simple way to deter rabbits without making your yard look like Fort Knox.

DIY kits make it easy to install the perfect fence for your situation. Plus, doing it yourself means you can get creative (and maybe show off a little).

Before we jump in, one quick safety sip – er, tip: if you’ll be sinking posts or digging at all, call 811 before you dig to mark any underground cables or pipes (free utility marking is available in the US).

Nothing ruins a relaxed weekend project like accidentally discovering your cable line with a shovel – yikes!

Alright, on to the fun part – the fencing kits!

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

10 Best DIY Garden Fencing Kits (Deer, Chickens, Raised Beds & More)

When it comes to garden fencing kits, there are plenty of options. Below is a curated list of popular, well-rated kits that homesteaders and gardeners love.

1. Tenax Deer Fence Kit (7 ft x 100 ft)

A comprehensive kit for keeping Bambi and friends out of your garden. This Tenax kit includes a tough plastic deer net (7 feet tall, 100 feet long) plus poles, ties, and ground stakes for installation.

It’s essentially an all-in-one solution – no need to buy posts separately. Gardeners use this to surround veggie patches or property perimeters where deer are a problem.

It’s lightweight and seasonal (easy to remove if needed), but strong enough to deter deer under light to moderate pressure. If you have a big area to cover, this kit’s got you covered (literally).

2. Tenax DIY Garden Fence Kit (4 ft x 50 ft, Green)

This is a smaller version of Tenax’s deer fence kit, designed for small gardens or areas that don’t require tall fencing.

It comes with a 4-foot high, 50-foot long green plastic mesh (2” mesh openings) that blends nicely into foliages. You also get 5 adjustable poles (up to 8 ft tall), ties, and sod staples for anchoring.

This is perfect for encircling a raised bed area or flower garden to keep out rabbits, low-flying chickens, or that one dog that loves to nap in your tulips.

It’s DIY-friendly and the green color is garden-friendly (read: your yard won’t look like a construction zone).

3. Feitore Deer Fence Netting (7 ft x 100 ft)

If you’re on a budget or only need a lightweight barrier, this popular plastic netting is a top pick. It’s basically a giant reusable mesh net that you can drape or attach around your garden.

Despite being lightweight, it’s surprisingly tough polypropylene and doesn’t tangle easily. The kit includes 10 plastic stakes (nails) and 50 zip ties to help secure it.

With over 9,000 ratings and an Amazon’s Choice badge, it’s a fan favorite for protecting fruit trees, veggies, and berries from deer and birds.

This net is great for temporary seasonal use – for instance, put it up in spring to guard your peas and take it down in winter.

Just be aware it’s not as rigid as a fence; Bambi might push through if highly motivated, but usually the visual barrier is enough to discourage deer.

4. Starkline Electric Poultry Netting Kit (42″ x 164′)

Got chickens or other small livestock to contain (or protect)?

This Starkline kit includes an electric fence to help you do just that. It’s a 42-inch tall, 164-foot long electrified mesh fence that arrives as a roll with built-in poles.

You also get an AC-powered energizer unit to send safe pulses along the net, keeping predators out and your hens in.

Users love that it’s a plug-and-play solution for backyards and homesteads – just set up the poles (step-in spiked poles) and connect the energizer.

It’s not too shocking (pun intended) to install, and it’s effective for a variety of critters. If you’re chasing ducks, geese, or even stubborn goats, this fence will send the message.

Bonus: it’s movable, so you can reposition the run as your chickens rotate around the yard.

5. Nathomaim Garden Fence Panels with Gate (14.5 ft x 40 in)

This is a neat no-dig metal fence kit that’s as much about form as function. It comes with six black iron fence panels (total length ~14.5 feet, 40 inches tall each) and a lockable gate panel.

You also get gloves, a small hammer, and zip ties included – they’re really setting you up for success! Each panel has spiked feet that you press or hammer into the ground (no holes needed).

This kit is awesome for creating a little fenced-off garden nook or protecting a specific area (like around a seedling bed or koi pond).

The style is decorative (arched tops) so it doesn’t scream “utility fence” at first glance. It’s great for keeping dogs or toddlers out of a garden area, or even as a playpen for small pets outdoors.

One customer noted how easy it was to set up – truly a DIY breeze with no digging required. If you want a fence that says “welcome to my quaint garden – but please use the gate,” this is it.

6. Greenes CritterGuard Cedar Garden Fence (4 Pack)

Raised bed gardeners, this one’s for you. Greenes Fence (known for their cedar raised bed kits) makes a CritterGuard fence kit: a set of four cedar wood fence panels, each about 21.5″ long and 23.5″ tall.

They stake into the soil about 7″, leaving roughly 16.5″ of fence above ground around your bed.

These panels are designed to fit standard 4×4 raised beds (they slip between the corner posts of Greenes’ beds, but you can adapt them to other beds or even use them freestanding in a pinch).

They have a built-in wire mesh and look pretty snazzy (natural cedar wood). This kit is ideal for keeping out rabbits, groundhogs with a diet plan, and small dogs that don’t understand why digging in the lettuce is frowned upon.

The cedar is untreated but lasts a few seasons outdoors and can be easily moved when you need to work in the bed. No more finding half your lettuce uprooted by the local wildlife – these low-profile fences have got you covered.

7. OUSHENG Decorative Animal Barrier Fence (10 ft x 24 in, 10-Pack)

Here’s a short fence kit that works both as garden decor and a critter-barrier. OUSHENG’s kit gives you ten panels (24 inches high each) that connect to make a 10-foot long fence border.

The panels are metal with a rustproof black finish and have a charming square design. Installation is a cinch: you push the dual-pronged stakes at the bottom into the ground – no digging, no concrete, just step or hammer them in.

Use this fence to line the edge of a flower bed, along a walkway, or around a small garden plot.

It’s particularly handy for blocking small animals (like rabbits, or that neighbor’s tiny dog) from squeezing through gaps.

Because it’s modular, you can re-arrange the panels into different shapes (straight line, angles, or even a circle).

It’s not very tall – about knee-height – so it’s more of a mental barrier for animals and a visual one for humans (“This is my garden zone, Fluffy, kindly stay out”).

For what it is, it’s sturdy and easy to move, so you can always pop sections out if you need to open up your garden for harvesting or weeding.

8. 45ft x 21in No-Dig Animal Barrier (32 Panels)

If you like the idea of the OUSHENG fence above but need more coverage, this 32-panel set might be your pick. It’s a 45-foot long barrier kit, with each panel about 21 inches high.

The design features an arched top and spiked feet, similar concept of pushing into the ground. Gardeners often use these along the bottom of larger fences as an “anti-dig” addition – for example, around the base of a wooden fence to stop dogs from digging out or critters from digging in.

You can also encircle a sizable garden area with it. The arch design gives it a classic look, so it doesn’t uglify your yard.

Because it’s no-dig, installation is fast: just line up the panels and push them in (you can connect them with the included snaps or loops so they act as a continuous fence).

This is a great solution if you’re renting (temporary fence that won’t annoy the landlord) or if you only need a fence during certain seasons.

It’s effective for small to medium animals – think rabbits, skunks, puppies – though a determined larger dog or a very athletic raccoon might still find a way over.

For gardens, it’s often enough to discourage casual intruders.

9. SOLIDrive Plastic Garden Fence Kit (40 in x 50 ft)

Need a quick temporary fence that you can roll out like a carpet? This kit gives you a 50-foot roll of plastic mesh (about 3.3 feet high) plus 10 step-in plastic fence posts.

It’s frequently used for short-term fencing – like guarding a garden during the growing season, or fencing off a section of yard for a puppy.

The bright side (literally): many of these kits come in green or black mesh that’s not too visually obtrusive, but they do the job.

The step-in posts have a foot peg that you use to push them into the ground, and they have hooks to hang the plastic mesh.

No tools needed, though a rubber mallet can help in hard soil. This SOLIDrive kit is kind of like the fencing equivalent of setting up a camping tent – quick to put up and take down.

Reviewers note it’s versatile: they’ve used it as snow fencing, around community gardens, or to protect new grass.

It’s not going to stop a charging bear (or even an overly zealous large dog), but for bunnies, chickens, and gentle encouragement of two-legged family members (“don’t walk on my seedlings please!”) it works great.

10. Zippity “Roger Rabbit” No-Dig Garden Fence Kit (White Vinyl)

For a more polished, picket-fence look in the garden, Zippity Outdoor makes a cute white vinyl fence kit nicknamed the “Roger Rabbit.”

Each kit typically includes 3 panels of white picket fence, each around 2 ft high by 2 ft wide, plus stakes. The vinyl is weatherproof and maintenance-free (no painting, no rust).

Installation is no-dig: you drive a steel pipe into the ground with a mallet and then slide the hollow vinyl post over it. Presto – instant tiny picket fence! This is obviously more decorative than high-security, but it will deter rabbits and mark off your garden boundaries in style.

Many folks use these around flower beds or front-yard gardens where appearance matters. They’re modular, so you can buy multiple packs and connect them.

One thing to note: at 2 feet tall, deer will laugh at these (probably politely, into their hooves), but that’s not the point – these are for keeping small critters out and small children on the paths.

And sometimes, you just want that classic white fence look to complement your roses and hydrangeas. This kit delivers that storybook charm without the need to dig holes or install a full-size fence.

---

P.S. As you choose a kit, keep in mind your terrain and needs. Uneven ground? Flexible materials like mesh can contour to dips; rigid panels might need a stepped installation (like fence sections in a staircase pattern).

And if you have pesky diggers, consider an “L-footer” setup – laying some fence material flat on the ground outward from the fence to stop burrowing, or use those small barrier panels we mentioned.

Now that we’ve fenced in the kits, let’s talk tools to make the job easy.

11 Essential Tools for DIY Garden Fencing

You don’t need a full-on construction crew to build a garden fence. In fact, many of these kits can be installed with simple hand tools.

Below is a list of handy tools and accessories that will make your DIY fence project smoother. Having these in your shed will prepare you for almost anything a garden fence install can throw at you (except maybe angry wasps – for those, you run!).

Here are 11 essential fencing tools, with a bit of neighborly advice for each:

1. Rubber Mallet

A rubber mallet is perfect for pounding in fence stakes or no-dig posts without bending them.

It delivers a firm thud that won’t damage metal or PVC parts. (Because whacking a stake with a regular hammer – or a rock – can mushroom the top or chip things.)

You’ll use a mallet to drive those push-in fence panels or to nudge fence sections into alignment. Plus, it gives you a mini arm workout, so you can skip the gym and justify an extra cookie. Amazon

2. Fence Post Driver (Post Pounder)

If you’re using heavy-duty T-posts or U-posts (like those green metal garden posts) for your fence, do yourself a favor and get a manual post driver.

This tool is basically a heavy steel tube with handles that you slide over the top of a post and slam downward – it drives posts into the ground like a boss.

Using a post driver is much easier and safer than a sledgehammer. It keeps the impact focused and the post going in straight.

Whether you’re putting up deer fence posts or corner stakes, a driver will save your shoulders and sanity.

Look for a ~12 to 16 pound model for general use (heavier if you’re feeling burly, lighter if you prefer more control). Your fence posts will be standing tall in no time. Amazon

3. Post Hole Digger (Manual Auger or Clamshell Digger)

Planning to set a few wooden posts or gate posts? Then you might need to dig some holes.

A manual post hole digger – the clam-shell style tool with two long handles – is ideal for making narrow, deep holes for posts. It’s like two shovels pinching together to remove soil.

This tool lets you dig straight-sided holes without excavating a huge area. It comes in handy for setting gate posts, end posts, or if you’re doing a more permanent fence that requires concrete footings.

Sure, it’s a bit of a workout (you’ll earn that lemonade later), but it beats trying to dig a neat hole with a regular shovel.

Pro tip: if your soil is hard, water the area the night before to soften it up, or use a pry bar to loosen rocks. And always watch out for roots – those will remind you who’s boss.

4. Shovel (Spade)

Even if you’re not digging deep holes, a good shovel is your garden’s go-to option.

Use a spade or flat shovel to clear the fence line, remove sod, or level out mounds and hollows along your fence path.

A shovel also helps in burying a bit of fence mesh if you choose to create an underground barrier against burrowing critters.

And let’s not forget general tasks like mixing concrete (if setting posts permanently) or replanting any plants you had to temporarily uproot during fence construction.

In short, don’t head out to install a fence without a shovel on standby – somehow, somewhere, you’ll need it.

5. Tape Measure

“Measure twice, cut once,” as the saying goes. A 25-foot tape measure is super useful for laying out your fence.

You can measure equal distances between posts, ensure your garden gate kit actually fits your garden opening, and check that you bought enough fencing to go the distance.

I’ve heard tales of folks eyeballing fence posts and ending up with a slightly rhombus-shaped fence – a tape measure helps keep things nicely spaced and symmetric.

It’s also handy to measure how high your fence is (to answer important questions like “is this tall enough to stop a deer?”).

Pro tip: mark post spacing on the ground with stakes or spray paint once you measure, so you have a guide while building.

6. Work Gloves

Fencing can be murder on the hands – think sharp wire edges, splinters from wooden stakes, or just blister-inducing work.

A solid pair of leather or cut-resistant work gloves is essential. They’ll protect you when tensioning wire, pounding posts (no pinched fingers!), and handling rough materials.

Your future self will thank you when you don’t have to dig out a thorn or patch up a blister at day’s end. Wells Lamont, Mechanix, or any quality gloves with good grip will do.

Pro tip: Get gloves with a good cuff that covers your wrist; it keeps dirt out and gives you a bit of forearm protection when wrestling rolls of wire fence.

7. Safety Glasses

You know what they say: “It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.” When installing fencing, stuff can fly unexpectedly – a clipped piece of wire here, a bit of debris when pounding a post there.

Wear safety glasses when you’re cutting metal wire or hammering staples into posts. They’re cheap, and your eyes are priceless.

Also, if you’re using any power tools (or even stretching metal mesh that could spring), glasses are a must. You don’t need anything fancy or expensive – just something to prevent the surprise poke.

Your neighborly coffee chats will be much more enjoyable when you’re not sporting an eye patch like a pirate (unless that’s the vibe you want, I won’t judge).

8. Staple Gun (or Fence Staples)

If your fence involves attaching wire or netting to wooden posts or frames, a heavy-duty staple gun will be one of your most useful tools.

For lighter materials (like plastic deer netting or chicken wire) stapling is quick and easy. A manual staple gun (like the Arrow T50) can fire staples to secure netting to a wooden stake in seconds.

It’s also useful for attaching fence fabric to wooden garden bed frames or even tacking up plant trellises. Just load it with the right size staples and kachunk! – fence secured.

If you’re doing a more robust farm fence with field fencing or welded wire, you might use hammered U-nails (fence staples) instead – in that case, a regular hammer can suffice, or even better, those fencing pliers we’ll mention in a second (they have a staple hammer built-in).

Either way, having the means to fasten your fence material to support posts is key.

9. Zip Ties

Ah, zip ties – the reliable staples of DIY fencing and virtually any project.

For many fence kits (especially ones with metal or PVC posts), UV-resistant zip ties are perfect for securing fence material (mesh, wire, netting) to the posts quickly.

They’re also great for joining two rolls of netting together, attaching ID tags to a fence, or temporarily holding something in place while you work.

When installing a plastic mesh fence, you can use the provided ties or grab a pack of heavy-duty outdoor zip ties for extra.

One tip: get the UV-stabilized black zip ties for outdoor use; they resist sun rot much longer than the plain white ones.

Also, don’t overtighten to the point of snapping – snug is enough. Keep a bunch of sizes on hand (8″ and 11″ are versatile). You’ll find a million uses for the leftovers, trust me.

10. Wire Cutters (Snips)

Quality wire cutters or tin snips are essential for trimming fencing materials.

Need to cut chicken wire to fit your garden bed? Snip. Need to shorten the plastic deer netting? Snip (though scissors can work on plastic, they’ll dull fast). Need to cut metal twist ties or excess zip tie ends? Snip-snip.

A good pair of wire cutting pliers or aviation snips will save you a lot of frustration versus, say, trying to hack at wire with a hacksaw or (gasp) bending it back and forth until it breaks.

Look for something that can handle at least 14-16 gauge wire if you’re working with hardware cloth or welded wire. For chicken wire (typically 20 gauge), almost any wire cutter does the trick.

Pro tip: when cutting rolled wire, watch out – the cut piece might spring outward. That’s another reminder why the safety glasses and gloves are important!

11. Fencing Pliers (Multi-tool)

If you plan to do a lot of fencing or want a single tool that can hammer, pull, and cut, consider investing in a fencing plier tool.

This funky-looking plier is like the Swiss Army knife of fence work. It typically has a hammerhead on one side (for pounding staples), a claw or hook for pulling staples out, and shears for cutting wire – all in one tool.

It’s used on farms for barbed wire and field fence, but even in a garden setting it’s super handy. For example, you can drive a staple, then use the same tool to twist a wire or cut off excess.

If you used staples on a project last year and want to remove that fence now, fencing pliers let you pry those staples right out (sparing your screwdriver tips).

They also often have a built-in grip for splicing wire. In short, it combines many tools you need for fencing projects into one.

I’ve had moments where I literally made an “oof” sound at how easily it yanked out a stubborn staple. Definitely a worthy addition to the tool rack if you foresee more fencing or repairs in your future.

With these tools by your side, you’ll be building your garden fence like a pro.

A quick final tip: it’s always easier to tackle a fencing project with a friend – one person holds things in place, the other fastens, and both can laugh when that roll of wire inevitably tries to recoil on you. So bribe your buddy with promises of homegrown veggies or a post-project BBQ. 

---

I hope this friendly rundown has armed you with ideas and confidence to tackle your DIY garden fencing project.

Remember, the goal is to protect your precious plants and enjoy the process.

So go forth, fence that garden, and then reward yourself with a relaxing break – perhaps sipping something nice while you admire your handiwork.

After all, good fences make good gardens… and very happy gardeners.

Happy fencing! 🌻🛠️