Green Mountain Fence - Spruce Pine's Top-Rated Commercial Fencing

The main cause is frost heave—when water in the ground freezes and expands, it pushes posts upward and out of plumb. Combined with Spruce Pine’s rocky, clay-heavy soil, even well-set posts can shift over time. Another cause is wind loading: strong gusts coming off the mountains catch tall panels like a sail. We solve this by setting posts at least 3 feet deep with concrete footings and using galvanized brackets to reinforce corners.

Look for soft, spongy wood near the ground, peeling paint, or small piles of sawdust (a sign of carpenter ants or termites). In Spruce Pine’s damp climate, untreated wood can rot in as little as two years. Press a screwdriver into the bottom of posts—if it sinks in easily, the wood is compromised. Our solution is to replace rotted sections with pressure-treated or cedar lumber, which naturally resists moisture and bugs, and to install gravel drainage around post bases.

Deer can jump 8 feet, so a standard 4-foot fence won’t stop them. We recommend a 7.5- to 8-foot tall woven-wire or deer fence, often combined with a second, lower barrier to confuse their jump. In Spruce Pine, where views matter, we also install black vinyl-coated wire that blends into the landscape. For gates, we use self-closing hinges and a latch that deer can’t nose open. This keeps your garden safe without blocking the mountain scenery.