Smithfield has been growing food for a long time. Drive down Austin Avenue in Greenville in the fall, or stop at Jaswell’s Farm on Swan Road, and you are reminded that this is orchard country. Plenty of homeowners here keep that tradition going on a smaller scale, with raised beds, a tomato patch or a few blueberry bushes out back. The trouble is that the deer, rabbits and woodchucks living in the woods around Wolf Hill, Stillwater and Georgiaville Pond like your garden just as much as you do.
A well-built garden fence is usually the difference between a harvest and a salad bar for the neighborhood wildlife. Here is how we approach garden fence installation in Smithfield and what materials actually work.
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Start With the Animal, Not the Fence
The most common mistake we see is a fence built for the wrong pest. Before picking a style, figure out who has been visiting. A few clues help:
- Deer: Ragged, torn leaves and stems, often eaten from the top down. Beans, lettuce and young fruit trees vanish overnight. Hoof prints in soft soil give it away. In the wooded parts of town, from Spragueville down toward the Wolf Hill area, deer pressure can be heavy.
- Rabbits: Clean, angled cuts low to the ground, usually on seedlings, peas and lettuce. Small droppings nearby.
- Woodchucks: Whole plants mowed down, and often a burrow under a shed, deck or stone wall close by. They dig and they climb, which matters for how the fence is built.
Most gardens here deal with more than one of these, so our builds usually combine a sturdy frame, small-opening wire at the bottom and enough height for deer.
Three Garden Fence Setups That Work
1. Wood Frame With Welded Wire
This is the one most people picture, and it is what you see in the photos on this page. Wood posts and rails form a frame, and welded wire mesh is fastened to it. It looks finished, it holds up and it can be built around raised beds, a patio garden or a small orchard. Black vinyl-coated wire tends to disappear from a distance, so you see the garden instead of the fence. Height is usually 4 to 6 feet. If you like the look of wood, our wood fence installation page shows more of what we build.
2. Tall Deer Fence on Steel Posts
When deer are the main problem and you are protecting a bigger area, a tall fence of black polypropylene or metal deer mesh on slim steel posts is hard to beat. It is light, hard to see from the house and good for a large plot or a row of fruit trees. These usually run 7 to 8 feet.
3. Low Critter Fence
For rabbits and woodchucks only, a 3 to 4 foot fence with buried wire at the base does the job. We wrote more about rail fences and mesh in our post on split rail fence installation in neighboring Lincoln.
Materials Guide
- Posts. Pressure-treated or cedar 4×4 posts for wood-frame gardens, set deep enough to handle Rhode Island’s freeze and thaw. Steel posts for tall deer mesh. Corners and gate posts take the most stress, so we brace or upsize them.
- Wire. Welded wire is the workhorse. A 2 x 4 inch opening stops deer and larger animals. For rabbits, go to 1 x 2 inch mesh or add a band of half-inch hardware cloth along the bottom 2 feet.
- Finish. Galvanized wire is the budget choice. Black vinyl-coated wire costs a bit more and looks much cleaner next to a house or patio.
- Below ground. Woodchucks dig. Burying the wire 6 to 12 inches, or bending it outward into an L-shaped apron under the soil, stops most of them. Pressure-treated bottom boards, like the frame in the photo above, also help seal the gap.
- Gates. A garden gate gets opened more than any other gate on the property. Make it wide enough for a wheelbarrow or cart (around 4 feet is comfortable), brace it so it does not sag, and use a latch you can work with a full pair of hands. A wire-filled gate like the one pictured keeps the fence animal-tight.
Smithfield-Specific Things to Know
Permits and Height
The Town of Smithfield Building and Zoning FAQ says fences taller than 6 feet near a home, and taller than 7 feet near anything other than a home, require a building permit. A 4 foot raised-bed fence usually falls well under that, but an 8 foot deer fence next to the house might not. Rules change and zoning can still apply even when no permit is needed, so check with the Building and Zoning Office before you build. We go over this for your address during the estimate.
Rocks, Ledge and Old Walls
Much of Smithfield sits on rocky glacial soil, and old stone walls run through yards in Greenville, Esmond and along Route 116. That affects post spacing and how we bury wire. We plan around big rocks rather than forcing a straight line. Know where your property line is before building near a wall, because walls do not always sit on the line.
Dig Safe
We call Dig Safe before any digging. Private lines like irrigation or invisible pet fence wire are not marked, so tell us if you have them.
How Our Garden Fence Installs Work
- Quote. Start with the instant quote or book a free on-site visit.
- Plan. We walk the garden with you and lay out the footprint, gate and height.
- Prep. We check local requirements for your address and request Dig Safe markings.
- Build. Posts and frame go in first, then wire and gate. Most backyard garden fences take a day or two once materials are on site.
- Walkthrough. We check the gate swing, latch and any gaps at the bottom with you before we leave.
If you are fencing more than a garden, like a pasture, chicken run or a larger field, take a look at our agricultural and farm fencing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall should a garden fence be in Smithfield?
It depends on what is eating your plants. A 3 to 4 foot fence with buried wire handles rabbits and woodchucks. For deer, we usually recommend 7 to 8 feet, since a hungry deer can clear 5 or 6 feet easily.
Do I need a permit for a garden fence in Smithfield, RI?
According to the Town of Smithfield Building and Zoning FAQ, fences taller than 6 feet near a home, and taller than 7 feet near anything else, need a building permit. A tall deer fence may need one. Confirm with the Building and Zoning Office before you build; we check this during the estimate.
What kind of wire works best for a garden fence?
For most backyard gardens, welded wire with a 2 x 4 inch or smaller opening, often black vinyl-coated so it blends in. Add 1 x 2 inch mesh or hardware cloth at the bottom if rabbits are a problem.
Can you build a garden fence around raised beds?
Yes. Fencing a raised-bed layout is one of the most common garden jobs we do. We plan the footprint so you have room to walk and kneel between beds, and we size the gate for a wheelbarrow or garden cart, not just for you.
How do I get a price for a garden fence in Smithfield?
Use our instant quote tool at fenceprosdirect.com/instant-quote for a ballpark in a couple of minutes, or call 401-552-4845 to set up a free on-site estimate.
Protect Your Smithfield Garden Before Spring
Late fall and winter are a good time to plan a garden fence, so it is in place before the first seedlings go out. Whether you are fencing a few raised beds in Greenville or a big vegetable plot near Stillwater, Fence Pros Direct can help you build something that keeps the animals out and still looks good from the house. Get a price with our instant fence quote, call 401-552-4845, or email sales@fenceprosdirect.com.
About Fence Pros Direct
Fence Pros Direct is a Rhode Island licensed contractor (RI License #20431) backed by 25 years of construction experience, serving homeowners across the state. Call 401-552-4845 or get an instant quote.
