How to Trench a Fence Line

Hammer wooden stakes into the ground to indicate each of the fence's corners. Tie a string around one of the wooden stakes. Extend the string to the second wooden stake. Wrap the string around the stake and extend it to the third wooden stake. Continue until you have wrapped the string around each stake. Tie the string to the final stake to hold it in place.

Draw a spray-paint line on the ground, directly underneath the string you stretched between the wooden stakes. Follow the string as closely as possible so the spray-paint line gives you an accurate guide for the trench's location.

Push a trenching shovel into the ground along the spray-paint line. Pull back on the shovel's handle to remove the dirt. Use the trenching shovel to make the hole as wide and deep as you would like the trench to be, using a tape measure to ensure the trench will be both wide and deep enough.

Work your way down the spray-paint line, using the trenching shovel to dig the trench. Check the trench periodically with the tape measure to see if the width and depth are remaining consistent.

Continue until you have trenched down the length of each spray-paint line. If the trench for your particular fence must be level, lay a level inside the trench. Add or remove soil from certain areas as necessary.