Anyone built their own fence?

[alkemyst]

Can you see a laser level in the day time? or it's pretty much useless during the day?

something like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...word=laser+leveler&storeId=10051#.UCHHG2ySbBI

A chalk line and plumbing each post is usually all that is needed. Once the panels go up they follow the posts.

 

[spacejamz]

Chainlink fencing is different than what is being discussed.

Also to others, concrete has no place in setting a fence properly. It causes the wood to rot faster and then is a PITA to fix.

We have very sandy soil in S. Florida and Hurricanes. I have not seen a fence without concrete do any worse than one with it. The problem is too many don't buy long enough posts nor an auger to save money and then blow a ton on concrete and digging big holes.

I wasn't talking about chain link fences....You can use metal poles on a wooden fence...and if done properly with concrete, will outlast a wooden post...

 

[0roo0roo]

anyone use a post hole digger like this one? how well does it works compare to a regular shovel?

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...gId=-1&keyword=post+hole+digger&storeId=10051

shovel simply doesn't work past a foot. you need to scoop and you can't apply enough force anyways in a deep hole with straight walls. sure you can massively over dig but that would be stupid...

 

[alkemyst]

I wasn't talking about chain link fences....You can use metal poles on a wooden fence...and if done properly with concrete, will outlast a wooden post...

There is no more room for adjustment in that setup than a 4x4 or 6x6 post would provide.

 

[momeNt]

Advice for/against concrete really depends on ground conditions. One thing you must do for concrete is to make sure the bottom of your post is not against the soil, that will cause it to rot faster.

Another thing to check is to make sure the concrete doesn't slope back towards the wood in a manner that would trap water against the wood. This is probably why alkemyst is saying to ditch concrete altogether. Anybody who used concrete that had their fence rot probably did not have the rot occur in the concrete, but rather directly above the concrete, AKA collar rot.

 

[alkemyst]

soil should not cause the post to rot any more than concrete would. Also there is a lot that debate just concreting around the pole so any water than collects inside the concrete can flow down in to the ground.

Most pros do not use concrete.

 

[Doppel]

1) Burying pressure treated 4X4 into concrete is how most fences in the North East are done. Yes, they'll rot--in many, many years. Rot will set in faster in the south where there's more heat and moisture for more of the year. If you look online you'll find all kinds of people swearing up and down that the new PT wood is crap (it's not) and rots in a week when buried, etc., but you don't need to over think it



2) If your soil is hard/rocky/clay, like many, many people's is, digging the holes by hand is plain sucky. I dug several a month back and even a 10-12" diameter hole 30" down in clay soil is not fun at all. 1-2 hours of hard labor per hole. A fence could require a couple dozen holes or more. I know from experience in my yard if I were to build a fence I'd mark the holes and pay somebody to dig them for me. Look on craigslist and many people offer these services; a small bobcat with an auger attachment can do a hole in 5-10 minutes and do hole after hole. You may need a rest after each one.




3) This: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...d=post+hole+digger&storeId=10051#.UCJpC_ZlTvY is relatively worthless in hard soil. Certainly you'll never put it into the hard, undisturbed soil and pull anything out, so all it ends up good for is pulling out the soft soil at the bottom of the hole that you already loosened with another tool (be it a very thin ended shovel or a metal bar, used to pick/grind away the dirt). In truth a shop vac is better in many cases for that: less work and quicker to pull the loose stuff out




4) Pre-made fencing is fast and works fine on a flat yard. On a grade it looks worse, varying from ok to terrible. I have a neighbor who's in the midst of building a fence now on a grade and he's too lazy or too stupid to cut the bottom of the pre-made panels to match the grade, the result being not only a stepped look at the top (which looks bad but doesn't really affect function), but also at the bottom; he's got gaps almost a foot high at the bottom now. I'm hoping we get a strong enough wind to blow it over so that he is forced to start over and do it right.




5)

Also to others, concrete has no place in setting a fence properly. It causes the wood to rot faster and then is a PITA to fix.

Tell that to all the professionals who use it every day. Again, ground-contact rated PT wood, particularly in colder climates, is going to last for many years, whether set in concrete or not. Setting in compacted gravel makes it easier to replace the post but concrete is the hardest stuff there is and will lock it in best. The debate is like Ford vs Chevy; there are many on either side who swear their option is best. The simple truth is both work.




http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/qa/preventing-fence-post-rot.aspx

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/building-a-picket-fence.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp

 

[vi edit]

soil should not cause the post to rot any more than concrete would. Also there is a lot that debate just concreting around the pole so any water than collects inside the concrete can flow down in to the ground.

Most pros do not use concrete.

Most guys I know do like a 3" base of pea gravel in the bottom, drop the post in, then add pea gravel up to about 8" from the surface. Then they do a concrete cap for the last 8". Nice combo of strength & drainage. Wood is going to rot, that's just what it does. But you can mitigate it somewhat by allowing proper drainage.

Some will also drop that cap down 3" from the top and do another couple inches of pea gravel.

 

[momeNt]

For a first timer, you maybe do want to skip the concrete just because if you do it wrong, it will end poorly.

Having the concrete going \ / will create a perfect condition for the frost to heave the concrete out as opposed to concrete that is belled at the bottom / \. Improper slope at the top of the cap will trap moisture and accelerate rot, impossible to reset posts. Much can go wrong but if done correctly it will come out great.

 

[alkemyst]

Most guys I know do like a 3" base of pea gravel in the bottom, drop the post in, then add pea gravel up to about 8" from the surface. Then they do a concrete cap for the last 8". Nice combo of strength & drainage. Wood is going to rot, that's just what it does. But you can mitigate it somewhat by allowing proper drainage.

Some will also drop that cap down 3" from the top and do another couple inches of pea gravel.

I wouldn't cap the gravel...it takes away the drainage ability and doesn't really add much for something as light as a fence relatively.

The problem fences down in in S. Florida I have had help fix have all been concreted. The one my dad and I put up long ago lasted 15+ years until the owner upgraded it. I was driving during that phase and the old panels were still very straight with only some slightly wavy.

You will have to replace fence posts in any wooden construction eventually, pouring a ball of concrete around each, just makes it much much more difficult.

 

[The_Dude8]

I wasn't talking about chain link fences....You can use metal poles on a wooden fence...and if done properly with concrete, will outlast a wooden post...

nice fences you got there. did you let the wood dry for a few days before building your fences?