Posts Tagged fence
Installation Of A Metal Fence
Posted by SEO Services in House and Home on August 21st, 2010
If you are looking for privacy around your yard, your garden or your pool, you might be thinking about building a fence. This step-by-step guide covers metal fencing. There are three kinds of metal fences:
1) Iron fences. They require less maintenance than wooden fences and will last a lifetime. However they are more costly to build and have a tendency to rust over time.
2) Wrought Iron fences. Just like an iron fence, wrought iron is very durable, but the specialized work that goes into creating wrought iron can make them much more expensive.
3) Aluminum fences. When it comes to metal fencing, aluminum is the least expensive option. It will not rust, so is great for humid climates and around pools and for people who hate maintaining things. But keep in mind that aluminum is a less durable metal than iron is..
Steps To Build A Metal Fence
You have two options at this point. The easy route is to call a aluminum or iron fence installer to do the work for you while you put your feet up and enjoy your crossword puzzle. Or, if you prefer to save money, you can build your own metal fence.
Let’s suppose you want to save some cash. Once you have chosen your type of metal fence the next stage is to plan it.
Planning
Before erecting any kind of structure, make sure you have a plan. Here are some things to keep in mind when in the planning stage:
1) Contact your local building regulations to find out about building permits, mandatory setbacks and permissible fence heights
2) Mark off all underground utilities before you dig. This includes locating the lines for cable television, water, gas, electricity and telephone.
3) Mark all legal boundaries to ensure your fence does not extend beyond the property line, or beyond the mandatory setback mark, where such regulations exist.
4) Stake out your fence plan using wooden stakes and string so you can get an idea of how it will look and where the posts and gate should be.
Drilling Holes
With your layout established, comes the least fun and hardest part of building a fence, drilling the holes for the posts.
1) Mark all the post locations before you set to drilling. Spray paint works well.
2) The holes for the posts should be at least two feet deep and 8 inches wide. This will ensure that there won’t be any sinking or movement after the post is set.
3) Digging these holes by hand will be painful, so do yourself a favour and rent an auger from your local hardware store. It won’t cost much…but the cost of not renting one will be felt for weeks..
Setting The Posts
That last step was really the hardest part of the whole operation; setting the posts is easy in comparison.
1) Place a mark on the post where the post should line up with the surface of the ground. Be very careful to mark all the posts at the same ground level or people will think Picasso designed your fence.
2) After mixing your concrete according to the instructions on the container, pour a small amount in the hole and then place the first corner post making sure it is square. Then fill the hole with the remaining concrete. Note: if you put too much concrete in, the post will displace it and you could have a big mess on your hands. Or on your feet.
3) Next, set the post at the other corner and once both corners are secure you can run a line which will help to ensure the remaining posts will be set squarely.
4) Set the remaining posts, double-checking everything is square and allow the concrete to cure overnight.
Installing The Fence
If you went with a prefabricated metal fence, and your posts are the appropriate length apart everything should be fairly simple from this point on. If you end up with up with some odd spaces , you will have to cut panels to match post distances.
1) Simply measure the distance between the two posts, taking the measurement from the inside and then subtract a half an inch. The remainder is the length to cut the panel.
2) Before you install the panel make sure you coat the area with a zinc-rich primer, and then paint over it using a matching colour. This will protect the area you cut from rusting.
Ta-dah! A brand new metal fence. And if that doesn’t work, you can always go back to Plan A - call a metal fence installer for help.
Things To Think About Before Hiring A Contractor To Construct Your New Fence
Posted by SEO Services in Gardening on July 11th, 2009
If you are considering constructioning a Fencing, there are some things you may want to ponder prior to hiring a Fencing Contractor. In most cases, it is notable to keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Sometimes, the cheapest bid means you are getting the cheapest materials. However, the maximum bid can signify the same thing. Make sure you ask the contractor what quality of materials you will be getting for the cost they are charging. There are many different types of materials to choose from and you want to make sure the contractor you hire uses the best materials for the job. Not all materials are created equal.
There are several grades of chain link. The most common gauges of chain link are 12.5 gauge, 12 gauge, 11.5 gauge, 11 gauge, 9 gauge and 6 gauge wire. So one fence contractor may bid your fence cheaper but are they using the equal gauge wire as the contractor who bid it higher. It’s always important to ask the contractor what gauge they are going to put in. If the gauge is smaller, the wire will be thicker and stronger. Normally, the heavier 6 and 9 gauge wire is used for commercial and industrial fences and the lighter gauges are used for residential applications.
We have the same matter with the chain link posts and top rail. You want to ensure that the thickness of the post wall is the thickest possible. Usually, on residential fences, contractors will use the lighter gauge posts. You do have options for thicker and heavier duty posts and top rail.
Wood Privacy Fence is the same account in regard to the posts. If you select to pay additional for steel posts, there are also unique gauges to choose. For residential privacy fences, I would advise going with the “schedule 20 2-3/8 inch galvanized steel posts” which will be quite solid to survive 70-80 mile an hour winds as long as they are concreted in stable ground. Sometimes you may get a cheaper bid because they are using the less expensive 17 gauge posts that you can get at your local hardware store. The heaviest post you can buy is ?schedule 40? which can withstand a hurricane if they are concreted in good firm land.
There are also different types of wood you can select, which have varying costs. Western red cedar and white cedar are the finest and will last longer than white pine, but they cost extra so your bid ought to be higher if you go with cedar. Cedar is long-lasting because it doesn’t rot as fast and it repels bugs owing to the oily sap in the wood. The other types of wood are pine, which we call white wood, and pressure treated pine, which lasts just about five years longer than un-treated pine. There are also different grades of wood. Pickets can be rough cut on both sides which has a fuzzy look, Pickets that are rough cut on one side and smooth on the other which will cost a little more, and there are pickets that are smooth cut on both sides costing even more.
There is also a difference in the types of rails you use for your privacy fence. Is your contractor using 2 inch by3 inch rails or 2 inch by 4 inch rails? There is a difference. The smaller rails (2×3) tend to dip in the middle over time, which will ultimately cause dips in your fence panels. The larger rails (2×4) do not slump, and will keep your fence looking in order at the top for a prolonged time.
Another point to ponder is whether your contractor uses nails or screws to build your fence. Nails are faster than screws, but grow to be loose and may work their way out as the lumber dries over time. As opposed to nails, screws will stay in location and not fall out. Screws take longer, but not much longer, so they really shouldn’t impact the rate much more.
One more tip: Never use landscape timbers for posts. Landscape timbers will last maybe 2-3 years and when a powerful wind comes; your fence will blow down. If you are going to choose wood posts, go with 4 inch by 4 inch posts in any case. They cost a little more, just about five dollars more, but they will last you at least ten years before they begin to rot.
So, before you go with the “cheapest bid,” be clear in your mind you know what you’re receiving. It’s the difference between a fence enduring you a couple years and lasting 20 years. In the long run, it will cost you a lot more if you’re not sensible.




