[Fix'n it]

ok folks, don't get overly excited here :biggrin2: its just a fence.
anyway, i was told to keep it in one thread, so here goes....

this will be the first fence i have ever built. and i don't want to stab myself in the foot. so questions ensue .

my first sections are going to be the back and right side of the garage. it is going to be an outside storage area, 5' wide, a basic 6' AC2 fence with 1 gate (for now). as i won't be seeing my side of this from the yard, i am not concerned about how "nice" it looks. per code, the neighbors will get the "nice" side.

after this is done. i am going to start running a different design and much better looking style down the side of my yard. lets set this aside for now.

here is where i am at now.
planning
learning
set property lines per my survey.
cleared area
drilled 1 hole and chucked in a post that i had. just because i could :vs_karate:

oh. one of these days i will put up my diy gutters. i didn't forget about that.

 

[Fix'n it]

ok, my first question. setting the posts.

idk if i like the idea of just "into dirt".
road mix, gravel. this could probably be ok. but again, idk.
concrete, this is what i like. except = would 2'x8"ish be enough ?
i could very easily go 3' down. but then the bottom of the post would not be exposed. unless there is a method idk about. but i do like the idea of 3' down, as that would make a much more stable fence. or am i overthinking this ?

 

[de-nagorg]

Post hole should be deeper than the frost line in your area (Chicago), Due to a phenomena called frost heave.

ED

 

[Fix'n it]

Post hole should be deeper than the frost line in your area (Chicago), Due to a phenomena called frost heave.

, yeah, forgot about that . perhaps i should stop overthinking this.
drill the hole 3'. some gravel, concrete and post. and move on. it would probably outlast me.

 

[fixrite]

Rule of thumb on fence depth into ground is.....2/3 above ground 1/3 below grade. Hence a 6 foot high fence would use 10 foot posts inserted 3 feet into ground with 6 exposed, thus allowing enough to trim off so your fence is level in the end. There are occasions where deep frost occurs in certain areas and when that is the case place deeper into ground. Your local city engineers will generally give the info no charge.

 

[hello kitty]

On the post setting.... I suggest using gravel for all but perhaps your gate posts, which would be in concrete. Was told many years ago that the concrete set posts will not last as long as those that can drain/'breathe' naturally.

Also - not setting related - I capped by posts with aluminum flashing strips (small pieces of aluminum about 6 x 6 '' (?). These were rounded over the post top leaving a small gap, with sufficient material to accept a nail to fix it in place on two sides. I attached these strips by an aluminum nail on opposite sides of the post (posts are rectangular, not round). I crimped the non-nailed edges to reduce the sharp edges of the strip. The upshot is that I recently replaced my fence rails, but my 18 year old posts are still serviceable. The caps look a little odd (shiny objects, with crimped edges, on grayed posts), but I value function over style. But if I needed a more fashionable cap, there are copper and perhaps other commercial caps available. The take away might be that capping your posts are worth the effort. (FYI For 28? posts, I went through 3 drill bits to pre-drill the nail holes. I think the posts are hawthorne.)

 

[ryansdiydad]

You can buy cedar caps in all kinds of styles for like $5-$8 a piece. Maybe less.. In Chicago you likely are dealing with clay soil which doesn't drain nothing.. So any hole just become a mini pond.. All the professional fence companies I have dealt with here use concrete.. Doesn't make it right but it's what they use... They quote the fence will last 20yrs..

 

[Fix'n it]

moving right along. its not prefect, and this is my first fence. thats why i chose to start in the back = the rear neighbor is so far from it, they don't see the flaws. and i don't care if it looks funky from my side, as this is just an outside storage area. and i am learning, where minor mistakes don't matter.
you can see where i used premade panels. and where i made the section myself. my sections, i did it like that so i can see first hand just what it looks like on my side, as that is a design that i am considering to go down the side of the driveway. it doesn't look bad at all, and once stained , even better. and its pretty easy and the least costly. those are deck boards as rails.

 

[de-nagorg]

Looking good.

The purpose of the middle rail is to minimize the amount of bowing of the pickets.

I have seen pickets bow to at least 30 degrees on those that are not good dry before installation, even with a middle rail.

Thank you for the follow up report.


ED

 

[Fix'n it]

Looking good.

The purpose of the middle rail is to minimize the amount of bowing of the pickets.

I have seen pickets bow to at least 30 degrees on those that are not good dry before installation, even with a middle rail.

Thank you for the follow up report.

thanx, its not to bad.

yeah, i know. but i just don't like the middle rail look.

that is the nature of wood. and i do expect to have some issues. hopefully it doesn't get worst than replacing a few pickets. time will tell.

 

[Fix'n it]

moving right along. and i have a gate in the fence itself. so that when i need to work on the other side, i don't have to walk all the way around.

 

[de-nagorg]

That is looking quite nice.

ED

 

[Fix'n it]

i now have 3 more sections done = last pic, continuing down. no pics yet, by the time i cleaned up and mowed the lawn, it was dark.

 

[Fix'n it]

i just planted that emerald green, menards has em on sale for $20.
it would be great if i could color the shingles without new shingles.

 

[Gary in WA]

Looks good!

Tips I learned; a single 1x6 at the top/bottom will not stop the pickets from bowing nor stop the middle from sagging between posts unless 6' or less. A 1x6 on edge has very little resistance to inward/outward bow. Any gate needs a diagonal brace framing piece or wire/turnbuckle to adjust the sag later- attached at upper hinge to lower gate corner. Nice garage, it's so empty, unlike mine, lol.

Gary

 

[Fix'n it]

Looks good!

Tips I learned;

a single 1x6 at the top/bottom will not stop the pickets from bowing

nor stop the middle from sagging between posts unless 6' or less.

A 1x6 on edge has very little resistance to inward/outward bow.

Any gate needs a diagonal brace framing piece or wire/turnbuckle to adjust the sag later- attached at upper hinge to lower gate corner.

Nice garage, it's so empty, unlike mine, lol.

Gary

thanx. it actually does look good.

those are not 1x6. they are 5/4 deck boards. i was going to use 2x4's, but i figured these were stronger and the same price. and yes, the pickets are going to bow, a few have a little already. a design compromise that i am willing to live with, at least for now.

if/when it does sag. i plan to put some kind of ground based support in the middle.

even with 5/4 it does sway a little, but its not bad.

the fence gate doesn't have that. but it will be screwed shut nearly all of the time. the main gate will get one.

thanx. but you can't see all of the crap i have in there. i really need to build some more shelving.

 

[Fix'n it]

oh. one thing i have learned.

keep an eye on the hole as it is being bored. an auger can sometimes wander as it goes.
before mixing any concrete, put the post in the hole and measure.
and have a sawzall with used, but good, blades.

that fence is heading towards a stand of med size trees = not fun !

 

[Gary in WA]

And put gravel in the hole before the post to facilitate drainage as the concrete is like a sponge drawing in the surrounding soil water and storing it longer than without concrete. Expect 15 years life with PT wood, otherwise- unless you waterproof coated the bottom portion at concrete area first. PT is against bugs.decay from fungus- not water.

Gary

 

[Fix'n it]

i did put gravel. 15 years is probably longer than i will live, and probably much longer than i will be here. so i am good with it.

 

[Fix'n it]

got the back section mostly done. just gotta trim the posts. then stain later.
this looks pretty darned good. but you should see it from the other side !
all of the trees and bushes are grown in, and because of this and their grading, the fence looks low profile. and it looks GREAT back there.