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Posted by on June 5, 2007, 11:53 pm
We had a new fence installed last week - it is 6ft cedar planks, board-
on-board, 8 foot, u-channel steel posts, mounted in concrete.
The fence looks fine, but it doesn't seem as solid as I expected. I
can push it with one finger and the whole fence moves (the movement is
probably as much as 4" back and forth at the top of the fence). It
just feels like someone could push it over fairly easily if they
tried. With steel posts in concrete, I was hoping it would be quite a
bit stronger, more rigid and resistant to movement. I'm not sure if
the posts are bending, or perhaps the concrete foundations weren't set
properly or are not big or set deeply enough, which is causing the
lack of stability. I called the contractor today and he said that the
board-on-board design is not as rigid because the 2x4 cross members
are nailed on wide-side against the fence, rather than horizontally.
This makes sense, but still it seems to have too much "play". He also
should have mentioned the reduced stability of the board-on-board
design when selling us the fence.
If anyone has had this type of fence installed, I'd appreciate your
comments. Does your fence also have significant movement? I'm not
worried about the fence blowing down or anything, just wondering if
it'll hold up long term. I also want to get some assurance that the
contractor didn't perform faulty work by improperly setting the posts.
Thanks for any feedback.
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Posted by The Streets on June 6, 2007, 6:41 am
> We had a new fence installed last week - it is 6ft cedar planks, board-
> on-board, 8 foot, u-channel steel posts, mounted in concrete.
>
> The fence looks fine, but it doesn't seem as solid as I expected. I
> can push it with one finger and the whole fence moves (the movement is
> probably as much as 4" back and forth at the top of the fence). It
> just feels like someone could push it over fairly easily if they
> tried. With steel posts in concrete, I was hoping it would be quite a
> bit stronger, more rigid and resistant to movement. I'm not sure if
> the posts are bending, or perhaps the concrete foundations weren't set
> properly or are not big or set deeply enough, which is causing the
> lack of stability. I called the contractor today and he said that the
> board-on-board design is not as rigid because the 2x4 cross members
> are nailed on wide-side against the fence, rather than horizontally.
> This makes sense, but still it seems to have too much "play". He also
> should have mentioned the reduced stability of the board-on-board
> design when selling us the fence.
>
> If anyone has had this type of fence installed, I'd appreciate your
> comments. Does your fence also have significant movement? I'm not
> worried about the fence blowing down or anything, just wondering if
> it'll hold up long term. I also want to get some assurance that the
> contractor didn't perform faulty work by improperly setting the posts.
>
> Thanks for any feedback.
How far apart are the posts??
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Posted by tbasc@bellsouth.net on June 6, 2007, 6:48 am
On Jun 5, 11:53 pm, plin...@aol.com wrote:
> We had a new fence installed last week - it is 6ft cedar planks, board-
> on-board, 8 foot, u-channel steel posts, mounted in concrete.
>
> The fence looks fine, but it doesn't seem as solid as I expected. I
> can push it with one finger and the whole fence moves (the movement is
> probably as much as 4" back and forth at the top of the fence). It
> just feels like someone could push it over fairly easily if they
> tried. With steel posts in concrete, I was hoping it would be quite a
> bit stronger, more rigid and resistant to movement. I'm not sure if
> the posts are bending, or perhaps the concrete foundations weren't set
> properly or are not big or set deeply enough, which is causing the
> lack of stability. I called the contractor today and he said that the
> board-on-board design is not as rigid because the 2x4 cross members
> are nailed on wide-side against the fence, rather than horizontally.
> This makes sense, but still it seems to have too much "play". He also
> should have mentioned the reduced stability of the board-on-board
> design when selling us the fence.
>
> If anyone has had this type of fence installed, I'd appreciate your
> comments. Does your fence also have significant movement? I'm not
> worried about the fence blowing down or anything, just wondering if
> it'll hold up long term. I also want to get some assurance that the
> contractor didn't perform faulty work by improperly setting the posts.
>
> Thanks for any feedback.
I've had a board on board fence in place for twenty plus years.
There are three horizontal members and the 4x4 posts are six feet
apart.
It is rigid.
T
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Posted by dpb on June 6, 2007, 9:36 am
On Jun 5, 10:53 pm, plin...@aol.com wrote:
> We had a new fence installed last week - it is 6ft cedar planks, board-
> on-board, 8 foot, u-channel steel posts, mounted in concrete.
>
> The fence looks fine, but it doesn't seem as solid as I expected. I
> can push it with one finger and the whole fence moves (the movement is
> probably as much as 4" back and forth at the top of the fence). It
> just feels like someone could push it over fairly easily if they
> tried. With steel posts in concrete, I was hoping it would be quite a
> bit stronger, more rigid and resistant to movement. I'm not sure if
> the posts are bending, or perhaps the concrete foundations weren't set
> properly or are not big or set deeply enough, which is causing the
> lack of stability. ...
Either get someone else to watch while you push or you watch and have
someone else push and you can easily determine where the movement is
--
If the posts are moving in the ground, may be able to tamp it in and
the ground may settle back in and firm up w/ time if dug out larger
than the volume that was poured. OTOH, if just poured a little 3-4"
thick cap at the top, or something similar, maybe there isn't
sufficient support.
If the posts are fixed relative to the ground and the posts flex,
sounds like you got a cheap post and the only fix would be to use a
better post.
I agree w/ the other poster, a well-built fence of the type should be
"pretty solid"...
--
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Posted by BobK207 on June 6, 2007, 10:38 am
On Jun 5, 8:53 pm, plin...@aol.com wrote:
> We had a new fence installed last week - it is 6ft cedar planks, board-
> on-board, 8 foot, u-channel steel posts, mounted in concrete.
>
> The fence looks fine, but it doesn't seem as solid as I expected. I
> can push it with one finger and the whole fence moves (the movement is
> probably as much as 4" back and forth at the top of the fence). It
> just feels like someone could push it over fairly easily if they
> tried. With steel posts in concrete, I was hoping it would be quite a
> bit stronger, more rigid and resistant to movement. I'm not sure if
> the posts are bending, or perhaps the concrete foundations weren't set
> properly or are not big or set deeply enough, which is causing the
> lack of stability. I called the contractor today and he said that the
> board-on-board design is not as rigid because the 2x4 cross members
> are nailed on wide-side against the fence, rather than horizontally.
> This makes sense, but still it seems to have too much "play". He also
> should have mentioned the reduced stability of the board-on-board
> design when selling us the fence.
>
> If anyone has had this type of fence installed, I'd appreciate your
> comments. Does your fence also have significant movement? I'm not
> worried about the fence blowing down or anything, just wondering if
> it'll hold up long term. I also want to get some assurance that the
> contractor didn't perform faulty work by improperly setting the posts.
>
> Thanks for any feedback.
.
with finger "force" you're not going to be about the move a concrete
post base in the ground.....unless the holes were sloppy, earth
disturbed & not tamped.
Steel fence posts need to be something like 1.5" pipe, I bet your U
channel posts are the problem
The bending stiffness of a 4x4 fence post is pretty
significant...........those U channels are pretty wimpy by comparison.
what are thre dimensions of the U channel (material thickness,
overall width & length of legs) ?
unless tghey're about the size of chain link fence post (minimum)
they're going ot be pretty flexible.
cheers
Bob
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