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Posted by Heathcliff on April 24, 2008, 6:39 pm
> I need to replace the fence in my back yard. I currently have a 3'
> chain link fence and I intend to reuse the same post positions (8'
> span). Behind the fence, also on my property, are cedar hedges. My
> back yard is 50'x50' with one of the four sides being the house and
> gate.
>
> I need to replace the fence because my dogs are escaping the yard.
> I've already replaced the gate with a wooden one 7' tall. I want to
> install a 7' fence around the entire yard (7' is my local residential
> maximum height). Because I have cedar hedges that I enjoy, I'd like
> to put in black or green chain link since the hedge will grown through
> it and make it effectively invisible. Our current fence is invisible
> because of this.
>
> My first problem is the prices I'm being quoted for materials. Turns
> out that around here anything over 5' is pretty much commercial
> grade. That means steel posts and about 5x the cost of the
> residential stuff. I'm thinking that instead of using metal posts for
> the corner and line posts, I'd use wood. What do you think about
> using a 10' 4x4 buried 3' deep for a chain link fence post? I would
> make holes in the top to pass the top bar through and would attach the
> chain link with flat brackets and screws. Has anyone seen this type
> of installation before? As a bonus I could run an outdoor circuit and
> have a decorative lantern on every second post (the wife will find
> that purdy).
>
> Second question is securing the posts. I live in Canada and the
> ground freezes during the winter. I'm thinking of digging the holes 3
> 1/2', fill with 3' of gravel, 3' of concrete then put in and brace the
> post and fill the rest of the hole with concrete. I'd also put the
> wooden post in a plastic liner so it doesn't make direct contact with
> the concrete and also mound the top to prevent water accumulation.
> Does that sound excessive or just about right? Would you suggest
> something different for the corner posts or line posts?
>
> Third question is how large would you dig the post holes? I'm not
> planning to use sonotube for these but would you go with a 6", 8" or
> 10" diameter hole?
>
> Thanks!
I second the motion on re-using the existing posts, or possibly
putting in new longer posts of the same kind (metal).
A couple years ago I took down a 4-foot high chainlink fence around my
backyard. It had been there a good 20 years at least. The galvanized
steel posts were simply driven into the ground. The buried parts were
a little rusty, but nowhere near failing. Same for the rest of the
fence -- really it was fine, just not as purdy as the wood fence I
replaced it with. This is in Chicago, long winters, clay soil, lots
of moisture. My point is the regular steel posts and chainlink wire
seem to last a long time with little care. I doubt you'd get the same
performance from wooden posts.
-- H
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