Container Gardens
How To Install Your Own Metal Fence
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 local metal 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 local fence contractor for help.
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