Yard Fencing Question?

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Pallet Pete

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This is an area where I am complete idiot ! I don't know where to start or where to look for the right products can anyone give me advice on how to install fencing? I am very hands on and can easily do these types of things so throw the ideas at me please! Our wood pile will be very large this year and I would like to fence it in so here are some questions.

1) What type of post is best?
2) Do I set in concrete or on concrete?
3) Will cedar fencing last or is vinyl better?
4) What types of cost are involved?

Thanks and happy new year
Pete
 
Lots of options exist.

Homedepot and the like push metal brackets that hold everything together. Its added costs, and i dont like how it looks. It will probably hold together a little better.

I have pressure treated 4x4. A hold was dug, put the post in, put in dry cement, push dirt back on top, tada...
I have cedar fencing, its about 5 years old, still looks great. We stained a portion of it, that looks really good! I didnt like the look of vinyl, wouldnt match the house, nor the neighborhood. Its much more clean/crisp/perfect. I liked the more outdoorsy look of the cedar. Mine is a 6ft privacy fence.

You will probably get about 25-30 years out of a cedar fence, but it would be pretty harsh twords the end of that time span. for something for looks, like a white picket fence... vinyl is probably a better option...
 
What type of look you are looking for is the big question. Are you in a city, suburb, or country side. I live in the country. I wanted something that was a good barrier to keep the dogs in and keep local k-9s and the like of anykind out. We see quite a few Coyotes, fox, bear scat once and a while, and a guy shot a Bobcat less than a half mile from the house, not to long ago. So, with little kids, and no dog yet, I am glad we have the 5' fence up. I installed 5' tall no climb horse fence. Red Brand is the manufacturer. The reason I went with it is that it did not block our view, you can look right through it and still see the trees and grass on the other side. I used large cedar post(4-7") across, on the two sides of the yard and the back. On the front, the wife wanted something that looked a little neater, or country trim like, for lack of a better term. So I used 4x4 pressure treated. Built the front as a post and rail fence. Three rails. All post are 8' apart. Built my own gates, three sets of them. One set is 12' wide for a driveway. And the other two are 10' wide. Two gates in each set. All pressure treated post are set in concrete 3.5 feet down. All cedar post that are in the corners are also set in concrete. And a few that were in wetter soil or in the middle of a long run are also in concrete. I fenced in about 3/4 of an acre of land. Very nice, a lot of work, but very nice in the end. Oh, the big thing was I rented a bobcat with a post hole digger attachment. A 12" auger made quick work. I drilled 88 holes in one day. Had the fence up in another day, and the gates built and installed in another two days. Probably all said and done, I had 5 days of work in it. I will try to post some pics if you want. But if you are looking for a completeley different look, no need of me doing that. Good luck to ya.
 
Pete1983 said:
This is an area where I am complete idiot ! I don't know where to start or where to look for the right products can anyone give me advice on how to install fencing? I am very hands on and can easily do these types of things so throw the ideas at me please! Our wood pile will be very large this year and I would like to fence it in so here are some questions.

1) What type of post is best? Depends on the fencing you choose but PT wood, Vinyl, and Metal (alumm or steel) is best.
2) Do I set in concrete or on concrete? If your using concrete then set it IN not ON. (not always necessary depending on load, post type, soil type and depth of the hole.)
3) Will cedar fencing last or is vinyl better? Cedar has a natural look/beauty to it. There are some newer vinyl fence finishes that are amazing but pricey. Vinyl is king for longevity but Cedar isn't a short-term product either.
4) What types of cost are involved? Depends on the material, terrain, equipment you have/rent, and fence length. Gates add costs as well.

Thanks and happy new year
Pete
 
Thanks guys for pointing me in the right direction I am going to do some serious research based on the info you guys have givin. It looks like cedar is what we have chosen at this point mainly for price. I have a bunch of concrete bags that I can pour into the holes now comes the measurements so I know how many posts and panels to buy.

Thanks again
Pete
 
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If you're trying to keep a dog or something in, don't forget to consider if they're known to be diggers. For my fencing project in the spring I'm going to have 2' of the fence underground in case he tries to dig his way out for whatever reason. Or if something tries to dig their way in.
 
Acctually I am trying to keep firewood theifs out of my piles we have had some theft occur recently. What do ya expect I guess with how things are right now especially in Michigan!

Thanks
Pete
 
Galvanized post set in concrete with brackets for 2x4's and cedarstays is best if your going with wood fence. You want to keep a dog from digging (or jumping as well) ....put an eyebolt in a 1' long copper pipe and tie it to the loop on their collar. Everytime they try and dig or jump that pipe will wack them in the head. About a week of that and they quit.
 
Hey Pete. Did you ever put your fence up?
 
Hey Pete. Did you ever put your fence up?

I wish I had now :( the cost was a lot higher than I had thought for it so we are saving up. My hope is next spring when the ground is wet and soft I will be able to have enough saved and put it up. We had a pile of concrete bags at a buddys house but he forgot and left them out in the rain so now I have a pile of concrete blocks :(. With luck and some good budgeting next year I will have it all done by summer as I am very adverse to any loan and go out of my way to avoid them now.

Pete
 
I wish I had now :( the cost was a lot higher than I had thought for it so we are saving up. My hope is next spring when the ground is wet and soft I will be able to have enough saved and put it up. We had a pile of concrete bags at a buddys house but he forgot and left them out in the rain so now I have a pile of concrete blocks :(. With luck and some good budgeting next year I will have it all done by summer as I am very adverse to any loan and go out of my way to avoid them now.

Pete

I know you Pete. You who can turn useless pallets into modern day skyscrapers! You will find a way to use those blocks of concrete. I have read somewhere that people use to use bags of concrete for cheap retaining walls. Set them in a row and wet them down with a hose, then back fill to that height. Then place the next row halfway back over the fill and wet them with a hose, etc. and before you know it you have a retaining wall. Of course that was when concrete bags were a lot cheaper!;lol But you will find a way to use them. Hopefully I will find, or take a good picture of my fence. You may have seen it in one of my post before, but I will try to take one or find one in a section of the yard with a good view of the grass and trees. That is a good plan to avoid loans. I have ended up paying more for things I wanted now. Still am. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other I guess. Just that one is more expensive ! ;em ;lol Later.
 
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For what it's worth Pete some of the new pressure treated woods are not as ugly green as the old stuff and not nearly the price of cedar around here.
I built a deck and 6' fence out of the AC2 treated stuff (Micro-pro?) last year & like the look when stained. You can see part of the fence on the right here.
Splitting 007.jpg
 
Fence, Put 1/2 width pallets down stack very large rounds to desired height instant fence, and recyclable. The light fingered fire wood fairy's generally do not like unprocessed fire wood especially very large rounds. Work is a four letter word generally not in their vocabulary.
 
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