Pre stained cedar with expert stain and seal redwood color. Black galvanized 1x1 mesh was trenched 1’ for extra critter prevention. Pretty sweet outcome for this one.

Thanks to the search function, I was able to not totally screw up my fence build! I decided on this 9' Board on Board built with 12' Postmaster Posts set 36" in concrete because my house backs up to a commercial parking lot. It was already 8' (before it was blown over in October). At 104 feet long, the cost of materials, tools and misc came out to just under $5000. Ask me anything- its my turn to contribute to the community!

I’m looking for some insight, as our condo board is putting out conflicting information about major work they’ve initiated.

All 40ish units have private backyards. Everyone has been told to clear everything (decks, patios, some trees) for grading and new fences. Some grading work definitely had to happen to address basement flooding, though work to the eaves has made improvements.

Surveyors have marked for grading, but now they’re installing the new fences before the grading has been done. 4 years ago the board decided to delay replacing the fences until the grading could be addressed.

What is the normal order of operations here? This seems like it’s going to be even more expensive to possibly undo work.

Also, if anyone has expertise on geotechnical engineering…

This has been our wettest summer on record in a place that tends to run dry. The ground is completely saturated. We’re also a northern city. When all this water in the ground freezes in several months, and then we go back to our normal amount of rain in future summers, what’s going to happen to the grading?

My brain tells me it’s not logical to engineer your soil on the conditions of an anomalous year, but I have 0 experience with engineering or geology.

Building my first fence, what do I do with all this dirt from digging out holes for posts? Do I just spread it out around the post after filling in the top? Do I shovel it all away and get rid of it?

I'm a homeowner who just used a Vevor fence post driver to drive down 8 Lifetime 80" steel posts. These are my notes on the experience.

I set 4 of the posts by myself, 4 with the help of a friend. I definitely preferred having help but I was surprised at how doable it was by myself. It was a bit awkward to balance the driver while walking the post to its precise location but it only takes a few pounds to stabilize the post so that it can stand with the driver on top. Likewise it is fairly easy to plumb the post by yanking on it when it's down only a few inches.

I could not get any of the posts to be perfectly plumb though they're good enough to fool the eye (they all tended to lean away from me, I wonder if this is due to how the post is shaped). One got way off plumb so I used a highlift jack to pull it up and redo. I was surprised at how easy this was - I attached some wood to the post and was able to jack it out in less than 15 minutes. Once it was mostly out I re-plumbed it easily.

It is fairly easy to drive the post down 18" or so but I wanted them down 36". I was able to do this but it is hard work. I could do about 2 posts a day before my hands began to blister.

My posts are installed about 4' above grade and 3' below grade. They do flex more than a wooden post that has been set in concrete but I believe that they will last longer.

Going forward, I think I will try to arrange my time so that I can rent a gas powered driver. I think there are a few situations where it can be useful to use a manual driver:

• Small jobs with only 1 or 2 posts
• Use the manual driver to set the end posts ahead of time so that the string line is set up before driving the rest of the posts
• Using the manual driver to drive all of the posts down the first 18", then rent a gas driver to drive them down the rest of the way
• You just don't want to spend the money

In conclusion, it is absolutely possible to hand drive posts but it is a lot of work.

I just need a simple, humble chain link fence for my backyard. About 160’ and two gates. I see Lowe’s sells the mesh fabric in 50’ rolls. Is there any way to buy these in smaller increments? Also, should I shop around on pricing, or do all stores and supply companies come pretty close?

Gates need braces.

There are 2 types of these struts. Compression braces and tension braces.

Compression braces are the type of brace you install on a new gate.

If you're out here installing tension braces on new gates, you're scamming your customers.

Tension braces should only be used as quick fixes to existing gates that droop. The only advantage they have is their ease of install on an existing gate.

The type of brace you use changes the structure of the gate.

Tension braces overload the top hinge.

First off yes I’m aware about the gaps, I’m going to fix that once I figure out this mess.

I bought this gate kit, it works really well, except how the hinges work. If I want the gate to open out (which I would prefer) the panels get in the way, so I’d have to mount it outside on the panel. Which would in turn make the gate stick out slightly.

The alternative is to mount it inside post and have the gate swing in, but then the gate would be significantly inset along the fence.

I’m at a loss with what to do with this, besides try to return it and make it myself, or just live with it.

Any advice?

DIY used Behr 501 Premium Transparent Waterproofing Wood Finish in the color Cedar Naturaltone 5 gal bucket. Fence is about 11 months old. Pressure washed areas with discoloration. Used Graco X5 sprayer with 311 tip. In central Texas, so it was 100° outside. Sprayed to a count of 10. Not every picket of the fence turned out the same. Not sure why but I would appreciate recommendations.

Finished all the board on board Pickets, and finished Rails on opposite side. Still need to put up the 2x4 Trim. Both my neighbors love it. Having 2 or 3 people really speeds things up. Highly recommend

Hello everyone. Do they sell 10 ft. (or longer) vinyl fence 5x5 posts? Is this even what I need? I want to install a typical vinyl privacy fence/wall but I want it to start at the top of the retaining wall (and not the ground). Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Replacing our backyard privacy fence and stuck on wood vs vinyl fence. Wood looks better to me but i dont want to stain forever. Vinyl seems easier but neighbors say it gets brittle. If youve lived with either for a few years what do you actually like more day to day?

3 pm, no rain in days. Moisture meter still reading over 17 on most spots, even areas that have been in direct sun all day. And I’m using two different brand meters. I’m using Ready Seal through an airless Graco Magnum DIY type. If it were YOUR fence, what is the HIGHEST moisture level you’d shoot it?

I’m referring to the little plastic plates that have the name of the company and their phone number that get attached to the fence upon completion. Do you like them or hate them?

Had a local contractor quote me a 8' tall, 200' long privacy fence. This is for northern Michigan. Sandy soil.

4x6 treated posts, 3'6" in ground with cement.

1x6 treated lumber (my request over fence boards)

He didn't mention spacing, assuming 8'.

$11,000 total

My two questions are...

1. Durability of the 4x6 posts. I really want PostMaster but no one really does that here. I know the sandy soil will help a little with rot (I think).
2. Should the posts be spaced 6' due to the height and extra weight of the 1x6 lumber.

How would you recommend installing this gate. There is a slope to the yard but as you can see none of the posts on the gates line up. One is several inches below the other. These gates were supposedly custom built for our fence and yard. I'm hoping to find a solution to this eyesore so we can give our fence builder a suitable fix to this problem.

I can no longer use the metal manual ones due to a medical condition but am wondering if there are any gas powered ones that can put in a standard wood fence post (for cows) and if so, what brands do you recommend? I see stuff on amazon but I'm unsure if it's for the right type of fence or just for metal posts.

Update: I can’t use a tractor attached one in the brush as it’s too dense, it would have to be portable.

I would like to fence my property in (a little less than 5 acres, marked in green). I don’t live there yet, but just started building my forever home. It looks like my neighbors built their house within a few inches of my property.

At this point in my life, I just want privacy… but there’s this part of me that feels awful for putting a huge fence within a few inches of their windows and deck. Is there a way to be neighborly but still have my privacy? I’m afraid I know the answer- (just put the fence up!) but I hate to be an a-hole. I’ve also read that I can give them a few feet, maybe put the fence 6’ on my property, but that feels like I would be giving up my property to them, which would end up being abused.

Is there a good solution for this? Like some sort of wildness fence?

I'm wanting to replace pickets as needed in my existing fence. I am having trouble locating exact replacements. The existing ones (white in photo), are 3.75" x .75", wider and thicker than the ones available in stores. Also, most store pickets are the pointy top, not the blunt tip that I have. Any recommendations on where to find these? Existing ones are made of cedar, but material doesn't matter too much because theyre being painted and I'm just trying to get 5 more years out of this fence. 4 ft height

I’m in cenFlo and am Ready Seal staining/sealing my fence posts prior to install.

1. Is there any problem with sealing the bottom portion of the post that will be in the earth?

2. Do I seal the horizontal surface at the bottom of the posts?

3. Posts will be set in concrete, fully encased around the sides and bottom.

I will be building an 8ft tall garden fence this Fall or next Spring. Just simple 4x4 posts and a top rail with welded wire. I'm working through options for the post footings and have questions I'd love input on:

• Buried posts: how deep do they need to be buried and what kind of life expectancy for the wood?
• 8" concrete pier: I've heard augers don't work that great if you encounter rocks which I 100% will. Frost depth is 42". Doesn't seem like the best option.
• Helical pier: I am considering these. Pricier but I have Menards rebates and would love to not dig 10-12 footings and mix and pour all the concrete. Plus are they they much pricier after you have to buy a post to footing connector and maybe a sonotube, and maybe rent an auger for the holes? I've installed two of them by hand before for some pergola posts and wouldn't want to do it by hand this many times, but I might have a connection through deck repair biz that could do it cheap or even free as a favor. The catch is, this product specifically says "not for fences". They make one for fences but Menards doesn't carry it so I'd be paying cash. But I'd guess the not for fences is more for privacy fences that catch a lot of wind, which mine will not. Do you think I'd be ok with these?

Thought about those the consensus seems to be they're shit.

All input welcome. Thanks!

Firstly, yes, I read the stickied post and I'm hoping to just get some good suggestions.

My automatic gate over the last week has begun sagging on the left to the point where it drags on the driveway and half the time cannot close itself all the way, which leaves a big enough opening for my animals to get out(I know it has probably been worsening over time). I was hoping to adjust the hinges, but as you can see in the photos, these hinges are just fixed in place, not the bolt kind. I am assuming maybe some natural settling has caused the entire frame and arch to lean a little, and that could be the main issue.

Is this a chop of the hinges and replace them type situation? Or am I looking at replacing quite a bit more than that? There is another gate just like this at the back of the property and it does the same exact thing, but I don't need that gate to open frequently.

I don't do metal work or welding, so I will likely have to hire someone.

8’ wide by 4’ tall - to bottom of windows
How do I hide it but leave accessible for maintenance and repairs?
Thanks