Board fence ideas?

[jyoutz]

Guess you westerners have more money than us. Don’t think our humidity and rainfall really help either.

I would think the maintenance on a board fence, especially with humidity would make them more costly over time?

 

[D&D]

I would think the maintenance on a board fence, especially with humidity would make them more costly over time?

I personally use marine grade pilings and hotcote (plastic coated hi tensile). I’ve only replaced one post in the last 10 years. It got broke by a skid steer. Metal gates I’ve installed need repainting after about 5 years.
Wooden posts usually rot at ground level. Is that where metal fence posts fail too?

 

[ponytug]

Guess you westerners have more money than us. Don’t think our humidity and rainfall really help either.

Oil stem gets replaced on a regular basis due to metal fatigue.

For those who live close to oil fields, drill stem is basically scrap pricing, and given the general remoteness of oil fields relative to foundries, can be quite cheap, often as cheap or cheaper than wood.

I think it isn't that westerners have more money; I can tell you that oil stem, or metal fencing here is astronomically expensive due to the freight in getting it here. When I priced it a while back just the material cost would have been 7-10x the cost of wood. Add in fire risk in welding it, and the higher labor costs, and it was out of my budget. My nearest sources are 500+ miles away.

In fifteen years, I have only had to replace a couple of wood fence posts (skid steer collisions, a few rotted because didn't buy the right pressure treated posts, and needing to move a gate).

The local foundries here tend to make small heavy items like manhole covers, and buy scrap at international rates.

All the best,

Peter

 

[NorTracNY]

I just finished adding on another pasture fence almost exactly as you described. The original fencing was done in 2003 and is 4x4 pressure treated post that are about 3' in the ground. I use 5/4 16' long decking for the rails. I had to remove one post from the original fence to put in a new gate. That post looked almost new below the ground. No concrete used except for where I put a gate. For the gates, I used a 6X6 with concrete. I recommend the 16' boards because they add a lot of stability to the post as long as you stagger them.

The guy that cleared the area for the new fence used a 9" auger until he snapped it with the rocks and roots I have here. He then had to go to a 6". I'd recommend the 9" as it will give you a little more leeway. We worked much smarter this time around and didn't measure with a tape measure and post level. We just used a post level, height jig for the rails, and the length of the rails themselves to judge we were putting the post in a good spot.

My only concern is how close you are to the trees and the roots.

 

[newbury]

My only concern is how close you are to the trees and the roots.

Yup, be a darned shame to lose trees.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

The fence contractor here said: "There ain't no way you're gonna hurt them trees."
I was afraid it would cause damage as well. Who knows? If I auger every 8 ft. I may get lucky not hitting many roots. I want fence fairly close, otherwise I'd be trying to mow grass. If I stay out about where dotted line is would be about right.
I need to remember where electric & water is buried.

 

[paulsharvey]

The fence and augering the holes won't hurt the trees, you disturbing way way less than 1/3 of the root system. I'm more worried about having a clear 6-8ft from fence to trees for mowing, brush control, keeping limbs off the fence.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

The fence and augering the holes won't hurt the trees, you disturbing way way less than 1/3 of the root system. I'm more worried about having a clear 6-8ft from fence to trees for mowing, brush control, keeping limbs off the fence.

In 42 years here, limbs fallen there were 2" at most diameter. I'll use 6x6 posts and 2x6 boards...should be strong.
I'll need area marked carefully for electric, drain line and water! I'll use it as a starting point to avoid it. It's at bottom of steps I made years ago. These pictures a year ago when I had drain replaced.
Times like this I wished I had ground penetrating radar!
Miss Utility will mark if I slip them some cash.

 

[ponytug]

In 42 years here, limbs fallen there were 2" at most diameter. I'll use 6x6 posts and 2x6 boards...should be strong.
I'll need area marked carefully for electric, drain line and water! I'll use it as a starting point to avoid it. It's at bottom of steps I made years ago. These pictures a year ago when I had drain replaced.
Times like this I wished I had ground penetrating radar!
Miss Utility will mark if I slip them some cash.View attachment 940269View attachment 940270

I think that getting the pipes wires traced and marked is likely to be worth whatever it costs...an ounce of prevention and all that. I found a used wire tracer for cheap and it was worth every penny to me, as the buried feeds to my outbuildings didn't go where I thought they would go, they zig-zag around. (And the internal property wires aren't on the 811 list, of course.)

All the best,

Peter

 

[IXLR8]

Around here before you dig, even putting in flowers, you are required to call 811 and all utilities are required to come mark their lines, for free. My experience they are usually marked within 2 days.