|
I just got some concrete work done on my house yesterday, and I asked the contractor to extend the posts when he built the retaining wall, so that I could build a small fence for my son so he doesn't fall into what I call the "pit." Beyond the posts is just dirt, but it goes down a good 12-18 inches: All the way on the right side (forgot to capture it) is a utility pole. I would need a gate there so that the utility companies still have access and don't rip down my fence. My wife also wants a gate on the very left side too in case she wants to plant flowers or something. I was thinking about just doing a simple fence like this one:  The problem though is I have a small car and could only get 2x4s maybe ten feet long. I will probably just try to get the longest ones that can fit and cut them accordingly. The pickets will probably be just 2-3 feet high. Tool-wise I have hammers/nails and a circular saw. Is that good enough? I have an air compressor, but no framing gun, just a finishing gun which will be used when putting the pickets up...Am I just over-thinking this?
|
#
?
May 11, 2014 22:29
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 30, 2024 06:46 |
|
|
You may get more tread posting this in the Quick Questions... megathread up top.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2014 18:18
|
|
|
Bank posted:The problem though is I have a small car and could only get 2x4s maybe ten feet long. I will probably just try to get the longest ones that can fit and cut them accordingly. The pickets will probably be just 2-3 feet high. You can rent a pickup truck pretty cheap (~$20) from U-Haul and most big box hardware stores. Or just pay to have them deliver your lumber.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2014 20:07
|
|
|
Something else to consider is that you can buy pre-made sections of fencing from home depot (guessing elsewhere too) that will probably fit your needs and look decent. A lot quicker and don't seem to be that expensive.
|
|
#
?
May 12, 2014 21:39
|
|
|
Thanks for the advice so far. Home Depot has a truck I can rent for $20 so I can just deliver the lumber myself. The fence my wife and I want is this one: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-42-in-x-8-ft-Cedar-2-Rail-French-Gothic-Spaced-Picket-Fence-Panel-63665/100011709 The pickets are 3.5 feet high, but the posts are only 2 feet high. Now I'm thinking I should just buy 2x3s to use as backer railings, then cut these pickets to length: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-5-8-in-x-3-1-2-in-x-42-in-Cedar-Gothic-Picket-6398/203276165?N=5yc1vZc3mo Would that look ok, or is a 2 foot fence pointless? My other thought was to just cut the posts down to the floor and install new posts for the picket fence. Seems like overkill for this though..
|
|
#
?
May 15, 2014 19:43
|
|
|
I would worry that a 2 foot fence is just the right height to trip over and have a nastier fall then if it weren't there. I'd add some material to the posts you have and make it the height of a normal railing.
|
|
#
?
May 15, 2014 22:34
|
|
|
A 2ft fence wont really protect much from falling over it. I wouldnt go any less than 3ft. Can you stick a wood post into the metal ones that are there? Having them extended wouldnt cost too much either.
|
|
#
?
May 15, 2014 22:40
|
|
|
Good thing I asked here then, otherwise I would have a worthless two foot fence in my backyard. Would it make sense to do something like this? (forgive the lovely mspaint job)  Fence posts in brown, redwood 2x4s in black. Then just put the pickets on the 2x4s (I would have another 2x4 closer to the ground).
|
|
#
?
May 16, 2014 00:28
|
|
|
You could probably very easily sister 4x4s onto your existing posts with some lag bolts and build the fence that way. In the pic the blue lines are behind, just a 2x6 or something if you were worried about sistering to the sides of the posts wouldn't provide as much support front/back but I don't think it would be necessary. The green lines would be your nailers for whatever fence facing you'd decide on. This way you could make it as tall or short as you wanted, and it would be simple. You didn't mention a drill in your tools that you have, but you could get an inexpensive drill/driver combo for driving in the lag screws and then screwing the fencing up. These are excellent tools to have around, screws are the way to go.
|
|
#
?
May 16, 2014 19:13
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 30, 2024 06:46 |
|
|
Not against the idea, but it just seems like overkill for extending the posts 1.5 feet. I'm thinking about just doing what this place is saying (i.e., use 4x4 steel plates): http://www.hooverfence.com/howto/newposts.htm Seems pretty doable so I will just go that route.
|
|
#
?
May 19, 2014 18:19
|
|