Building a featherboard fence

[Martin Wiseman]

Hi,

The wind a couple of weeks ago put paid to my garden fence so I either need to build a new one or pay someone to do it. I'm generally allergic to employing people to do jobs like this, but time probably will be the deciding factor.

Can anyone with experience give me an idea how long it is likely to take to build 25 meters (12 fence posts) of featherboard fence from the ground up, i.e. starting by digging new holes for the posts?

I have access to a concrete mixer, but no other specialist tools. Would I save significant time if I bought a post hole digging spade/tool and/or a nail gun for fixing the featherboards?

Many thanks, Martin.

[Robbo]

4-5 days.

Stick with the basic tools. Fork, Spade and Shovel. Unless you are just inserting the posts directly into the ground. Claw Hammer and 4lb Lump Hammer Plasters and First aid kit Needle for the splinters oh and Make doubly sure that your spirit level and tape measure are NOT given to SWMBO when you need an extra pair of hands. Just ensure she makes good hot drinks at regular intervals and applies plasters where required.

;-)

[Tim Downie]

And when you've done all that, remember than flat panel fences were made for blowing down. It's what they do best.

Ranch style fencing with staggered gaps to let the wind through seem to be much more wind "resistant" in terms of not blowing down every winter.

Also, don't even think about 3"x3" posts unless you love replacing posts regularly.

Tim

[nightjar]

I would hire a Bobcat, with a hole boring attachment, for a day. Not only is digging deep, (they should. ideally, be about 50% of the height above ground) narrow holes hard work, but there is always a tree root just where you want to put a post. Concrete posts will be much more durable - my previous lot lasted 70 years - and concrete gravel boards will protect the base of the fence from rotting.

Colin Bignell

[dennis]

"nightjar .uk.com>"

Wood posts last longer if you don't concrete them in. Look at telephone poles.. they don't use concrete.. just gravel. You need deep narrow holes to do it.

[Andrew Mawson]

But Telegraph poles are soaked in creosote (or were before it was banned by the EU) for ages before installation, whereas fence posts are pressure treated with a modern enviro friendly but less effective preservative.

AWEM

[dennis]

Creosote is *very poor* at preserving wood.. it should have been banned under the trade descriptions act for being described as a wood preserver.

[Weatherlawyer]

Modern preservatives are not environmentally friendly not that pressure treatment stuff anyway. Too much contact with it will give you a rash or sores resembling ringworm.

What on earth gave you that idea? I have seen telegraph posts coming out the ground after being in there for decades and looking like they were due to be installed not carted off to the dump.

Modern Tudor houses - i.e., the ones surviving for 500 hundred years or so, were all dipped in creosote. OK they were made of oak heartwood and mounted a yard above the ground on sandstone rock outcrops and they lean a bit due to improvements carried out over the years.

But the timber in them that had the preservative of choice in those days is usually still sound.

[dennis]

Creosote is a cancergen, gives people chemical burns, can damage lungs. All you need is a simple water repelent on fences and sheds and a bit of pressure treatment on posts.

I have seen telegraph poles that have been in the ground for years without any creosote and they haven't rotted either. So I stand by what I said creosote isn't very good. There have been tests done that show creosote doesn't extend the life of wood by any significant amount. Its about as good as old engine oil.. no good at all.

My feather board fence is 27 years old now and still OK. It has been treated with a water based dye once at one year old. It doesn't need preservative as it dries out often enough to kill rot.

The creosote soaked posts rotted where they were in concrete but some god father posts fixed that 10 years ago.