Fence post supports

[atomant48]

started the next phase of the decking project running some “boardwalk” off the deck down the side of the house. Hard to explain the plan will be easier to see once it’s started. But a good opportunity to get back into the garage and get the welder out.

And the first use of my forum special square jigs. This is the intended job I had for them when i bought them but amazing how much time has taken to get round to it !

And yes I’ve got some surface rust to attend to.

 

[defender dan]

Who was it that made those corner squares ? I remember seeing them on here before & wouldn't mind buying some if still available.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Seadog]

I think it was Pressbrake.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I have a similar job to do on my decking....install a fence along one edge. I was thinking of dropping the post support a little under and then bracing it with a triangle from underneath.....but maybe you're doing something totally different and it just looks similar to my plan!

Regardless....that corner jig would come in very handy I reckon.

Managed to pick up some anti slip deck strips at the weekend....have nearly broken my neck about a dozen times when its wet and now had enough! They are blooming expensive....I managed to get them for £3 a strip....but they retail over a £5...madness!!

 

[atomant48]

Yes sounds similar - I am supporting fence posts at one end but they are against the neighbours garage and on top of a retaining wall so I can’t get the posts into the ground or into supports easily. It’s quite an awkward area but I’m optimistic my braces and supports pictured above will be a good solution.

I used composite boards and they’ve been pretty grippy in the wet. I didn’t put any fall on the deck this time round as I wanted it to sit level with a bifold door on 2 sides which scuppered any slope. Water does sit a little longer but it’s still not slippy.

Those strips do sound expensive I imagine they’re not much more than sand in some sort of resin?

 

[atomant48]

I think it was Pressbrake.

Yes it was pressbrake. I’m waiting for his next invention - these are great.

Just don’t drop one on a toe

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I am supporting fence posts at one end but they are against the neighbours garage and on top of a retaining wall

Sounds very similar indeed....let us know if it needed further reinforcement. Mine will be a 2m fence and I was worried that there would be a tendency to fatigue the metal with the wind load on the fence but maybe I'm just over-engineering things as I usually do!

 

[atomant48]

Sounds very similar indeed....let us know if it needed further reinforcement. Mine will be a 2m fence and I was worried that there would be a tendency to fatigue the metal with the wind load on the fence but maybe I'm just over-engineering things as I usually do!

I’m fortunate that the fence section really exposed to any wind i can drop the posts down the side of the retaining wall and anchor them to the ground and to the substructure on my deck (which sits on / above the retaining wall). So they’ll have 2 anchor points about 1m apart. Then it’s 2m of fence above that. The supports I’m making in the pics above is for the continuation of the fence that then runs down the neighbours garage on the boundary so should be protected from the wind. But you’ve got me thinking and i might put some gussets in. Another excuse to make something and weld it in.

But if they were supporting it all along i I think they’d be fine - i was looking at one of the (meta post are they called??) and there’s only about 6” supporting the fence post. And they seem to work. Inthink most of the bending would probably be taken up along the 2m of fence post and the steel/weld would be oblivious to it.

Edit. These things. Don’t know where I got the name meta post from.

 

[defender dan]

Thank you. Do you know if he is still making them ? I can feel a xmas group buy coming on lol.

Dan.

 

[atomant48]

Got 8 of the holes dug today and then managed to tack all the steels up ready for welding. Had to dig first as every hole had a different challenge (drains, house foundations etc) then adjust the steels to suit.

Hoping my package from Tom arrives tomorrow :-) to let me get on with finishing the welding.

This pic tries to show what I’m doing. That’s the neighbours garage on the boundary wall to the right and im going to lay the steels across ways between the garage and our house, set them in concrete then lay wooden bearers along the length of the house then Decking on top to meet the deck already there. And along the garage boundary side I’m putting a new fence up to close it all off from sight. Right against the side of that garage there’s a (60 year old) brick boundary wall which stops at my ground level so I can’t put the fence directly into the ground. Challenging but looking forward to getting it sorted. This is the last major job before I get my garage back (being used mainly as a wood store at the moment) and I can sit and enjoy it all.

 

[atomant48]

Half the steels in now so can make a start on getting the decking down. Should be able to get that in this weekend which is a major step forward.

Then have a gate, fence, and the rest of the boardwalk to sort.

Welding wise have learned a lot about welds that look good and welds that actually stick metal together. I think that warrants a thread of its own from one of the experts (hint hint !!).

 

[atomant48]

Made some good progress and am already starting to imagine not seeing that side of the neighbours garage.

 

[atomant48]

Making progress. Deck boards going down easily and over such a short Length is relatively simple to keep them straight etc. Having fun with the feather edge boards. Picked only good ones from the stock, painted both sides, left them in the heat for a couple hours to dry and came back to them all curled up. Still they are pulling in ok when installing. Have done ALOT of reading about where to put the fixings, how much overlap etc So hopefully I’ve got it right.

I’ve got a plan for blending to the front face of that garage then it’s onto the steel supports for the other end.


View attachment 232644

 

[atomant48]

finally finished the end support and closing post for the gate yesterday. Managed to get it in the concrete just before the rain started.




Spent the whole day with my little helper (7) and he is very proud of his first ever welds. I was impressed he managed to hold the torch pretty steady.

Might be on the phone to Tom for another optrel soon

 

[atomant48]

Virtually done on this now, which looking at my first post is under a year so I am getting better

just a deck board or 2 to cut to shape and a few screws in the fence boards and the. The small gap on my side to complete.

I got a new cool box on wheels a couple weeks back and I am looking forward to filling it with beer and spending a day out there doing pretty much nothing.

 

[Ashley Burton]

@atomant48 Nice job!

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Looks good....on mine I'm fitting anti slip strips. It was all good the first summer but then in the winter I nearly broke my neck. Depends what the aspect is...the sheltered bits seem to get more slippy.

Looks good though....I really like wood decking too

 

[Ashley Burton]

@Pigeon_Droppings2 Going by my experiences you need to keep it clean

But yes it can be a slippery nightmare also!

 

[atomant48]

Looks good though....I really like wood decking too

thanks. It’s plastic though not wood!

it’s Millboard (made up north somewhere). No dramas at all when it’s wet - we’ve had it down all through winter. I laid this without a fall as I wanted to line it up on 2 sides of the house and rain seems to run off without issues. I think the boards must be very slightly crowned across the width. It’s all south facing but one small corner by that tree is very sheltered/dark and we’ve had no issues at all with mould etc. It really is amazing stuff.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Might have to check that out cheers...mine has been down for 4+ years. If I keep it clean it's fine....but when its very wet or frosty outside it's a nightmare. I'm going to fit slip strips I think on the walkway to the garage.

I use oxygen bleach to clean mine....it gets the mould off without me having to go at it with a jet washer which can damage the wood. Mine is north west facing so I suspect thats maybe why I have problems.