Fence post material and height - need advice

Swipe

If you are considering wooden posts these should prolong their lives by a few years. Maybe you can find some cheaper non branded versions. 

https://www.postsaver.com/en-gb/products/pro-sleeve-fence-post-protection/

Ectophile

chrisw said:

We've got concrete posts and after about 20 years quite a few of them have blown. Water seems to get in and rust the rebar inside which blows the concrete.

Shows how rubbish modern things are.  I've known older ones that were still fine after 50 years.

bjorn_toby_wilde

Ectophile said:

chrisw said:

We've got concrete posts and after about 20 years quite a few of them have blown. Water seems to get in and rust the rebar inside which blows the concrete.

Shows how rubbish modern things are.  I've known older ones that were still fine after 50 years.

Not just that. I replaced two wooden posts last year and the new ones twisted as they dried. Rubbish timber. Hence my comment about composite.

AC20

Boohoo said:

AC20 said:

Slinky said:

Albermarle said:

Usually it is said wooden posts will last maybe 10 years and concrete 25 years.
The very cheapest panels are probably best avoided.
Remember with a standard post and panel fence, the panels can be lifted out so no good if you need security.

In this case a 4ft post panel isn't much in the way of security, but we had 6ft panels at the bottom of our garden, with gravel boards. The tops of the panels were a bit higher than the posts (which were already in place when we bought the house, but there weren't gravel boards originally), so we fixed some timber across the backs of the panels, above the posts, joining the two panels together. It would have been very difficult to lift the panels out as they were all linked together. As a final security, we added 18 inch trellis across the top as a a continuous run which also spanned the gaps between the panels where the posts were. Nice and wobbly so would have been noisily broken if someone tried to climb over.  We were higher than the 'legal' limit on fences next to a footpath, but noone ever complained.

thanks, it's front garden so 4ft is max i can go. 

I don't think you mentioned where the fence is going.

Is it between 2 driveways or next to a pavement?

Only saying as if you have a car or neighbours do you will have think about existing the drive safely as 4 foot high fence can obstruct a driver's view when leaving the driveway.

Next to pavement

AC20

GDB2222 said:

Section62 said:

Boohoo said:

AC20 said:

Slinky said:

Albermarle said:

Usually it is said wooden posts will last maybe 10 years and concrete 25 years.
The very cheapest panels are probably best avoided.
Remember with a standard post and panel fence, the panels can be lifted out so no good if you need security.

In this case a 4ft post panel isn't much in the way of security, but we had 6ft panels at the bottom of our garden, with gravel boards. The tops of the panels were a bit higher than the posts (which were already in place when we bought the house, but there weren't gravel boards originally), so we fixed some timber across the backs of the panels, above the posts, joining the two panels together. It would have been very difficult to lift the panels out as they were all linked together. As a final security, we added 18 inch trellis across the top as a a continuous run which also spanned the gaps between the panels where the posts were. Nice and wobbly so would have been noisily broken if someone tried to climb over.  We were higher than the 'legal' limit on fences next to a footpath, but noone ever complained.

thanks, it's front garden so 4ft is max i can go. 

I don't think you mentioned where the fence is going.

Is it between 2 driveways or next to a pavement?

Only saying as if you have a car or neighbours do you will have think about existing the drive safely as 4 foot high fence can obstruct a driver's view when leaving the driveway.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6637376/can-i-build-a-fence-in-front-garden

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6637377/what-does-dotted-line-on-title-deed-indicate

4' panels on top of concrete gravel boards will be a lot higher than the existing 2' wall.

Some of it is next to a highway, so the OP needs planning permission, as it's over 1m.

There’s no highway next to the property, just a normal road for parking cars. We already have 2ft wall with lot of tall trees.

Eldi_Dos

chrisw said:

We've got concrete posts and after about 20 years quite a few of them have blown. Water seems to get in and rust the rebar inside which blows the concrete.

Rebars are always going rust unless they are protected by Denso tape or similar, its a horrible job to do if you are ever unfortunate enough to have to do it.

I can only guess the issue with your posts is type of and thickness of your concrete.

Section62

Eldi_Dos said:

chrisw said:

We've got concrete posts and after about 20 years quite a few of them have blown. Water seems to get in and rust the rebar inside which blows the concrete.

Rebars are always going rust unless they are protected by Denso tape or similar, its a horrible job to do if you are ever unfortunate enough to have to do it.

I can only guess the issue with your posts is type of and thickness of your concrete.

If the mix quality is good enough and the rebar has enough cover then even bare mild steel rebar should be protected from corrosion (the alkalinity of the concrete is key).

The problem is likely that mass produced concrete fenceposts aren't necessarily made with a high level of care, and the small sectional area means not much cover to the rebar... less if the rebar is pressed to one side of the mould.  The combination of minimal cover by design + poor quality control in manufacture = greater risk of rebar corrosion, cracking, and ultimate failure.

Section62

AC20 said:

GDB2222 said:

Section62 said:

Some of it is next to a highway, so the OP needs planning permission, as it's over 1m.

There’s no highway next to the property, just a normal road for parking cars. We already have 2ft wall with lot of tall trees.

Unless it is some kind of private access road then it probably is highway - 'highway' is the legal term for a road or path the public have some degree of right to use (which also includes some private roads and land).

Boohoo

AC20 said:

GDB2222 said:

Section62 said:

Boohoo said:

AC20 said:

Slinky said:

Albermarle said:

Usually it is said wooden posts will last maybe 10 years and concrete 25 years.
The very cheapest panels are probably best avoided.
Remember with a standard post and panel fence, the panels can be lifted out so no good if you need security.

In this case a 4ft post panel isn't much in the way of security, but we had 6ft panels at the bottom of our garden, with gravel boards. The tops of the panels were a bit higher than the posts (which were already in place when we bought the house, but there weren't gravel boards originally), so we fixed some timber across the backs of the panels, above the posts, joining the two panels together. It would have been very difficult to lift the panels out as they were all linked together. As a final security, we added 18 inch trellis across the top as a a continuous run which also spanned the gaps between the panels where the posts were. Nice and wobbly so would have been noisily broken if someone tried to climb over.  We were higher than the 'legal' limit on fences next to a footpath, but noone ever complained.

thanks, it's front garden so 4ft is max i can go. 

I don't think you mentioned where the fence is going.

Is it between 2 driveways or next to a pavement?

Only saying as if you have a car or neighbours do you will have think about existing the drive safely as 4 foot high fence can obstruct a driver's view when leaving the driveway.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6637376/can-i-build-a-fence-in-front-garden

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6637377/what-does-dotted-line-on-title-deed-indicate

4' panels on top of concrete gravel boards will be a lot higher than the existing 2' wall.

Some of it is next to a highway, so the OP needs planning permission, as it's over 1m.

There’s no highway next to the property, just a normal road for parking cars. We already have 2ft wall with lot of tall trees.

I would contact your local council and ask the planning or highways department for the rules regarding fencing for the size you want.

If your neighbours have fencing over 1m I doesn't mean you can as they may be illegal or they have planning permission.

AC20

Boohoo said:

AC20 said:

GDB2222 said:

Section62 said:

Boohoo said:

AC20 said:

Slinky said:

Albermarle said:

Usually it is said wooden posts will last maybe 10 years and concrete 25 years.
The very cheapest panels are probably best avoided.
Remember with a standard post and panel fence, the panels can be lifted out so no good if you need security.

In this case a 4ft post panel isn't much in the way of security, but we had 6ft panels at the bottom of our garden, with gravel boards. The tops of the panels were a bit higher than the posts (which were already in place when we bought the house, but there weren't gravel boards originally), so we fixed some timber across the backs of the panels, above the posts, joining the two panels together. It would have been very difficult to lift the panels out as they were all linked together. As a final security, we added 18 inch trellis across the top as a a continuous run which also spanned the gaps between the panels where the posts were. Nice and wobbly so would have been noisily broken if someone tried to climb over.  We were higher than the 'legal' limit on fences next to a footpath, but noone ever complained.

thanks, it's front garden so 4ft is max i can go. 

I don't think you mentioned where the fence is going.

Is it between 2 driveways or next to a pavement?

Only saying as if you have a car or neighbours do you will have think about existing the drive safely as 4 foot high fence can obstruct a driver's view when leaving the driveway.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6637376/can-i-build-a-fence-in-front-garden

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6637377/what-does-dotted-line-on-title-deed-indicate

4' panels on top of concrete gravel boards will be a lot higher than the existing 2' wall.

Some of it is next to a highway, so the OP needs planning permission, as it's over 1m.

There’s no highway next to the property, just a normal road for parking cars. We already have 2ft wall with lot of tall trees.

I would contact your local council and ask the planning or highways department for the rules regarding fencing for the size you want.

If your neighbours have fencing over 1m I doesn't mean you can as they may be illegal or they have planning permission.

thanks, yes it will have to be 3ft facing road / pavement.