Can anyone tell me if the standard 6' fence panels are actual size, or
nominal (I.e. some allowance for post thickness)? I guess I could answer
this by taking a tape measure down to B&Q, but this group has not yet
let me down!

I ask as I need to replace a fence which is about to collapse due to the
fence posts having rotted through. These posts are (were) located in
metal pegs, which I'd hoped to re-use, leaving them in their current
locations. However, measuring the existing panels reveals these to be
between 179 and 180 cm, about 71". Once panel is only about 4' long, so
I'd have to cut one panel, but I'd rather not have to do the lot!

The other alternative is nail feather edge boards up individually to
arris (sp?) rails. Or closeboard panels - are these nailed to rails, or
do these also fit inbetween posts? I'm somewhat loathe to follow these
options, as they're more costly, and we don't intend to be in our
current house for more than another year.

Many thanks for any response,
Mike.

--
Dr. Michael Atkinson, GeoQuest Simulation Software Development
Note that email address in the headers is cleared monthly and NOT read.
Contact me at
(firstly removing the CAPS LOCK).

Mike Atkinson {reply address in .sig} wrote:
Can anyone tell me if the standard 6' fence panels are actual size,
or
nominal (I.e. some allowance for post thickness)? I guess I could
answer this by taking a tape measure down to B&Q, but this group has
not yet let me down!

I ask as I need to replace a fence which is about to collapse due to
the fence posts having rotted through. These posts are (were)
located
in metal pegs, which I'd hoped to re-use, leaving them in their
current locations. However, measuring the existing panels reveals
these to be between 179 and 180 cm, about 71". Once panel is only
about 4' long, so I'd have to cut one panel, but I'd rather not have
to do the lot!

The other alternative is nail feather edge boards up individually to
arris (sp?) rails. Or closeboard panels - are these nailed to rails,
or do these also fit inbetween posts? I'm somewhat loathe to follow
these options, as they're more costly, and we don't intend to be in
our current house for more than another year.

Many thanks for any response,
Mike.

I have just measured a b and q cheapy fence panel and it is a
sixteenth under 6 foot. Bearing in mind it is very hot and dry, so it
is probably just over 6 foot on a damp day.

MrCheerful

In article , BillR
ventured...

Mike Atkinson {reply address in .sig} wrote:
I ask as I need to replace a fence which is about to collapse due to
the fence posts having rotted through. These posts are (were) located
in metal pegs, which I'd hoped to re-use, leaving them in their
current locations.

In my experience they are 6' i.e. 183cm for compatibilty with existing.
I don't understand how you propose to reuse the metal pegs. Are they the
Metpost type of thing?
If so this is one helluva job to clean out the old wood to put in new posts.
It is poss to get them out of the ground, as per metpost instructions, if
you can get a lever (e.g. old fence post) under the socket. I've done this
many times.

Thanks for the tip. I've no experience of this, so I had hoped to get
the old wood out. If I have to get the damn things out of the ground
then I might as well get new ones.

Your panels sound like an odd bunch. The problem is the original installer
will have placed the spikes against each panel as he went so they are custom
spaced.

Yeah, I'm coming to this conclusion. And as these panels are only
slightly shorter than the standard, it means I *will* have to get the
old pegs out of the ground.

Feather edge boards are nailed to triangular arris rails which are mortised
into the posts or you can get metal arris rail support brackets which don't
look as nice.

The catalogue I have also has wooden posts with V notches, presumably
for these rails. (They also have the mortised version.) One possible
advantage of this route is that I can space the posts slightly more than
6 ft apart, and so wouldn't have to get the old pegs out of the ground.

Are the old panels not repairable at all?
One maybe, the rest not - they've been flexing for too long (post has
been completely free for a few weeks now.

--
Dr. Michael Atkinson, GeoQuest Simulation Software Development
Note that email address in the headers is cleared monthly and NOT read.
Contact me at
(firstly removing the CAPS LOCK).

In message , Mike Atkinson
{reply address in. sig} writes
In article , BillR
ventured...

Mike Atkinson {reply address in .sig} wrote:
I ask as I need to replace a fence which is about to collapse due to
the fence posts having rotted through. These posts are (were) located
in metal pegs, which I'd hoped to re-use, leaving them in their
current locations.

In my experience they are 6' i.e. 183cm for compatibilty with existing.
I don't understand how you propose to reuse the metal pegs. Are they the
Metpost type of thing?
If so this is one helluva job to clean out the old wood to put in new posts.
It is poss to get them out of the ground, as per metpost instructions, if
you can get a lever (e.g. old fence post) under the socket. I've done this
many times.

Thanks for the tip. I've no experience of this, so I had hoped to get
the old wood out. If I have to get the damn things out of the ground
then I might as well get new ones.


It's not that difficult to get the old wood out.

It may take a little work with a drill and an old chisel, but how ever
fiddling it is it can't be as much effort as putting in new posts.

I reckon you'll be able to get panels to fit well enough..

You can use the metal clips to hold them which gives a bit of leeway,
and if you find one where the gap is a bit big I'd fit a bit of batten
to the side of the post and fix the panel to that
--
Chris French, Leeds

Panels normally are 6ft. I repaired a fence for a friend recently
where they had used metal posts cemented in. It wasn't hard removing
the rotten fence posts out of the old metal posts with a hammer and
old screwdriver and a few minutes patience. However the posts had been
placed in tight - about an inch less than 6ft. I just removed the last
batten on the panel, trimmed the top and bottom battens an inch and
nailed back in (screwing is even better). Used a saw to trim the
overhanging feather edge panels and job done.

"Mike Atkinson {reply address in .sig}" wrote in
message ...
Can anyone tell me if the standard 6' fence panels are actual size, or
nominal (I.e. some allowance for post thickness)? I guess I could answer
this by taking a tape measure down to B&Q, but this group has not yet
let me down!

I ask as I need to replace a fence which is about to collapse due to the
fence posts having rotted through. These posts are (were) located in
metal pegs, which I'd hoped to re-use, leaving them in their current
locations. However, measuring the existing panels reveals these to be
between 179 and 180 cm, about 71". Once panel is only about 4' long, so
I'd have to cut one panel, but I'd rather not have to do the lot!

The other alternative is nail feather edge boards up individually to
arris (sp?) rails. Or closeboard panels - are these nailed to rails, or
do these also fit inbetween posts? I'm somewhat loathe to follow these
options, as they're more costly, and we don't intend to be in our
current house for more than another year.

Many thanks for any response,
Mike.

--
Dr. Michael Atkinson, GeoQuest Simulation Software Development
Note that email address in the headers is cleared monthly and NOT read.
Contact me at
(firstly removing the CAPS LOCK).

I had exactly this problem a couple of years ago.

It was very easy to cut down 6' panels to fit - just move the vertical rails
at one end in the required amount, and cut off the excess. Took about five
minutes per panel once I got the hang of it.


--
Chris Melluish

In article , Chris Melluish
ventured...

"Mike Atkinson {reply address in .sig}" wrote in
message ...
I ask as I need to replace a fence which is about to collapse due to the
fence posts having rotted through. These posts are (were) located in
metal pegs, which I'd hoped to re-use, leaving them in their current
locations. However, measuring the existing panels reveals these to be
between 179 and 180 cm, about 71". Once panel is only about 4' long, so
I'd have to cut one panel, but I'd rather not have to do the lot!

I had exactly this problem a couple of years ago.

It was very easy to cut down 6' panels to fit - just move the vertical rails
at one end in the required amount, and cut off the excess. Took about five
minutes per panel once I got the hang of it.


Thanks for all the replies. I'll mull this one over during the weekend,
but then probably get the panels, accepting that I'll need to do some
work on them in order to get them to fit. I do like the idea of reusing
the existing metal pegs in the ground - it sounds like I'm going to have
some fun extracting the rotten wood from the old posts!

--
Dr. Michael Atkinson, GeoQuest Simulation Software Development
Note that email address in the headers is cleared monthly and NOT read.
Contact me at
(firstly removing the CAPS LOCK).

Mike Atkinson {reply address in .sig} wrote:

Hello Mike

MArais| Thanks for all the replies. I'll mull this one over during
MArais| the weekend, but then probably get the panels, accepting
MArais| that I'll need to do some work on them in order to get them
MArais| to fit. I do like the idea of reusing
MArais| the existing metal pegs in the ground - it sounds like I'm
MArais| going to have some fun extracting the rotten wood from the
MArais| old posts!

Have a bonfire and stick the posts in. Kinda messes them up if they're
galvanised, but a wire brushing and a coat of hammerite brings them up
lovely.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/