# 8' tall privacy post,4x4 or 6x6 posts?



## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

6 x 6's will look a lot better on a tall fence, plus their extra width will give a little more resistence in the ground to wind load. If you want it to stay upright for the long term, you should go no less than 42" in the ground, there is an awfull lot of wind load on an 8' fence. Close the post spacing down to 6', otherwise the horizontal runners will sag on 8' span, and use four horizontals instead of the usually seen three. Keep the top and bottom ones no more than 1' from the ends of the boards, these treated 8'ers will warp like crazy. Burying a wood post in concrete just hastens it's demise, I prefer to fill with tightly packed drainage rock. 

Pay attention when driving and you will see what happens ; 80% of fences erected do everything to the minimum, and it shows within one year...they all lean because of insufficient depth of posts, many sag because of excessice post spacing, and the ones that use pt boards mostly look like crap they are so warped up.

Be sure all your fasteners are quality and rated for the new treatment chemicals, they are brutal on metal.

BEFORE ANYTHING, CHECK WITH LOCAL PERMITTING AGENCY, RESIDENTIAL FENCING IN MOST JURISDICTIONS IS USUALLY LIMITED TO 7', UNLESS YOU APPLY FOR A ZONING VARIANCE, AND THEY CAN MAKE YOU CUT IT DOWN TO HEIGHT!!!..PLUS PAY A FINE FOR NO PERMIT AND A PENALTY FOR CONSTRUCTING AN ILLEGAL STRUCTURE.


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## vsheetz (Sep 28, 2008)

Suggest you seriously reconsider the need/desire for a 8' fence - even if you can erect one legally, do you really want it that high for cosmetic and neighbor considerations? In the technical side, it must be much more robustly constructed than a lower fence.

I like to build my fences with metal posts enbedded in concrete - thay last 2x-3x the typicaly wooden post. Many wooden fences fail at the wooden posts first. Brackets are available to fasten the wooded cross members to the metal posts.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

6x6's will be exponentially more expensive. Have you priced them compared to the 4x4's? You'll need to buy 12' lengths in order to get an 8' fence. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

A lot of cities actually require engineering on fences that exceed 6' in height...Honestly. An 8' fence catches an immense amount of air. Agreed, 3-1/2' is a good depth. Plan on a couple sacks of concrete per post, more if you drill 8" holes for 6x6's.

Toubleseeker is right in that you had better check the legality of a fence of that height. In the cities I've worked in you'd never be allowed to exceed 6' without a variance. Normally the variances are limited to 7'.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

I'de be "filling" the 12" hole with concrete.


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## handifoot (Feb 19, 2006)

You could try something like leaving the 4x4s 8' high and drilling some holes through them for a couple courses of 1/2" copper pipe.

It looks pretty cool and then you could get creative on what to attach to it.
It makes a good support for a vining plant for instance.


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## HitLines (Aug 31, 2009)

A fence the way you described is going to be crazy $$$ as others have said. Check local laws first. Here is a clip from OP which _thekctermite_ might be familiar with:

http://www.opkansas.org/Doing-Business/Fence-Permit


> Fence permits must be obtained *before *construction begins. They are required when:
> 
> 
> A new fence is being constructed
> ...


Rules baby, rules:


> • Height - the maximum height of any fence is eight feet above average grade.
> 
> • Design - all fences and walls shall be constructed with a fi nished surface facing outward from the property. Any posts or support beams shall be inside the fi nished surface or designed to be an integral part of the fi nished surface.
> 
> ...


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