# Going to install a wood privacy fence



## kyomagi (Jan 24, 2012)

First time home owner here. our yard is pretty big, from the house its 125 feet to the back and 50 feet wide. Lots of good space to use. Only issue is that one side of our yard has no fence. The left is half privacy and half chain, the back is made up of some 3' small wood/wire fence and 5 feet of privacy.

I have the survey, know where our property line is and got the digging ok. 

My question is this. How hard is it? i plan on buying pre made wood panels and weathered posts. I have a single man auger to dig holes. I have done this once before about 5 years ago, but it was only 1-2 panels. 

We need to probably install 18 posts and place 16 panels on the one side.

I have taken alot of advice on this and need a little more before i pony up. 

What will i need besides the posts and panels?

My list so far consists of

Batter boards
Line
Line leveler
Post leveler
Quick dry cement 
Small posts
Auger


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## cibula11 (Jan 6, 2007)

Dig to the appropriate depth for your area (per code)....get a permit, make sure your posts are straight and in line, and enjoy!


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## kyomagi (Jan 24, 2012)

i figured it was going to be somewhat easy. Someone also recommended oz-posts too. They said if you spend a little more money, it will be a ton easier to install. anyone have experiences with that product?

Also, what is the best way to make sure my line is straight with my property line and not moving to the left or right? A line level?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

A piece of brick string and two stakes.
A line level would be used to mark the heights of the tops of the poles once there set so you know where to cut them off so there all even and to mark the heights of your batter boards.
No clue what you mean by weathed wood post. Use only pressure treated 4 X 4's
Set your post slightly less then 8' apart and just cut the pressure treated 2 X 4's so there in the middle of each post.
Forget about trying to set the post exacly 8' apart just not going to happen, just make them less them that.
Use only ceramic coated decking screws, galvinized will rust off in no time.
The batther boards need to be at the propper distance apart so the panels can just be picked up and hung on the batters Then the panels get screwed to the batters.
Better check your local building office to see if you need a permit and how far off your property line it needs to be or you will be taking it down if someone complains.

If your talking about those steel spikes that drive into the ground forget it. There barely able to support a mail box.
You installing what amounts to a sail it needs all the support it can get.


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## kyomagi (Jan 24, 2012)

joecaption said:


> A piece of brick string and two stakes.
> A line level would be used to mark the heights of the tops of the poles once there set so you know where to cut them off so there all even and to mark the heights of your batter boards.
> No clue what you mean by weathed wood post. Use only pressure treated 4 X 4's
> Set your post slightly less then 8' apart and just cut the pressure treated 2 X 4's so there in the middle of each post.
> ...


Thanks, i meant pressure treated 4 X 4's, they are pretty cheap at the depot.

When you say set my posts slightly less than 8' apart, do you mean like the outside edge of each post should be 8' or less?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Center to center needs to be less then 8'. Near imposable dig an exact spaced hole and there's always going to be a rock, root something in the way.


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## GardenConcepts (Jan 21, 2010)

I find it helps to set a string from the beginning to the end, and install one section at a time- so install your 1st post and line the panel up, and have your helper mark where the next post goes. Depending on what kind of fence panels you are using, you may be installing the panels on the face of the posts or in between the posts. Either way, installing one section at a time is more accurate than trying to install all of your posts and then fitting the panels to the posts.

Deeper holes for the posts will insure a rigid fence.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Ever see a pro fence company install a fence? All the post are set then the panels go on.
Once the line is strung I use marking paint to mark where the holes go on the ground.
I use a gas powered auger and can make a hole in about 2 min.


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

The rationale behind setting the posts less than 8 feet is so that you can make your adjustments in the fence sections- cut off a littl length of each fence section. Setting the posts first is the preferred way to go but I did mine differently. I set one post then a section of fence the other post and sort of went along like that and levelled the posts and sections and eyeballed the fence line as I went. It went up straight. I dug my post holes manually with a post hole digger and a pry bar for the rocks. The power auger is good if you are able to rent it and get it all done within that rental period. My way of digging allowed me to put up a section at a time, usually 3-4 per day before heading off to work.


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## kyomagi (Jan 24, 2012)

Jim F said:


> The rationale behind setting the posts less than 8 feet is so that you can make your adjustments in the fence sections- cut off a littl length of each fence section. Setting the posts first is the preferred way to go but I did mine differently. I set one post then a section of fence the other post and sort of went along like that and levelled the posts and sections and eyeballed the fence line as I went. It went up straight. I dug my post holes manually with a post hole digger and a pry bar for the rocks. The power auger is good if you are able to rent it and get it all done within that rental period. My way of digging allowed me to put up a section at a time, usually 3-4 per day before heading off to work.


Understood, I think using the oz-posts for me would be easier than getting the auger blade, 18-20 bags of quick dry cement ect.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

The other poster is incorrect when saying the reason for setting the post at less the 8'.
You do not cut each panel as there installed! You start the first one flush with the end and just hang all the rest without cutting anything, the panels are hung on the battens so there's no need for the panels to be sitting exactly where the post are.
Once you get to the end that one can be cut or the last post can be placed the distance needed to have it come out even.


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## kyomagi (Jan 24, 2012)

anyone use the oz posts? I like the idea of not having to dig the holes and keep the posts straight while the cement drys.

By the way, what is the best way to keep the posts plum during the drying phase?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I never have supported the post while drying, if compacted correctly as it's being pored there's no need to. There's nothing that's going to cause the post to move unless someone leans on them or wiggles them to see if there dry yet.
Set them come back two days later and hang the fence.
If those drive in post holders are so great every pro fence company would be using them to save money and time. Not the way to go for a fence.


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## kyomagi (Jan 24, 2012)

joecaption said:


> I never have supported the post while drying, if compacted correctly as it's being pored there's no need to. There's nothing that's going to cause the post to move unless someone leans on them or wiggles them to see if there dry yet.
> Set them come back two days later and hang the fence.
> If those drive in post holders are so great every pro fence company would be using them to save money and time. Not the way to go for a fence.


Thank you

Someone told me its easier to pour the mix in, and then pour the water in afterwards. Not sure if i exactly want to do that. Would it be better to mix it in a wheel barrel and then pour?


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## cibula11 (Jan 6, 2007)

kyomagi said:


> Thank you
> 
> Someone told me its easier to pour the mix in, and then pour the water in afterwards. Not sure if i exactly want to do that. Would it be better to mix it in a wheel barrel and then pour?



I might be more likely to support the post with a wet mix (mixed first in wheel barrel) than dry mix (pouring the dry concrete mix and then adding water or allowing moisture from the ground to solidify mix)

On a fence, I would probably dig the hole, add a few inches of gravel for drainage, set and level/plumb the post and add the dry mix in followed by a bit of water....be sure to work the air pockets out with a stick or spare piece of lumber.


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

joecaption said:


> The other poster is incorrect when saying the reason for setting the post at less the 8'.
> You do not cut each panel as there installed! You start the first one flush with the end and just hang all the rest without cutting anything, the panels are hung on the battens so there's no need for the panels to be sitting exactly where the post are.
> Once you get to the end that one can be cut or the last post can be placed the distance needed to have it come out even.


I have not hung the panels with batter boards. I looked for pictures of this method and could not find any. How long are the batter boards? Do the go the entire length between the posts and then you hang the top rail of the panel on them? The rails of the pre assembled fence panels are not 1.5 inches thick they are typically somewhere between 3/4 to 1 inch thick so wouldn't you also have to shim the bottom two rails if you used 2x4 batter boards?


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

Well that's just a shame. A guy comes on and tells me what I'm wrong about but then doesn't explain what he's right about. How does one use baatte boards in this situation and how long are they? Full length?


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