Closeboard fencing

[AndyBill]

hi,
just a few questions on closeboard fencing


1 what distance between posts ?

2 which side of fence does gravel board go on?

3 do you fix gravel board first?

4 do you put capping along the top of fence or not?

5 is it possible for 1 person to do the job?

cheers

 

[Thermo]

hi,
just a few questions on closeboard fencing


1 what distance between posts ? depends if you are using ended arris rails and morticed posts or galvanised brackets (yuck!) Normally 3 or 3.6 m

2 which side of fence does gravel board go on? the side the closeboarding going on so it sits on the top of it

3 do you fix gravel board first? yes

4 do you put capping along the top of fence or not? entirely up to you

5 is it possible for 1 person to do the job? yes

cheers

 

[rlc]

Andy, some info for the fence I have just put up that may provide some help to you - I hadn't done this before so I was a novice....the fence is approx 36metres and has a sloping section. Some links at the bottom.

Basic Materials bought from local timber merchants:

20 of 100mm*100mm sawn tanalised posts (£6.30 ea)
10 of 25mm * 150mm sawn tanalised, 3.6m (£2.88 ea)
40 of 38mm * 88mm sawn tanalised, 3.6m (£2.70 ea)
360 of Feather Edge tanalised, 1.65m *125mm (£0.58 ea)
10 of 38mm * 50mm cappring rebated, 3.6m (£3.96ea)
20 of plastic caps (~£5)

2 ton aggregate mix (£74)
cement ~15 bags (£3.88 ea)

Took me about 8 days split over weekends and working with the weather.

Digging holes was the hardest part physically, recommend one of these:
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;j...ICSTHZOSFFA?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=62496

My bays were 1.8m which is probably small but I think it wont blow down! Took the decision to do them half the size of the gravek boards. Screwed the rails to the posts but that was because the cement had not gone off totally. Screwed the gravel boards, nailed everything else.

Top tip: get a good string line and keep it taut & buy a post level.
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;j...ICSTHZOSFFA?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=14623

Generally not many tools needed but useful if you have a sliding bevel and good chop saw.

Big thanks to Thermo as he helped me with all my questions along the way.

Recommend it totally...good luck.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/26012007.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/27012007.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/11022007002.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/27012007001.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/11022007005.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/11022007003.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/24022007002.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/24022007.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/25022007.jpg

p.s go with the rebated capping as it looks smart!
p.p.s use a 25mm batten to get feather edge overlap and level every 10 or so....I levelled every one which now seems OTT

 

[Thermo]

go with morticed posts and ended arris rails. they are a lot stronger and will outlast any metal fixings

 

[AndyBill]

Thanks Thermo & rlc ,
thats great , that looks a real good job rlc ,

hope mine looks as good,


ps i bought one of those post levels at screwfix yesterday and thought the elastic band was part of the packaging so threw it away

after seeing your pics i realise what its for now

 

[W_Axl_Rose]

Andy, some info for the fence I have just put up that may provide some help to you - I hadn't done this before so I was a novice....the fence is approx 36metres and has a sloping section. Some links at the bottom.

Basic Materials bought from local timber merchants:

20 of 100mm*100mm sawn tanalised posts (£6.30 ea)
10 of 25mm * 150mm sawn tanalised, 3.6m (£2.88 ea)
40 of 38mm * 88mm sawn tanalised, 3.6m (£2.70 ea)
360 of Feather Edge tanalised, 1.65m *125mm (£0.58 ea)
10 of 38mm * 50mm cappring rebated, 3.6m (£3.96ea)
20 of plastic caps (~£5)

2 ton aggregate mix (£74)
cement ~15 bags (£3.88 ea)

Took me about 8 days split over weekends and working with the weather.

Digging holes was the hardest part physically, recommend one of these:
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;j...ICSTHZOSFFA?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=62496

My bays were 1.8m which is probably small but I think it wont blow down! Took the decision to do them half the size of the gravek boards. Screwed the rails to the posts but that was because the cement had not gone off totally. Screwed the gravel boards, nailed everything else.

Top tip: get a good string line and keep it taut & buy a post level.
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;j...ICSTHZOSFFA?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=14623

Generally not many tools needed but useful if you have a sliding bevel and good chop saw.

Big thanks to Thermo as he helped me with all my questions along the way.

Recommend it totally...good luck.


http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/26012007.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/27012007.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/11022007002.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/27012007001.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/11022007005.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/11022007003.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/24022007002.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/24022007.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o316/rlc_2007/fence/25022007.jpg

p.s go with the rebated capping as it looks smart!
p.p.s use a 25mm batten to get feather edge overlap and level every 10 or so....I levelled every one which now seems OTT

lol novice. for someone who calls themself a novice that's a solid job you've done there. nice one

 

[Odd Job]

as you get to the bottom of the hole, if you have kept it relatively narrow its a pain to get the remaining earth out. My soup ladel was perfect it bent to any angel and sat in the palm of my hand, just like a mini digger.

its now banished from the kitchen and unblocks drains

 

[rlc]

....the fence has been been up about 4weeks now and the biggest thing I have noticed is shrinkage - as the boards have have dried out it they have started to shrink and in some places distort - not massively but as you look down the good side you can see small gaps between some of boards. I don't think it a problem but just something I noticed.

Is this just push-pull affects of the of the seasons so in the winter it will all close up again when it gets wet ?? Should I have treated it with something to prevent this happening??

Also, I learnt that if there is a knot on the edge of the board (thin edge of the taper) - probably best not to fit it as these distort the most...