Erecting fence but fighting with hedge...............

[oilman]

You should be able to find a sawmill who will cut larch boards for you, up your way, at a reasonable price.

 

[Alison556]

Having a larch board up my way sounds uncomfortable!!!

Am I gonna sound ignorant asking why a larch board and what is it?

 

[oilman]

Larch is a very durable timber, so will last longer than most. There are loads of guys with small mills around Aberdeen way, but there may be some nearer.

Being durable, you could have one at ground level without it decaying too fast.

You don't have to build a house with it.

 

[Alison556]

That's overkill on the wood cladding I think. It's like a house that was on Grand Designs (is it THE house?). It'd be like living in a shed.

 

[oilman]

It'd be like living in a shed.

Um....not if it was only 3ft high.

 

[Alison556]

I was talking about the house in the link you put!!!!!

 

[oilman]

What's a "put". I didn't think I was one, whatever it is.

 

[Alison556]

After I posted that, I realised that it could be read differently - was just waiting to see if you read it that way too!!!!

 

[toptec]

Alison. The spacing of your post holes will be determined by the type of fencing you do.

For standard lap panels then it is 6 foot. If you are going the way of close boarding then the length of the rails will give you your distance. My close board fence had 3.6m rails, so one post at each end and one in the middle at 1.8m. That middle one is flexible as like you I hit tree roots and I moved mine a couple of feet either way.

I would definately stay away from met posts and concrete posts for that matter.

 

[oilman]

After I posted that, I realised that it could be read differently - was just waiting to see if you read it that way too!!!!

Well I suppose I'm not a "put" then, that should be a relief. In that case, why do I sense disappointment?

 

[Alison556]

Alison. The spacing of your post holes will be determined by the type of fencing you do.

For standard lap panels then it is 6 foot. If you are going the way of close boarding then the length of the rails will give you your distance. My close board fence had 3.6m rails, so one post at each end and one in the middle at 1.8m. That middle one is flexible as like you I hit tree roots and I moved mine a couple of feet either way.

I would definately stay away from met posts and concrete posts for that matter.

Thanks toptec. Looks like I'm going to be digging and cutting at roots then! The idea of the metposts was tempting but thinking about it, I'm likely to have to try and wallop them through the hedge roots as well which would probably be just as hard as digging. Guess I'll just have to do a bit at a time, blisters permitting.

Any particular treatment I should give to the fence posts for the bit that's underground?

And oilman, I'm sorry that you have a sense of disappointment - if you wanna be a put, then you be one, I'll not disappoint you!!

 

[toptec]

I have "talked " to you more than I have the wife today!

All posts come pre-treated nowadays but it never does any harm to top it up. I soaked the part of the posts that are in the ground in a cuprinol fence preserver that I had lying around. Dont forget that if you have to cut the post to fit at the top then definately preserve the cut ends.

 

[oilman]

There again, larch posts would fit the bill, and they don't need treating, which is just as well as it's difficult to get anything to soak in. ("Soak" was carefully chosen to avoid ambiguity. Not sure how bill's going to see it though) .

 

[ColJack]

try painting the base of the posts with roofing paint / bitumen stuff..
should prevent water from getting to it..

 

[oilman]

The problem then can be that water can't get out.