'Fence-ographics' and installation pedants.

[Northbeach]

Sorry, not being up on the street terms but does 'hardcore' refer to bits of rubble/stones/pebbles etc?

I always try to miss the existing posts. Taking the existing bases out is pretty pointless, when they can be cut off just below ground level.

I'll second that, a bit of OCD will want you to extract them but just breathe deeply and all will be ok...that's what I did...I know the bases still exist under the ground but I'm fine with that now
I dug in the existing post a little and hammered away at the base approx 6" below ground level till the posts gave in.

But on this point - what happens if one of the new holes happens to fall upon the old bases (mine are different lengths apart).
Can I either:

1: get hold of half size panel (3 foot high ones) or
2: cut one in half...and if I do this can I finish the end of somehow?

I'd also like to know whether or not you can purchase concrete stems (for the 5 foot panels) with 3 slots...reason being, I'm going to create a section off bit of land (90 degree to the fence) on which I'm to place my ever expanding colletion of refuse bins (paper/glass/greens/waste...)
I'll be paving this bit by the way (off topic now....).

Ta.
NB.

 

[JohnD]

Will I have real trouble oiking them out of the ground?

Yes.


I'm not very burly, but even after I'd loosened the lumps, I couldn't actually lift them out of the hole until I'd broken them into four.

I hate builders. A wide shallow crater with a barrowful of readimix dumped into it

 

[Thermo]

if i do have to break them out then its a matter of diiging around them and using a kango to break them up. As john says they can be very very heavy to move. the problem is whether you leaver it out, dig it out or winch it out, you have an area of uncompacted earth where you need to get a secure fixing again

 

[megawatt]

I agree with Thermo about leaving existing bases wherever possible.
I came back from holiday last week and my neighbour had replaced his front 3 rail fence. When I looked I noticed that he had dug up 13 ... Yes 13 ... existing posts and set the new ones in the same locations. Doing a quick survey I worked out that he could have achieved the same end result and only needed to dig up 3.
When I bumped into him I didn't mention this, of course, complimented him on a job well done and didn't comment on the fact that he was walking with a stick
Many DIY'ers when replacing fences go down this route ... And probably age 10 years in the doing ... Remember Megawatts 3rd rule "Think thrice ... Plan twice ... Dig once"

 

[JohnD]

well, I hope he didn't make the mistake of planting wooden posts in concrete so they can go rotten.

 

[Deluks]

Well, after a session with a hammer and chisel today, I've decided to level them off and use metpost bolt-downs!

 

[megawatt]

Hammer and Chisel

Life really is too short, if you must break them up ... Hire a breaker

 

[Northbeach]

Yeah - 2/3hours per concrete base - really not worth it...level off from now on!

Can I just ask this ocne again (I'm nearly due to purchase the fence posts and fencing):

But on this point - what happens if one of the new holes happens to fall upon the old bases (mine are different lengths apart).
Can I either:

1: get hold of half size panel (3 foot high ones) or
2: cut one in half...and if I do this can I finish the end of somehow?

Cheers.

 

[megawatt]

I would work out the layout so that all (or as many posts as possible) miss existing bases by having the only non-whole panels at the ends of the run. Occasionally one (or maybe two on a long run) of the existing bases would need to be broken up and used for a new post ... More often than not though you can get away with non at all.
How you cut and end panels depends on the style and construction of the panel ... It doesn't generally look good to have incomplete panels in the middle of a run though and you really need to try and keep them at the ends.

 

[Deluks]

Hammer and Chisel

Life really is too short, if you must break them up ... Hire a breaker

No, I've only got a few damaged ones to replace, They are set in the edge of a concrete base. I thought at first they were right on the edge, but they sit about 4 inches in from the edge of the slab, which is quite hefty as we have a double garage sitting on the other half of it. Obviously digging those out will take years. So I've just chiselled them off level and will get the grinder out to cut off the metal that's sticking out.

Does anyone know which is the correct size (thickness/length) rawlbolt for attaching bolt-down metposts?

 

[JohnD]

You can get a metal post socket intended for casting in, with a piece of twisted rebar welded to the base. If you have a big slab of concrete you might get a stronger fix with one of them. You would have to drill a ?20mm? hole and mortar it in, or a bigger hole and perhaps fill round the spike with fine concrete.

 

[megawatt]

These are great for deck post supports where there is little lateral movement but I don't like them for fences.
I'd stick with the bolt-down ones into the existing solid slab.

 

[Northbeach]

How you cut and end panels depends on the style and construction of the panel ... It doesn't generally look good to have incomplete panels in the middle of a run though and you really need to try and keep them at the ends.

Keep the cut ones at the end yes?
I'm hoping I won't have to break up another blinkin base though
I'm sure they're actually WW11 bunkers and not post bases.

The fences are the standard square/oblong with roughly hawn (is that a word?) overlapping panels. On each side there are pieces of wood to round them off - obviously one of these will have to be lopped off if I need to cut one to size...question is, should I be adding these bits of wood back on the resized fence?

Thinking about it, it makes sense - though having never done this before I'd like to double check.

 

[Deluks]

How you cut and end panels depends on the style and construction of the panel ... It doesn't generally look good to have incomplete panels in the middle of a run though and you really need to try and keep them at the ends.

Keep the cut ones at the end yes?
I'm hoping I won't have to break up another blinkin base though
I'm sure they're actually WW11 bunkers and not post bases.

The fences are the standard square/oblong with roughly hawn (is that a word?) overlapping panels. On each side there are pieces of wood to round them off - obviously one of these will have to be lopped off if I need to cut one to size...question is, should I be adding these bits of wood back on the resized fence?

Thinking about it, it makes sense - though having never done this before I'd like to double check.

I've gotta do the same, the plan is to remove the end lengths, reposition them where they need to be and saw off the surplus, probably with a jiggy. I'm worried the skilsaw will tear the fence to bits.

If you've got the panels with the vertical centre support bars, then you could probably get away with cutting first. Otherwise definitely fix a support on before cutting.

I can see that 'impulse purchase' electric nailer I bought last month will finally get some use, I knew it would come in handy

 

[Northbeach]

They won't have vertical panels apart from on each end.
So I'll remove the vertical supports, renail them then cut? Yes, I have a jigsaw too - I'll be using that then!
See your concern about shredding the panel up though....