More info: This fence is about 200 linear feet and after digging the holes with help, the project took me about 2 weeks completely working alone (sorry for leaving that info out of the video!) I helped Pete do about the same distance on his fence and together, we knocked out all of the framing and started pickets in one day... so having a helper goes much faster! Stay tuned for many more projects and check out more of my Outdoor Projects here! bit.ly/3ttNBqI
That has been my experience with damn near every trade service quote I've ever gotten! Flooring, painting, drywall, framing, HVAC. Ended up doing everything myself after getting quotes on all of it. I also did drywall finishing work myself but I'd defiinitely hire that out if I had to do it again. It sucks to do and the end product (in my case) highlighted a very clear learning curve.
@@AndyDeBrunner we might as well have with a greenhouse roofing job some cowboys ripped off an elderly lady for ... Hope their consciences (if they have any) are troubled by what they've done.
The problem when people cement posts in the ground, they usually only put the minimum amount in the ground, then fill the hole with dirt. Dirt retains water and will eventually rot the post. Simple solution to avoid the tar paper you demo'd here in this video is to just fill up the hole with cement making sure the cement is above ground. Then crown the cement at the top so it will repeal water. I did this to my fence 24 years ago and it's still holding strong.
I replaced 4x4 redwood posts without knowing this and rotting occurred later. Great tip. Good info on comments. Perhaps, pressure treated? Perhaps restoration technique of epoxy/acetone soaking an drying cycles and then coating with hot tar. Very lengthy alternatives but certainly preferable to redwood rotting and replacement.
A few posts( regular pressure treated wood fence posts ) I used cement , the rest of them , no cement . Instead I used round gravel and tamped the gravel in hard , all around the posts . Many years later ALL of the cemented posts rotted out , NONE of the tamped in gravel posts rotted but were all in very good shape . We lived in a very wet part of the Cascade Mountains back then.
when using a vehicle to pull things out of the ground like this, toss the spare tire under the chain as close to the thing you are pulling out, that way, the force is transferred from pulling sideways, to pulling up. you will disturb less of the ground, and the actual pulling will be even more effortless.
Yes! I did something similar when removing concrete & steel fence posts years ago. The ground around the posts was soft from rain, so I temporarily anchored a piece of wood post at the base of the steel post to be removed as a pivot point. It worked very well.
the post saver is a great idea, however you can also use roof cement as a much cheaper option (usually around $10 for a gallon at home depot). It rolls on and is water proof.
@@johnboylong40this is one of those tribal knowledge methods that people want no part in lol. I usually do your method mentioned or asphalt paint for buried posts. It'll last forever
Absolutely...we put brick columns around old 10x10 posts 40 years ago . When someone bscked truck into one of the colms the 10x10 was still in perfect condition underground after over 50 years because they put tar on posts first .
We did this but re-used the posts that were OK and put in solar panels for the fence. It does generate power, about 1/3 of what it could produce if oriented correctly. Great way to start for a 'no space' solar.
It’s brilliant you did this. I’m in tbe UK and can barely afford for a tradesperson to come in and to tbe majority of jobs that need doing. They’re pricing their work out of so many markets so all we can do is DIY. Thankfully, UA-cam has made that so much easier to learn these skills with videos like yours!
That's because contractors are incentivized to minimize cost and labor and maximize profit. They literally will not put in the effort if they can help it. Then, they'll just shrug their shoulders and demand the thousands of dollars you now owe them.
Being a fence contractor for 46 years there is unnecessary 'overkill' with your installation, particularly with the posts. Because of post rotting at ground level the wraps are a good idea but are cost prohibited being double the cost of the post. I suggest leaving 6 to 8 inches when filling the concrete then use fill dirt to ground level. This will allow water to drain and not set on ground level concrete where posts usually rot {as you pointed out in the video}. I've never had to use 2x4 stabilizers to support posts, the concrete and dirt fill holding the posts in place until the concrete sets up. As for using string to line the holes and posts I always set the corners first and string the bottom to get my line for the holes and rest of the posts. To level posts I move the string to the top and set my level also to cut the posts. Where the ground level changes mark the set posts and place a temporary nail and attach the string. This will allow the fence to follow the ground. On a 6ft privacy fence 6 inches is the distance from the top of the 2x4 and top of the picket and the same for the bottom or else the pickets can lip and bow out. Center the middle 2x4. One thing you did right was to use brackets to support the 2x4 stringers {2x6s are overkill}. You should never toe nail stringers to a posts, they will eventually pull away from the posts. Also you do not really need stringers when building a horizontal fence. For horizontal fencing 6 ft centers are correct since 8ft centers will cause the boards to bow/warp. When building a regular privacy fence 8ft centers are the norm but always nail to the posts. The nail gun with shank nails is correct because galvanized nails tend to pull out over time. Note: Most fences are made from treated pine and 3 stringers are absolutely necessary, unless you are using western red cedar materials {but use treated pine posts}. Cedar requires only two 2x4s but make sure you use cedar 2x4s. The advantage of cedar is it doesn't bow/warp like pine and it is the stringers that bow the most. The disadvantage of cedar is the cost especially the 2x4s. Cedar posts will rot just as bad if not worse than treated wood. I learned this when I started my business in the late 70s when cedar was comparable in price to treated pine. For the gate. The frame and stabilizer are a good idea and worth the effort but again costly. Cross members will work although sag is possible. The thing you did wrong and will likely be the first problem is the 4x4 gate support post. ALWAYS use a 6x6 support post and 3 hinges. Gates are heavy and 4x4s are not strong enough. Many professional fence contractors make this mistake usually to save money. BAD idea {and some don't use concrete with the posts which allow the fence to lean especially in areas like Florida where strong winds are common. The other thing you did right was using a sealer with the stain. Sealing a fence can provide extra ;ife to the wood whereas stain alone will not. In Florida the life expectancy is of a wood fence is 10 years but I have seen fencing without a sealer last a lot less especially where there is heavy vegetation or a sprinkler system. Many new subdivisions will not allow wood fencing opting instead for PVC or aluminium, both having a 20 year or longer life span. White PVC fencing prices have dropped making the cost equal to or less than a wood fence with a sealant. Hope I wasn't be overly critical but wanted to put my experience to use. For anyone thinking about hiring a contractor to install a fence do your homework and use reviews and google search. My business is a family operation and companies our size {as opposed to larger companies that do a lot of commercial fencing including Home Depot and Lowes} will construct a better fence and at a lower price. The one thing that insures a successful business is integrity and being honest. Larger companies often worry about bottom line and cutting corners is a norm. Always get at least three estimates. Due diligence will save you money and heartache.
Black Jack Rubr-Coat #57 is an inexpensive waterproofing membrane you can paint on the bottom of the posts. I first learned about a little while back when I was building a chicken coop. Painted the entire bottom of the coop in that and it made it fully water proof and had held up to not just the moisture, but the ammonia present in the chickens waste. The reason the few inches of post at ground level had rot is due to the soil microbes. They live in the top 3" inches of soil and will do what they do so well.. break down wood. When putting posts in the ground, your best bet for longevity is to offer a protective coating (either the sleeve mentioned in this video or a 6" band of painted in Black Jack #57) spanning about an 1-2" above the soil line going down about 4-5" underground. That will create a great waterproof barrier that will prevent the soil bacteria and fungi from degrading your posts. Beautiful fence, btw Hats off to your friend for helping you with the project. Friends like that are worth their weight in gold!
My neighbor put in a new fence and did it himself in an interesting (i thought) way. He dug the post holes and put in some kind of cardboard tube and filled the tube with concrete. The concrete extended above ground level. He then set a metal bracket on the concrete and attached it with masonry screws. He attached the post to the bracket on top of the concrete. I asked about it and he said he did it that way so that when the fence breaks down he can easily replace individual components or simply replace one section at a time as the fence needs repair. I thought this was brilliant.
I do like that! I actually thought about that method but for a fence this size, I don't think the posts are quite as strong. Placing them in the ground 2-3 feet gives them much more strength. But for a smaller fence, I think the method you described is great!
That method will work in some instances but for a six foot tall privacy fence outdoors is not a good option. I would be worried every time a storm came up that the fence would be blown down.
It’s called sono tube and his fence is gonna fall apart if someone farts to close to it. Post should be 4 foot in ground and bell the bottom out. Wood usually don’t use cement people do but it’ll rot the post. However I would use concrete on the gate hinge post only.
@@zstang01 As long as he used the correct fasteners on the connections between the steel plates and the concrete that fence should be there a LONG time! That is a HUMAN fence not a stock fence for Elephants!
Your gate brace will work with gravity if you put the top of the brace away from the hinges and the bottom of the brace on the hinge post (opposite of what you showed in your video). The load of the gate ('heaviest' because it is farthest from the post and the ground) is at the top far corner and you want to direct the load down to the post. You did such an admirable job with that project.
You built a really nice fence. Good job. I can't 100% be certain but I think the old fence was salvageable. You could disassemble where needed and reinforce with screws or brackets. Then you could soda blast the entire fence and it would look like brand new wood. Then stain it with the stain that you used. I think this would have worked great. I highly recommend you seal your fence with a product like PWS-8. Professional Water Sealant. This will form a near perfect water barrier and keep it looking brand new for many years.
@@mattbrown9631 Baking soda. Calcium carbonate. There are several different types of abrasive blasting medium. Glass, walnut, soda, metal shot. Soda is the softest medium to blast with. You don't want to use an something too abrasive on this wood. Either soda or walnut or fine glass. They use metal BBs to clean off and refurbish tanks. That would blast right through this wood.
My thought exactly. The fence looked bad because no one had made efforts to make repairs as the fence aged. But the uprights looked good and the panels didn't look bad either. For some on a budget, they would love to have had that load donated to them for reassembly. I have exactly the fence she had. I have a maintenance man who periodically replaces panel boards or cross members as needed, as we have a termite problem in this neighborhood. The cost of a new fence will bring tears to your eyes, starting around $10,000, depending on what materials you use. As you mentioned, pressure washing leaves fences looking brand new. I had my handyman do that on the fence at a rental I own, and I was absolutely floored at what looked like a fence that had just been built. I couldn't believe it. I'm all for saving money and salvaging what already works.
Caution/advice: This method of fence brackets is not only more expensive than a nail, but as the ground shifts slightly, they can and often do pull apart. I've seen it happen many times! Better to simply nail your cross 2x4 boards directly to the vertical posts. As for posts, protect them by soaking them in old motor oil before setting, or use some tar which is much cheaper than these post sleeve. And pour the concrete so it is above the ground line, to avoid water pooling on the post. Will add years of life.
Apparently you missed the part where she did just that, when she showed how she put a crown on the concrete for each post. Also nails will slip or pull out over time. A lot of areas, the codes require the brackets. Just saying
I don't know why we build fences the way we do in America. Having watched so many UK gardening shows. I think they have a much smarter way of doing it. They use concrete posts that the horizontal fence panels just slide down between. All the panels can be made as an assembly and then the whole thing just slots in. Never have to worry about post rot and individual panels can be replaced when needed. It also seems less expensive. The panels and posts, with rock face concrete base panels and 40 bags of post mix for 150ft of fence (3 sides of 50 feet) can all be purchased for under $1800 USD with the VAT included. Don't get me wrong, this is a beautiful fence. I just think its weird that we haven't adopted the UK way. We spend so much money on fencing, you'd think we'd want it to last for a long time.
I saw a builder on one of these HGTV shows make a guide rail on each post, then took the horizontal planks and just slid them down, kinda eliminating the need for a lot of nails and screws. But this is very nice. Love it.
Awesome of you to include a cost breakdown. I'd like to see a rough estimate how many hours of work you put in in, though. Anyways, I love the look of the fence and the work is properly executed. It will surely bring happiness for a loooooong time 😃
i am even more cynical on this. you really need to toe the line in any project with... how much time do I have, how accurate / skilled am I for this job, cost of ( rental )equipment.
I doubt her costs are accurate. The Stainless steel nails she claimed to use would have been $1k easy by themselves. Did she include the sales tax that us people without a UA-cam business would have to pay? I also assume the quotes from the fence company didn't include all the details she put in (such as stainless steel nails and staining).
@@mastershepherd3777 I made sure my costs were very accurate. The nails I used are linked in the materials list in the description so you can click and see for yourself that the cost was wayyyy under $1k. I payed just as much sales tax as any other normal person (not aware of any UA-cam business tax free situation).
Thanks! After the post holes, I worked solo and it took me about 2 weeks total. However, I just helped Pete on his same exact fence (about the same distance) and we knocked out all of the frame and got 3 bays of pickets done in one day. Having a helper helps a ton in time savings!
I live in Huntington Beach ca, my fence line is half your size and I was quoted $21,000 but it would be done in 2 days. Back when I was younger we build a fence in my grandparents property in the early 90’s we DIY it and it cost $400 for the materials. But anywho love your build and it looks amazing.
as a painter i would recommend using a smaller tip for spraying stain. most exterior stains are very thin. a tip size like 413 will lay down a lot of product causing runs. a 311 is my go to
I wish you were my neighbor. I would pay you to do this for my yard. This is beautiful and I love the way the fence is left to right instead of up and down. Great job!!!
I love it!!! Great to know that women can do this!! Excellent job… i have been working on a gate for myself ….& i wanted something different….you gave me ideas!! For some reason, i have always been great at wood!! I never was exposed to this.. but after paying a handy man to repair my deck, i did it much better! I am also going to rebuild my pergola!! Thanks for your inspiration!!! I also work in a male dominated industry as an aircraft mechanic …..but i consider myself pretty handy!!! Thank you!!!
I did mine using concrete posts of the correct length. Concrete doesnt rot. Dug a hole using a trenching shovel. Used postcrete. Sets fast enough there is no need to brace anything. Positioned holes offset from old holes so no need to dig out the old concrete base. Pretty simple. Been up ten years. Seems fine.
I brought my SO in to watch just because of the augers, but he was so impressed with you and your work he stayed awake for the entire video, we both are; GREAT JOB, LOOKS FANTASTIC!!
Hey guys, hope your having a great day. I just wanted to say I build fence and I saw the fence video and seen the post removal with the truck. Sometimes you can’t use a truck because you don’t have room or whatever. I use a “ un live yourself “ ( sorry, UA-cam tends to get upset when you use certain words or terms ) jack to remove posts. Works great! Keep up the good work!
I want to tell you.ive been a fence contractor for 49 years and I am very impressed with the fence you built I give it a ten plus you did everything to perfection you should be very proud of your self I'd be honored to have built fences with you because your like me a perfectionist
Thanks for posting such an informative and comprehensive video. Your fence looks GREAT and is the envy of the neighborhood! The "hater" commenters simply don't get it. This project was less about saving money versus creating a fence you love! Plus, you know it's built right, because YOU DID IT! Good on ya!!!
In 1999 I built a deck surrounding an above ground pool and put the pressure treated posts into the ground and tamped the dirt around them. I took the deck down last summer and every one of those posts are still in terrific shape without any rot whatsoever. I kept most of them to reuse for another fence I need to build.
You can save $ from the dump run by just putting your old fence boards on craigslist, especially if they're unpainted / untreated, a lot of gardeners would love to use them to build planter boxes or beds. You can char the wood with a propane torch for a more natural / safe for the environment waterproofing, it also works for the fence posts.
The board on board is a really nice solution for privacy and yet allowing for expansion. I watched a couple build a fence almost as long in Puerto Rico from vertical 8x1 boards all tightly butted together and screwed from the back to avoid and hardware showing. And the bottoms of each picket were on the ground so every time it rains they will be sucking up the grind water. It's a look - for now - but I'll put good money on yours lasting a couple of decades longer then theirs. I feel bad they didn't see this video first because honestly yours looks fantastic and it's built to last.
Tx, much appreciated, very helpful & well done(fence & how to video.) As fyi, while the tar sleeves are very slick, I dipped my posts in a bucket of tar before concreting in… over 30 years ago & they’re still standing firm.
concrete and wood should never touch, ever. In homebuilding, sills should have a gasket under them and they are inside. Pour your concrete, put a saddle on it, let it set. Cement is a really neat chemical reaction that doesn't properly take place with the dry mix method. Spend the extra 10 minutes and mix it properly. you did a beautiful job
Thank you so much for the fantastic how-to! I particularly appreciate your sharing these costs with us. I know there is a kind of vulnerability that comes with such open transparency. May I ask a favor though? Would you mind explaining some of the construction terminology you use the next time you do a video? There were times that I struggled to understand what you narrated, because I didn't recognize your vocabulary choices. I also loved that you explained things like your spray gun (the advantage of this model as compared to others), the auger, the ability to use a heat gun versus a blowtorch on those post wraps, and the pros and cons of different components to this project, such as the type of cement you've used, the brackets on the gate, etc. So helpful! I had never heard of post wraps, and I'm excited to know these exist. Showing where the wood rot was on your old post was enormously helpful to me, since I'm not taking down an old fence in order to put up my new fence. Thanks!
You can remove the posts using one of those heavy duty car jack! Nail a piece of wood block (same dimension as the post) along the post. Place a flat high enough that the car jack can be on. Jack up the car jack right under the piece of wood block that you nail! And you'll see results!
$19,000 for a fence. Or for this exact fence? The board on board is what makes it the most expensive. And the removal of fence is around $500. Definitely saved yourself a lot of money! Way to go!
I get paid $5,000 for this fence, all the price is in materials and labor. I would take home maybe $100 a day. So if it took me a week, I would only make $700. This type of fence lasts the same amount as any other wooden fence so she really spent too much still
When I install my fence I plan to paint my fence posts with rubber roof coating. I bought some for a different project and I have a ton of it left. Wanted to paint my fence post black anyway so this will just help prevent rot.
thats why u go above ground line with like a bucket with bottom cut out and pour concrete in so it has border works for 30 plus years in my backyard zone 8
I thought this was going to be a video showing me how to refresh my fence-make it look newer. A little disappointed but kept watching...and you made it so clear and full of great tips that ai know the bid I was given for a new fence should be against the law! Thanks so much for a great tutorial and it should make fence companies ashamed of what they are charging! They could have more customers if they would charge a realistic price. Thank you! Thank you!
A method to remove posts, if you don't have room for a truck, is to use a jack. For the healthy posts you had, wrap a chain around the post and use a bottle jack to lift them out. For "properly" cemented posts (more cement) wrap the chain around the concrete and lift with a "farm jack". Pulling fence posts to the side will usually snap them off and leave that concrete plug in the ground. I like the post saver.
You should cut the top of the posts at a slight angle instead of straight across so water sheds off the top rail. If the top rail cups as it ages, it will hold water and encourage rot. Angling helps prevent this.
WOW!!!! we bought 5 acres [in sand and sage brush] in northern Nevada, in 1997. I closed my Cancer Thrift Shop [for cancer patients]. So I spent the next year, planting 20 foot bareroot trees, we had to drag about 30 minutes away, and wrapped the root ends in wet blankets. I built a 20 foot long fence [6 foot tall as required] from the house to the shed. We rented a 2 man auger, [NEVER AGAIN I ended up on my back, more than 1 time. We will rent the one you used. We filled the post holes with 2 bags of concrete EACH as the winds are very high, every afternoon. I put in 2 horizontal stringers with the metal brackets, then screwed the boards vertically. We LOVE your fence and we will build your way next time. [We sold the 5 acres and house, 6 years later and doubled our money. We are sooo happy to live in RENO now where the winds are less and we have NO fence to build or trees to plant. THAN YOU !!! GREAT instructions.
Simpler to just buy treated 4x4’s rather than wrapping each post & heating the wrap. You could also just buy a bucket of tar and paint it on the lower end of each (untreated) post-or at ground level. We use the rocks at the bottom of the hole, too. Great job.
I dig my post holes by hand, then place one brick, tamped down, at the bottom for the post to set on to get the correct height, then fill about six inches with gravel, then fill with cement to about four inches above ground and then i carefully slope the cement at the top all around so water simply runs away from the post. My fences last decades this way. I also hit them every year or every other year with an oil stain so it soaks in paying careful attention to the top/end grain of the post. I have had my fences last 25 years with this method. It’s a bit of work, but then the exercise is good for me as well. I also go 6” higher than i am allowed to, but the top 6” is above the top rail in case it doesn’t pass inspection so i can cut it to proper height if necessary, but I have yet to have an inspector call me on it.
It is a great job and quite the savings at 1/3 of the estimate. I sincerely envy the final product. The biggest factor is often time/labor. When I have done things like this in the past, it is gratifying in a way, but I simply don't have the time for projects like that. My fence is terrible (if we didn't have dogs, I'd simply opt to remove it) and there's actually a contractor who does odd jobs for us that's been slowly replacing all of the posts as we speak, getting through a handful each day he comes (there's no access to bring a large vehicle or equipment, so it's all by hand so again, not something I have the time for).
Where a handy truck and chain isnt available, I removed posts by digging a little, then flooding the hole with water from garden hose. Its a bit more work, and harsh on the back, but you can remove a post in 5 - 10 mins
what a gorgeous fence! Your given details in how you achieved this was enough for anyone wanting to try this without having to seek around for more information. Thank you it's people like you that give true value that I can say this....I appreciate you I know this took your time. And as the ole saying goes "Time is money"...... Thanks again! ✌️
It may be difficult with the brackets of the anti-sag kit in place but a simple anti-sag solution instead if using that tension anti-sag bar would be if you ran your middle brace diagonally from bottom hinge-side to top corner of the gate edge, instead of a horizontal brace. This transfers the sag weight back to the post. The anti-sag bar you bought is a tension bar, and pulls the weight from the outer corner back up toward the top of the post. With a proper compression brace they usually arent needed as long as your angle doesnt exceed 45° (split the long gate into to compression-braced segments if needed)
ANYBODY can do it. When I moved out of the city to live in a Rural area, I needed to do this or pay someone thousands of dollars. I learned all about tools and the different types of fencing after living in apartments, in a Huge city, for over 40 years. As a friend later told me - they make stuff easy enough for your typical High Schooler to build, so don't over think it nor be afraid it is too difficult to learn to do. Good Luck :)
Beautiful fence. My husband built our fences in 5’ panels that hung on joist hangers that had been attached to the posts-most of the work was done on the flat. If a post or board needed replacing, it was a simple job to lift two panels out, replace the post and rehang the removed panels. Thanks for the hardware info.
In case nobody told you so, you are awesome. My partner and I have an old, rotting fence similar to your old one. We are in our senior years so I doubt if we could build our own fence in a reasonable time frame. But your video will goes a long way to helping us get a new fence.
Great looking fence! 👌 Tip- next time you use truck and chain to pull post, use a piece about the size you cut off to show the rot and put it under the chain, top sticking up on an angle ( / ) towards the post. When the truck pulls, the post will lift up instead of pulling sideways
Cabot Australian Timber Oil was used, it has semi-transparent coverage in five colors: 3400 Natural 3457 Amberwood 3458 Honey Teak 3459 Mahogany Flame (very red) 3460 Jarrah Brown
They offer transparent natural too. That label is simpler and matches the one in the video. Don’t know if they offer low VOC. You’ll have to ask her. 😁
When pulling posts like that use a spare tire as well. Wrap the chain around the base same as you were then stand a tire on its side next to the post with the chain going up and over the treads of the tire. This will make pulling th posts even easier and will also pull the post up leaving smaller more uniform holes.
Actually could have saved the cut panels, sank steel poles, and used metal clamps to screw in and secure the previous cut panels to the new steel poles.
First thing to remember when getting a quote: you will be paying the cost of labor. A laborer is going to cost you 4-5 times their hourly rate because they cost the business not just their wage, but also benefits, payroll taxes, business insurance, etc. Then there will be a markup from the business on top of that because the owner gets to earn on the job as well. Sometimes they can get materials cheaper than you would, but there will be a markup - consider that materials will also include labor in shipping, handling, and preparing. It's never about materials, it's about the hours it takes to do things! We've redone our entire property line in fencing and also remodeled a kitchen. The largest resource sink is always time, not money!
I was thinking at my age that’s just too much work. I’d gladly pay someone else to do it for me. But I live on 5.25 acres with only woods and soybean fields around me so this type of fence would be too much to go around my land. Plus I like my land being open because I see so much in every direction. If I lived in a neighborhood I’d love it.
to remove fence posts: take two 4' 2X4's and screw them tpgether at midpoint. buy 4' of sturdy chain and attach it to one of the 2x4's..... wrap the chain around the post and use 2x4 as a fulcrum and out pops the post. trucks and all that is not needed.... i'll just leave it there.
I love the fence and the cost breakdown! I'm curious as to how many linear feet this project was. I have a pie-shaped lot with over 400 linear feet of fencing, so scale is kind of important. Thanks!
This project has to be at least half, if not a 1/3 of what you have. I just had a portion of my yard fenced that appears very close in length to her fence. It was only about 100 linear feet. I would be very curious to hear the exact length as well. Knowing the cost per linear foot is a good way of comparing costs. A fence like hers for $50/foot would be excellent. My cedar fence at 6’ without board on board, but with metal posts, was $35/foot.
Screws are better than nails. I'm looking to build my own fence too, but there's a few points of failure I saw in this build I would avoid doing. The nails and the way the boards are attached to the posts with brackets are things I would have avoided myself. I also do not feel great with the notches cut into some of the posts.
Outstanding video, very thorough, complete with links to cool products I have never even heard of (post wrap)! I have been on the fence (pun intended) between a horizontal 'privacy fence' and a more traditional vertical picket-type fence. The fence you built and show how to build is a perfect hybrid solution- I have decided to give it a go! I would like to add, I have been watching a lot of YT DIY fence build videos and yours is hands-down the best... outstanding work/craftsmanship and instruction (all the necessary details without going overkill) - Thank you- Cheers!
Don’t use a ball hitch for horizontal pulls, they can snap off and even with a chain the tension will launch it. They’re not made for horizontal pulling. They make a tool that fits in your box hitch for horizontal pulling. “Shackle blocks” or “recovery points” are made to fit into the same hitch receiver as your tow ball. Quite a few different manufacturers.
Well done fence looks really nice. One thing I would comment on is when you put the gate brace on the gate the bottom of the brace should always be on the hinge side of the gate for the most support.
charge 20 grand if she wants to be a thief too. I wouldn't charge you much more than $100 a day for labor and price of materials. Anything else and you are hiring con artists.
Nice work on the fence. I have a 181 linear foot / 6' high fence to rebuild. It's mostly rotted at the bottom, attacked by Pacific Northwest moss and algae, and having a useless property manager who couldn't be bothered to say it desperately needed maintenance didn't help. I'm hoping to salvedge at least some of the posts or slats by cleaning off the moss/algae, not sure if that's going to work or not. Of course cedar is at a premium, and I certainly don't have all the necessary tools to rebuild the fence. I do know it will take a lot longer than 2 weeks either way.
It seems like you have an absolute blast with your projects! It's so fun to watch. Amazing work on this fence and love that you saved time and applied the stain with your Control Pro 170! 😄
What a beautiful fence. I hired a fence company to do my fence and it was so sloppy. They didn’t use concrete for the posts and many of the boards weren’t even nailed in..The first windstorm took most of the fence down. Your fence is great!!
Was just gonna say this. Also, dirt will accumulate on the top edges of the boards. I woulda run everything vertically. The dirt will allow all kinds of stuff to grow and drip down onto the fence. It will definitely affect the appearance and longevity. You can actually do internal steel post vinyl fencing without concrete for about the same price. The longevity on this stuff is incredible and goes up really quickly. The posts sit deeper but they're super secure. The vinyl retains its appearance for a long time and is easy to clean.
Happy you gave credit where credit was due! We build our fence after watching Aprils build years ago! Was the best investment we ever made! Thank you for crunching those numbers. Didn’t realize what that investment looked like till now. Amazing video!!!!!
Yeah, I agree. Where I live, wood fences were never built with the smooth side in, although there could be board on board for each side, so neighboring properties had the same view on each side, depending on zoning. Not such an issue somewhere with ag zoning. In fact community codes and permitting everywhere residentially zoned that I have lived, including now, will not allow this in a residential area.
@@hosta3199although the fence is lovely for her, if she tried to build it like that in my area, she would never be granted a building permit. If she built it without a permit, code enforcement would make her remove it. So it all depends where one lives and what your property zoning is. I don't live in a particularly upscale town, either.
Technically the design she went with would allow her to run boards on the other side and the fence would look pretty much the same on both sides with just the poles showing. It would make it hard to climb. Let’s be honest though, nobody is going to climb a fence when they can just use a knife to pick up the latch on the gate and gain access to the back yard. Criminals typically take the lowest effort route.
Beautiful! The only thing I would have added is plastic ground cover topped with white stone at the base to avoid weed whacking or spraying along the bottom.
Honestly with a couple thousand more it's worth considering getting the job done by someone else. But with almost 3 times the price? Yeah nah. Especially with how amazing it turned out. Mad props.
@@diosdehuecomundo I researched the cost of roof replacement when I needed a new roof. Apparently, 60-70% of the cost of a new roof is labor costs. So, for a roof replacement costing $15,000, labor costs would be approximately $10,000.
Absolutely love how this turned out. I did a similar fence project for my home but not the double board look so there are small spaces between each board. Now I want to double board lol. Great video.
Clever design. For a tiny extra costs with overlapping pickets you eliminated the annoying gaps in fences between boards. I like it! I think you could have saved about $1000 in other areas by making some different decisions but it's a very nice fence!
Love your design logic, comprehensive methodology and the great instructional video. Your fence is work of art - thank you for adding your detailed brilliance to the common useful information trust. Excellent in every way. All best to you and yours ❤
Many people skip staining, but I built a fence years ago and stained it on one side. The other side (with separate boards) I did not. The unstained boards ended up having to be replaced in a few years, whereas the stained ones are still looking good after 8 years.
Look beautiful! (I like to place boards vertically rather than horizontally to encourage water to quickly flow downward instead of being held longer & absorbed into the wood.)
~265 linear feet and 6'h, got all my holes dug, tomorrow I start setting post!!! Thanks for the inspiration. HOA is requiring it face outwards but other than that going for a similar look.
More info: This fence is about 200 linear feet and after digging the holes with help, the project took me about 2 weeks completely working alone (sorry for leaving that info out of the video!) I helped Pete do about the same distance on his fence and together, we knocked out all of the framing and started pickets in one day... so having a helper goes much faster! Stay tuned for many more projects and check out more of my Outdoor Projects here! bit.ly/3ttNBqI
Wow love it
Awesome job!! Did you have to stain the backside also?
How many feet was your fence total? I've seen horizontal fences but never board on board. I absolutely love it!! Thank you for posting!
@@mariop725 Not yet but I believe I will. Thanks!!
@@ginamyers8582 Thank you!! About 200'. Thanks for watching!
There's nothing like getting a quote from a fencing contractor,to give you the motivation to do it yourself,great job.
That has been my experience with damn near every trade service quote I've ever gotten! Flooring, painting, drywall, framing, HVAC. Ended up doing everything myself after getting quotes on all of it. I also did drywall finishing work myself but I'd defiinitely hire that out if I had to do it again. It sucks to do and the end product (in my case) highlighted a very clear learning curve.
IF You are Physically Able to do it yourself...
😂😂😂So true on any quote. 👍🏼
@@AndyDeBrunner we might as well have with a greenhouse roofing job some cowboys ripped off an elderly lady for ... Hope their consciences (if they have any) are troubled by what they've done.
@@CaptDiwralyou signed the contract. Nobody is forcing you to work with contractors.
The problem when people cement posts in the ground, they usually only put the minimum amount in the ground, then fill the hole with dirt. Dirt retains water and will eventually rot the post. Simple solution to avoid the tar paper you demo'd here in this video is to just fill up the hole with cement making sure the cement is above ground. Then crown the cement at the top so it will repeal water. I did this to my fence 24 years ago and it's still holding strong.
I replaced 4x4 redwood posts without knowing this and rotting occurred later. Great tip. Good info on comments. Perhaps, pressure treated? Perhaps restoration technique of epoxy/acetone soaking an drying cycles and then coating with hot tar. Very lengthy alternatives but certainly preferable to redwood rotting and replacement.
When I put in my Power Pole, I Coated the Base with Tar to as Deep/High as it needed to go. That way Water can't soak in..
@@MakerBoyOldBoy Coating with Tar also helps.
A few posts( regular pressure treated wood fence posts ) I used cement , the rest of them , no cement . Instead I used round gravel and tamped the gravel in hard , all around the posts . Many years later ALL of the cemented posts rotted out , NONE of the tamped in gravel posts rotted but were all in very good shape . We lived in a very wet part of the Cascade Mountains back then.
I had several fence poles rot doing your procedure.
when using a vehicle to pull things out of the ground like this, toss the spare tire under the chain as close to the thing you are pulling out, that way, the force is transferred from pulling sideways, to pulling up. you will disturb less of the ground, and the actual pulling will be even more effortless.
That's a great tip. Thanks!!
Yes! I did something similar when removing concrete & steel fence posts years ago.
The ground around the posts was soft from rain, so I temporarily anchored a piece of wood post at the base of the steel post to be removed as a pivot point.
It worked very well.
I’ll add it is extremely dangerous to use a hitch ball as the hookup point to pull anything.
I'm not sure I'd use the spare tire (maybe an old piece of railroad tie) but you make a very good point.
@@ddurb05 Why? It appeared to be a receiver hitch which is nearly as strong as the frame. I've towed many cars that way and never had any issues.
the post saver is a great idea, however you can also use roof cement as a much cheaper option (usually around $10 for a gallon at home depot). It rolls on and is water proof.
Roof coating is better, rolls on easier and dries faster. Many roofing cements are basically just tar, and don’t dry for a long time.
I used motor oil and diesel mix. It soaks in and it’s gonna still be there long after I’m toes up in the ground just like my fence posts. Lol
@@johnboylong40this is one of those tribal knowledge methods that people want no part in lol. I usually do your method mentioned or asphalt paint for buried posts. It'll last forever
Absolutely...we put brick columns around old 10x10 posts 40 years ago . When someone bscked truck into one of the colms the 10x10 was still in perfect condition underground after over 50 years because they put tar on posts first .
i use peanut butter and oats.
This should serve as a model on how videos like this should be done. You showed the before and after, and all the steps in between. Great job!
Thanks so much! 🙏🏼
We did this but re-used the posts that were OK and put in solar panels for the fence. It does generate power, about 1/3 of what it could produce if oriented correctly. Great way to start for a 'no space' solar.
A SOLAR FENCE!! That’s A NIFTY IDEA!!👍
It’s brilliant you did this. I’m in tbe UK and can barely afford for a tradesperson to come in and to tbe majority of jobs that need doing. They’re pricing their work out of so many markets so all we can do is DIY. Thankfully, UA-cam has made that so much easier to learn these skills with videos like yours!
Yes! Thats what this channel is all about. Helping people to do these things themselves. Thank you so much for the comment and for watching :)
I wish my fence contractor had put in even half the effort you did on this build! Your fence is gorgeous and it will obviously last decades!
Thank you so much! I sure hope so!
That's because contractors are incentivized to minimize cost and labor and maximize profit. They literally will not put in the effort if they can help it. Then, they'll just shrug their shoulders and demand the thousands of dollars you now owe them.
If you want things done right, you have to do it yourself
@@XC-Z-cv8qw 👍🏼👍🏼💯💯💯💯💯💯
I find anything I do myself if far better then the "pro" job. Unless you pay top top dollar.
Being a fence contractor for 46 years there is unnecessary 'overkill' with your installation, particularly with the posts. Because of post rotting at ground level the wraps are a good idea but are cost prohibited being double the cost of the post. I suggest leaving 6 to 8 inches when filling the concrete then use fill dirt to ground level. This will allow water to drain and not set on ground level concrete where posts usually rot {as you pointed out in the video}. I've never had to use 2x4 stabilizers to support posts, the concrete and dirt fill holding the posts in place until the concrete sets up.
As for using string to line the holes and posts I always set the corners first and string the bottom to get my line for the holes and rest of the posts. To level posts I move the string to the top and set my level also to cut the posts. Where the ground level changes mark the set posts and place a temporary nail and attach the string. This will allow the fence to follow the ground. On a 6ft privacy fence 6 inches is the distance from the top of the 2x4 and top of the picket and the same for the bottom or else the pickets can lip and bow out. Center the middle 2x4.
One thing you did right was to use brackets to support the 2x4 stringers {2x6s are overkill}. You should never toe nail stringers to a posts, they will eventually pull away from the posts. Also you do not really need stringers when building a horizontal fence. For horizontal fencing 6 ft centers are correct since 8ft centers will cause the boards to bow/warp. When building a regular privacy fence 8ft centers are the norm but always nail to the posts. The nail gun with shank nails is correct because galvanized nails tend to pull out over time.
Note: Most fences are made from treated pine and 3 stringers are absolutely necessary, unless you are using western red cedar materials {but use treated pine posts}. Cedar requires only two 2x4s but make sure you use cedar 2x4s. The advantage of cedar is it doesn't bow/warp like pine and it is the stringers that bow the most. The disadvantage of cedar is the cost especially the 2x4s. Cedar posts will rot just as bad if not worse than treated wood. I learned this when I started my business in the late 70s when cedar was comparable in price to treated pine.
For the gate. The frame and stabilizer are a good idea and worth the effort but again costly. Cross members will work although sag is possible. The thing you did wrong and will likely be the first problem is the 4x4 gate support post. ALWAYS use a 6x6 support post and 3 hinges. Gates are heavy and 4x4s are not strong enough. Many professional fence contractors make this mistake usually to save money. BAD idea {and some don't use concrete with the posts which allow the fence to lean especially in areas like Florida where strong winds are common.
The other thing you did right was using a sealer with the stain. Sealing a fence can provide extra ;ife to the wood whereas stain alone will not. In Florida the life expectancy is of a wood fence is 10 years but I have seen fencing without a sealer last a lot less especially where there is heavy vegetation or a sprinkler system. Many new subdivisions will not allow wood fencing opting instead for PVC or aluminium, both having a 20 year or longer life span. White PVC fencing prices have dropped making the cost equal to or less than a wood fence with a sealant.
Hope I wasn't be overly critical but wanted to put my experience to use. For anyone thinking about hiring a contractor to install a fence do your homework and use reviews and google search. My business is a family operation and companies our size {as opposed to larger companies that do a lot of commercial fencing including Home Depot and Lowes} will construct a better fence and at a lower price. The one thing that insures a successful business is integrity and being honest. Larger companies often worry about bottom line and cutting corners is a norm. Always get at least three estimates. Due diligence will save you money and heartache.
Just wanted to say this was an amazing post - thanks for sharing your knowledge
Very insightful knowledge. Your experience shows, I'm going to write this down.
Tldr
I have no skills, patience to do this job. I would hire a contractor
@@mythsdreamssymbols I think for you , the only thing she did wrong , was not being a man !
Black Jack Rubr-Coat #57 is an inexpensive waterproofing membrane you can paint on the bottom of the posts. I first learned about a little while back when I was building a chicken coop. Painted the entire bottom of the coop in that and it made it fully water proof and had held up to not just the moisture, but the ammonia present in the chickens waste.
The reason the few inches of post at ground level had rot is due to the soil microbes. They live in the top 3" inches of soil and will do what they do so well.. break down wood. When putting posts in the ground, your best bet for longevity is to offer a protective coating (either the sleeve mentioned in this video or a 6" band of painted in Black Jack #57) spanning about an 1-2" above the soil line going down about 4-5" underground. That will create a great waterproof barrier that will prevent the soil bacteria and fungi from degrading your posts.
Beautiful fence, btw Hats off to your friend for helping you with the project. Friends like that are worth their weight in gold!
This info is very helpful 👍🏼👍🏼💯💯💯💯💯💯
My neighbor put in a new fence and did it himself in an interesting (i thought) way. He dug the post holes and put in some kind of cardboard tube and filled the tube with concrete. The concrete extended above ground level. He then set a metal bracket on the concrete and attached it with masonry screws. He attached the post to the bracket on top of the concrete. I asked about it and he said he did it that way so that when the fence breaks down he can easily replace individual components or simply replace one section at a time as the fence needs repair. I thought this was brilliant.
I do like that! I actually thought about that method but for a fence this size, I don't think the posts are quite as strong. Placing them in the ground 2-3 feet gives them much more strength. But for a smaller fence, I think the method you described is great!
That method will work in some instances but for a six foot tall privacy fence outdoors is not a good option. I would be worried every time a storm came up that the fence would be blown down.
Yuku jujitsu
It’s called sono tube and his fence is gonna fall apart if someone farts to close to it. Post should be 4 foot in ground and bell the bottom out. Wood usually don’t use cement people do but it’ll rot the post. However I would use concrete on the gate hinge post only.
@@zstang01 As long as he used the correct fasteners on the connections between the steel plates and the concrete that fence should be there a LONG time! That is a HUMAN fence not a stock fence for Elephants!
Your gate brace will work with gravity if you put the top of the brace away from the hinges and the bottom of the brace on the hinge post (opposite of what you showed in your video). The load of the gate ('heaviest' because it is farthest from the post and the ground) is at the top far corner and you want to direct the load down to the post. You did such an admirable job with that project.
With that type of brace I don’t think it matters. With a cross-brace board (or steel wire) the orientation is critical.
You built a really nice fence. Good job.
I can't 100% be certain but I think the old fence was salvageable. You could disassemble where needed and reinforce with screws or brackets. Then you could soda blast the entire fence and it would look like brand new wood. Then stain it with the stain that you used. I think this would have worked great. I highly recommend you seal your fence with a product like PWS-8. Professional Water Sealant. This will form a near perfect water barrier and keep it looking brand new for many years.
what is soda blast?
I think they mean a power washer..
@@mattbrown9631 Baking soda. Calcium carbonate. There are several different types of abrasive blasting medium. Glass, walnut, soda, metal shot. Soda is the softest medium to blast with. You don't want to use an something too abrasive on this wood. Either soda or walnut or fine glass. They use metal BBs to clean off and refurbish tanks. That would blast right through this wood.
Was thinking the same. The old fence just needed reinforcement and a power wash. But yolo for some.
My thought exactly. The fence looked bad because no one had made efforts to make repairs as the fence aged. But the uprights looked good and the panels didn't look bad either. For some on a budget, they would love to have had that load donated to them for reassembly. I have exactly the fence she had. I have a maintenance man who periodically replaces panel boards or cross members as needed, as we have a termite problem in this neighborhood. The cost of a new fence will bring tears to your eyes, starting around $10,000, depending on what materials you use. As you mentioned, pressure washing leaves fences looking brand new. I had my handyman do that on the fence at a rental I own, and I was absolutely floored at what looked like a fence that had just been built. I couldn't believe it. I'm all for saving money and salvaging what already works.
Caution/advice: This method of fence brackets is not only more expensive than a nail, but as the ground shifts slightly, they can and often do pull apart. I've seen it happen many times! Better to simply nail your cross 2x4 boards directly to the vertical posts. As for posts, protect them by soaking them in old motor oil before setting, or use some tar which is much cheaper than these post sleeve. And pour the concrete so it is above the ground line, to avoid water pooling on the post. Will add years of life.
Apparently you missed the part where she did just that, when she showed how she put a crown on the concrete for each post. Also nails will slip or pull out over time. A lot of areas, the codes require the brackets. Just saying
I don't know why we build fences the way we do in America. Having watched so many UK gardening shows. I think they have a much smarter way of doing it. They use concrete posts that the horizontal fence panels just slide down between. All the panels can be made as an assembly and then the whole thing just slots in. Never have to worry about post rot and individual panels can be replaced when needed. It also seems less expensive. The panels and posts, with rock face concrete base panels and 40 bags of post mix for 150ft of fence (3 sides of 50 feet) can all be purchased for under $1800 USD with the VAT included.
Don't get me wrong, this is a beautiful fence. I just think its weird that we haven't adopted the UK way. We spend so much money on fencing, you'd think we'd want it to last for a long time.
We have those in Utah.
i dont think you can get those materials in USA and if so I have no clue where.
Can you send me a link please if you can find one so I can see
@@jennyanimal9046 ua-cam.com/video/s2sTvdVBe1w/v-deo.html
can you send me a link to where you can get these?
I saw a builder on one of these HGTV shows make a guide rail on each post, then took the horizontal planks and just slid them down, kinda eliminating the need for a lot of nails and screws. But this is very nice. Love it.
Wouldn’t the horizontal boards warp without fastening them with nails?
Awesome of you to include a cost breakdown. I'd like to see a rough estimate how many hours of work you put in in, though.
Anyways, I love the look of the fence and the work is properly executed. It will surely bring happiness for a loooooong time 😃
i am even more cynical on this. you really need to toe the line in any project with... how much time do I have, how accurate / skilled am I for this job, cost of ( rental )equipment.
I doubt her costs are accurate. The Stainless steel nails she claimed to use would have been $1k easy by themselves. Did she include the sales tax that us people without a UA-cam business would have to pay? I also assume the quotes from the fence company didn't include all the details she put in (such as stainless steel nails and staining).
@@mastershepherd3777 I made sure my costs were very accurate. The nails I used are linked in the materials list in the description so you can click and see for yourself that the cost was wayyyy under $1k. I payed just as much sales tax as any other normal person (not aware of any UA-cam business tax free situation).
Thanks! After the post holes, I worked solo and it took me about 2 weeks total. However, I just helped Pete on his same exact fence (about the same distance) and we knocked out all of the frame and got 3 bays of pickets done in one day. Having a helper helps a ton in time savings!
I live in Huntington Beach ca, my fence line is half your size and I was quoted $21,000 but it would be done in 2 days. Back when I was younger we build a fence in my grandparents property in the early 90’s we DIY it and it cost $400 for the materials. But anywho love your build and it looks amazing.
as a painter i would recommend using a smaller tip for spraying stain. most exterior stains are very thin. a tip size like 413 will lay down a lot of product causing runs. a 311 is my go to
Nicely done! Looks more professional than a lot of contractors' builds.
I wish you were my neighbor. I would pay you to do this for my yard. This is beautiful and I love the way the fence is left to right instead of up and down. Great job!!!
I wish you were my neighbor too haha. Thank you so much!
I love it!!! Great to know that women can do this!! Excellent job… i have been working on a gate for myself ….& i wanted something different….you gave me ideas!! For some reason, i have always been great at wood!! I never was exposed to this.. but after paying a handy man to repair my deck, i did it much better! I am also going to rebuild my pergola!! Thanks for your inspiration!!! I also work in a male dominated industry as an aircraft mechanic …..but i consider myself pretty handy!!! Thank you!!!
Wonderful! You can do it for sure!!
I did mine using concrete posts of the correct length. Concrete doesnt rot. Dug a hole using a trenching shovel. Used postcrete. Sets fast enough there is no need to brace anything. Positioned holes offset from old holes so no need to dig out the old concrete base. Pretty simple. Been up ten years. Seems fine.
I brought my SO in to watch just because of the augers, but he was so impressed with you and your work he stayed awake for the entire video, we both are; GREAT JOB, LOOKS FANTASTIC!!
:) Thank you so much!!
Hey guys, hope your having a great day. I just wanted to say I build fence and I saw the fence video and seen the post removal with the truck. Sometimes you can’t use a truck because you don’t have room or whatever. I use a “ un live yourself “ ( sorry, UA-cam tends to get upset when you use certain words or terms ) jack to remove posts. Works great! Keep up the good work!
That is one of the most intricate horizontal fences I've seen yet! Absolutely stunning 🥰
I want to tell you.ive been a fence contractor for 49 years and I am very impressed with the fence you built I give it a ten plus you did everything to perfection you should be very proud of your self I'd be honored to have built fences with you because your like me a perfectionist
That is so kind! Thank you for saying that :)
Thanks for posting such an informative and comprehensive video. Your fence looks GREAT and is the envy of the neighborhood! The "hater" commenters simply don't get it. This project was less about saving money versus creating a fence you love! Plus, you know it's built right, because YOU DID IT! Good on ya!!!
You get it!! Thank you so much :)
In 1999 I built a deck surrounding an above ground pool and put the pressure treated posts into the ground and tamped the dirt around them. I took the deck down last summer and every one of those posts are still in terrific shape without any rot whatsoever. I kept most of them to reuse for another fence I need to build.
Beautiful fence. You did a better job than a lot of contractors would have done and saved yourself a pile of cash.
Thank you!
You can save $ from the dump run by just putting your old fence boards on craigslist, especially if they're unpainted / untreated, a lot of gardeners would love to use them to build planter boxes or beds. You can char the wood with a propane torch for a more natural / safe for the environment waterproofing, it also works for the fence posts.
Showing the outside of the fence would have been nice to see how it looked as well. Interesting and informative, thanks.
There is a view of the outside when she is working on the gate.
@12:21 jeez Stellah do you also need me to fix you a sandwich???
Wonder if she stained the otherside also.
I would have liked to see the outside of the fence once it was done and to know if it was stained too.
The board on board is a really nice solution for privacy and yet allowing for expansion. I watched a couple build a fence almost as long in Puerto Rico from vertical 8x1 boards all tightly butted together and screwed from the back to avoid and hardware showing. And the bottoms of each picket were on the ground so every time it rains they will be sucking up the grind water. It's a look - for now - but I'll put good money on yours lasting a couple of decades longer then theirs. I feel bad they didn't see this video first because honestly yours looks fantastic and it's built to last.
Tx, much appreciated, very helpful & well done(fence & how to video.)
As fyi, while the tar sleeves are very slick, I dipped my posts in a bucket of tar before concreting in… over 30 years ago & they’re still standing firm.
Thank you! And great to hear about the tar!
OMG! Your explanation is so simple, concise and direct that I am going start on my 'NEW' fence in a month.
I’ve seen a lot of fence building videos. This is by far the best. Outstanding work!!! 🤙
Ahhhh thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
concrete and wood should never touch, ever. In homebuilding, sills should have a gasket under them and they are inside. Pour your concrete, put a saddle on it, let it set. Cement is a really neat chemical reaction that doesn't properly take place with the dry mix method. Spend the extra 10 minutes and mix it properly. you did a beautiful job
Thank you so much for the fantastic how-to! I particularly appreciate your sharing these costs with us. I know there is a kind of vulnerability that comes with such open transparency.
May I ask a favor though? Would you mind explaining some of the construction terminology you use the next time you do a video? There were times that I struggled to understand what you narrated, because I didn't recognize your vocabulary choices.
I also loved that you explained things like your spray gun (the advantage of this model as compared to others), the auger, the ability to use a heat gun versus a blowtorch on those post wraps, and the pros and cons of different components to this project, such as the type of cement you've used, the brackets on the gate, etc. So helpful!
I had never heard of post wraps, and I'm excited to know these exist. Showing where the wood rot was on your old post was enormously helpful to me, since I'm not taking down an old fence in order to put up my new fence.
Thanks!
You can remove the posts using one of those heavy duty car jack! Nail a piece of wood block (same dimension as the post) along the post. Place a flat high enough that the car jack can be on. Jack up the car jack right under the piece of wood block that you nail! And you'll see results!
$19,000 for a fence. Or for this exact fence?
The board on board is what makes it the most expensive.
And the removal of fence is around $500.
Definitely saved yourself a lot of money! Way to go!
I get paid $5,000 for this fence, all the price is in materials and labor. I would take home maybe $100 a day. So if it took me a week, I would only make $700. This type of fence lasts the same amount as any other wooden fence so she really spent too much still
Excellent job! How long is your fence line?
When I install my fence I plan to paint my fence posts with rubber roof coating. I bought some for a different project and I have a ton of it left. Wanted to paint my fence post black anyway so this will just help prevent rot.
Wow, great job! Looks like you had the fence done professionally. I bet you feel great about the finished result! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much!! I'm very proud of it :)
@@MakerGray You should be!
thats why u go above ground line with like a bucket with bottom cut out and pour concrete in so it has border works for 30 plus years in my backyard zone 8
I thought this was going to be a video showing me how to refresh my fence-make it look newer. A little disappointed but kept watching...and you made it so clear and full of great tips that ai know the bid I was given for a new fence should be against the law! Thanks so much for a great tutorial and it should make fence companies ashamed of what they are charging! They could have more customers if they would charge a realistic price. Thank you! Thank you!
I'm so glad you kept watching :) Thank you!!
A method to remove posts, if you don't have room for a truck, is to use a jack. For the healthy posts you had, wrap a chain around the post and use a bottle jack to lift them out. For "properly" cemented posts (more cement) wrap the chain around the concrete and lift with a "farm jack". Pulling fence posts to the side will usually snap them off and leave that concrete plug in the ground. I like the post saver.
Impressive! I like some of the great ideas and detailed explanations, the most important part is the video editing and going straight to the point.
Thank you! Really appreciate that!
You should cut the top of the posts at a slight angle instead of straight across so water sheds off the top rail. If the top rail cups as it ages, it will hold water and encourage rot. Angling helps prevent this.
Very, Very professional. That top cap is a winner. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤. You GO. GIRL.
WOW!!!! we bought 5 acres [in sand and sage brush] in northern Nevada, in 1997. I closed my Cancer Thrift Shop [for cancer patients]. So I spent the next year, planting 20 foot bareroot trees, we had to drag about 30 minutes away, and wrapped the root ends in wet blankets. I built a 20 foot long fence [6 foot tall as required] from the house to the shed. We rented a 2 man auger, [NEVER AGAIN I ended up on my back, more than 1 time. We will rent the one you used. We filled the post holes with 2 bags of concrete EACH as the winds are very high, every afternoon. I put in 2 horizontal stringers with the metal brackets, then screwed the boards vertically. We LOVE your fence and we will build your way next time. [We sold the 5 acres and house, 6 years later and doubled our money. We are sooo happy to live in RENO now where the winds are less and we have NO fence to build or trees to plant. THAN YOU !!! GREAT instructions.
You are amazing. You explained each step in easy to understand terms.
So glad it was helpful! Thank you!
Simpler to just buy treated 4x4’s rather than wrapping each post & heating the wrap. You could also just buy a bucket of tar and paint it on the lower end of each (untreated) post-or at ground level. We use the rocks at the bottom of the hole, too. Great job.
I wanted my posts 6 feet apart so that's how far apart we set the holes, that made me smile.
As long as its less than 8ft, you can do what you like. 👍🤠
@@c7adventures376 ?
I dig my post holes by hand, then place one brick, tamped down, at the bottom for the post to set on to get the correct height, then fill about six inches with gravel, then fill with cement to about four inches above ground and then i carefully slope the cement at the top all around so water simply runs away from the post. My fences last decades this way. I also hit them every year or every other year with an oil stain so it soaks in paying careful attention to the top/end grain of the post. I have had my fences last 25 years with this method. It’s a bit of work, but then the exercise is good for me as well. I also go 6” higher than i am allowed to, but the top 6” is above the top rail in case it doesn’t pass inspection so i can cut it to proper height if necessary, but I have yet to have an inspector call me on it.
Amazing work. I also love the privacy aspect of it. A lot of hard work and it definitely paid off. Well done!!
Thank you so much!!
It is a great job and quite the savings at 1/3 of the estimate. I sincerely envy the final product. The biggest factor is often time/labor. When I have done things like this in the past, it is gratifying in a way, but I simply don't have the time for projects like that. My fence is terrible (if we didn't have dogs, I'd simply opt to remove it) and there's actually a contractor who does odd jobs for us that's been slowly replacing all of the posts as we speak, getting through a handful each day he comes (there's no access to bring a large vehicle or equipment, so it's all by hand so again, not something I have the time for).
This fence is insane. Great work! Great precision. Wish I had this video before I built one
Where a handy truck and chain isnt available, I removed posts by digging a little, then flooding the hole with water from garden hose. Its a bit more work, and harsh on the back, but you can remove a post in 5 - 10 mins
Thanks!
this also seems expensive, but presents a lot of new ideas and interesting alternative techniques
There is nothing inexpensive about fence building, but labor is one of the biggest expenses and biggest hurdles.
what a gorgeous fence! Your given details in how you achieved this was enough for anyone wanting to try this without having to seek around for more information. Thank you it's people like you that give true value that I can say this....I appreciate you I know this took your time. And as the ole saying goes "Time is money"...... Thanks again! ✌️
Thank you very much!
Ohhhh you break my heart when you said you took all that reclaimed wood to the dump😆
I'm crying.
It may be difficult with the brackets of the anti-sag kit in place but a simple anti-sag solution instead if using that tension anti-sag bar would be if you ran your middle brace diagonally from bottom hinge-side to top corner of the gate edge, instead of a horizontal brace. This transfers the sag weight back to the post. The anti-sag bar you bought is a tension bar, and pulls the weight from the outer corner back up toward the top of the post. With a proper compression brace they usually arent needed as long as your angle doesnt exceed 45° (split the long gate into to compression-braced segments if needed)
Ugh. Its so easy! You too can feel hopelessly inadequate around the house. I came of age when i stopped watching/believing i could do this
ANYBODY can do it. When I moved out of the city to live in a Rural area, I needed to do this or pay someone thousands of dollars. I learned all about tools and the different types of fencing after living in apartments, in a Huge city, for over 40 years. As a friend later told me - they make stuff easy enough for your typical High Schooler to build, so don't over think it nor be afraid it is too difficult to learn to do. Good Luck :)
Beautiful fence. My husband built our fences in 5’ panels that hung on joist hangers that had been attached to the posts-most of the work was done on the flat. If a post or board needed replacing, it was a simple job to lift two panels out, replace the post and rehang the removed panels. Thanks for the hardware info.
This is one of the most well organized, informative DIY videos out there. Smart. Excellent. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that!
In case nobody told you so, you are awesome. My partner and I have an old, rotting fence similar to your old one. We are in our senior years so I doubt if we could build our own fence in a reasonable time frame. But your video will goes a long way to helping us get a new fence.
Everything is beautiful, love all the roses!! You have your own paradise right in front of you!!!!!
Thats the goal! Thank you so much :)
Great looking fence! 👌
Tip- next time you use truck and chain to pull post, use a piece about the size you cut off to show the rot and put it under the chain, top sticking up on an angle ( / ) towards the post. When the truck pulls, the post will lift up instead of pulling sideways
Thanks a good tip. Thanks!
Should always let cedar sit for a season otherwise the oils in the wood will cause the stain to flake off.
Stain doesn’t flake. It soaks in.
@@BeaulieuTodd that’s what I thought. Cedar oil can have a weird affect on it
Cabot Australian Timber Oil was used, it has semi-transparent coverage in five colors:
3400 Natural
3457 Amberwood
3458 Honey Teak
3459 Mahogany Flame (very red)
3460 Jarrah Brown
They offer transparent natural too. That label is simpler and matches the one in the video. Don’t know if they offer low VOC.
You’ll have to ask her. 😁
When pulling posts like that use a spare tire as well. Wrap the chain around the base same as you were then stand a tire on its side next to the post with the chain going up and over the treads of the tire. This will make pulling th posts even easier and will also pull the post up leaving smaller more uniform holes.
Great tip thanks!
Actually could have saved the cut panels, sank steel poles, and used metal clamps to screw in and secure the previous cut panels to the new steel poles.
The LooK .. the feel ... style ... no metal post pls
First thing to remember when getting a quote: you will be paying the cost of labor. A laborer is going to cost you 4-5 times their hourly rate because they cost the business not just their wage, but also benefits, payroll taxes, business insurance, etc. Then there will be a markup from the business on top of that because the owner gets to earn on the job as well. Sometimes they can get materials cheaper than you would, but there will be a markup - consider that materials will also include labor in shipping, handling, and preparing.
It's never about materials, it's about the hours it takes to do things!
We've redone our entire property line in fencing and also remodeled a kitchen. The largest resource sink is always time, not money!
Step 1: Hire Pete.
Exactly!
😂For real! He's a workhorse!
I was thinking at my age that’s just too much work. I’d gladly pay someone else to do it for me. But I live on 5.25 acres with only woods and soybean fields around me so this type of fence would be too much to go around my land. Plus I like my land being open because I see so much in every direction. If I lived in a neighborhood I’d love it.
to remove fence posts: take two 4' 2X4's and screw them tpgether at midpoint. buy 4' of sturdy chain and attach it to one of the 2x4's..... wrap the chain around the post and use 2x4 as a fulcrum and out pops the post. trucks and all that is not needed.... i'll just leave it there.
I love the fence and the cost breakdown! I'm curious as to how many linear feet this project was. I have a pie-shaped lot with over 400 linear feet of fencing, so scale is kind of important. Thanks!
This project has to be at least half, if not a 1/3 of what you have. I just had a portion of my yard fenced that appears very close in length to her fence. It was only about 100 linear feet. I would be very curious to hear the exact length as well. Knowing the cost per linear foot is a good way of comparing costs. A fence like hers for $50/foot would be excellent. My cedar fence at 6’ without board on board, but with metal posts, was $35/foot.
She said 200’
Screws are better than nails.
I'm looking to build my own fence too, but there's a few points of failure I saw in this build I would avoid doing.
The nails and the way the boards are attached to the posts with brackets are things I would have avoided myself. I also do not feel great with the notches cut into some of the posts.
jesus christ that's a lot of work. Now I know why 12K is being charged
Really? I can buy a decent car for 12k.
Jesus Christ is Lord!
@@oasisokc or he's a historical figure like many others?
18700 was being charged… the 12k was the saving.
@@Derp-xj5oo Yipes!
Outstanding video, very thorough, complete with links to cool products I have never even heard of (post wrap)! I have been on the fence (pun intended) between a horizontal 'privacy fence' and a more traditional vertical picket-type fence. The fence you built and show how to build is a perfect hybrid solution- I have decided to give it a go! I would like to add, I have been watching a lot of YT DIY fence build videos and yours is hands-down the best... outstanding work/craftsmanship and instruction (all the necessary details without going overkill) - Thank you- Cheers!
Wonderful! Thank you so much!
Wonder if the HOA will allow me to use a horizontal fence instead of the vertical one everyone has…. Great video!
I hope so! Its a great look. Thanks so much!
Check your covenants. If everyone has the same exact fence, then that will most likely be your future one, too.
Don’t use a ball hitch for horizontal pulls, they can snap off and even with a chain the tension will launch it. They’re not made for horizontal pulling. They make a tool that fits in your box hitch for horizontal pulling. “Shackle blocks” or “recovery points” are made to fit into the same hitch receiver as your tow ball. Quite a few different manufacturers.
Thanks!
1:03. That pulling posts with a truck and a chain trick works real good until something snaps and breaks the back glass, or worse, your head.
If pulling other cars or trolley's okay, then why not this?
Well done fence looks really nice. One thing I would comment on is when you put the gate brace on the gate the bottom of the brace should always be on the hinge side of the gate for the most support.
Now you can offer to build others the same fence for 20 grand! That looks gorgeous 😍
charge 20 grand if she wants to be a thief too. I wouldn't charge you much more than $100 a day for labor and price of materials. Anything else and you are hiring con artists.
Nice work on the fence. I have a 181 linear foot / 6' high fence to rebuild. It's mostly rotted at the bottom, attacked by Pacific Northwest moss and algae, and having a useless property manager who couldn't be bothered to say it desperately needed maintenance didn't help. I'm hoping to salvedge at least some of the posts or slats by cleaning off the moss/algae, not sure if that's going to work or not. Of course cedar is at a premium, and I certainly don't have all the necessary tools to rebuild the fence. I do know it will take a lot longer than 2 weeks either way.
It seems like you have an absolute blast with your projects! It's so fun to watch. Amazing work on this fence and love that you saved time and applied the stain with your Control Pro 170! 😄
Thank you so much Wagner! Wouldn't have wanted to stain such a big project without you :)
What a beautiful fence. I hired a fence company to do my fence and it was so sloppy. They didn’t use concrete for the posts and many of the boards weren’t even nailed in..The first windstorm took most of the fence down. Your fence is great!!
Thank you!! And I'm so sorry to hear that. I see this happen so much and it's terrible!
Looks nice, but isn't water going to sit on the extra horizontal boards?
After the first rain I looked and the water either ran off or evaporated very quickly :) All good
Was just gonna say this. Also, dirt will accumulate on the top edges of the boards. I woulda run everything vertically. The dirt will allow all kinds of stuff to grow and drip down onto the fence. It will definitely affect the appearance and longevity. You can actually do internal steel post vinyl fencing without concrete for about the same price. The longevity on this stuff is incredible and goes up really quickly. The posts sit deeper but they're super secure. The vinyl retains its appearance for a long time and is easy to clean.
I love the look of horizontal boards, but my climate is way too wet, and the water would settle on too much of the surfaces.
Happy you gave credit where credit was due! We build our fence after watching Aprils build years ago! Was the best investment we ever made! Thank you for crunching those numbers. Didn’t realize what that investment looked like till now. Amazing video!!!!!
Credit due for sure :) And yes, definitely a wonderful investment! I'm so glad to hear you built one. Thank you so much!
😂 the entire time I’m looking at the neighbors fence thinking why is it built backwards so someone can climb in from the outside.
Because some people want the smooth side on the inside of their yard duh
Yeah, I agree. Where I live, wood fences were never built with the smooth side in, although there could be board on board for each side, so neighboring properties had the same view on each side, depending on zoning. Not such an issue somewhere with ag zoning. In fact community codes and permitting everywhere residentially zoned that I have lived, including now, will not allow this in a residential area.
@@hosta3199although the fence is lovely for her, if she tried to build it like that in my area, she would never be granted a building permit. If she built it without a permit, code enforcement would make her remove it. So it all depends where one lives and what your property zoning is. I don't live in a particularly upscale town, either.
They will enforce at intersections for driver safety. Don't take that wood cuz I would reuse it.
Technically the design she went with would allow her to run boards on the other side and the fence would look pretty much the same on both sides with just the poles showing. It would make it hard to climb. Let’s be honest though, nobody is going to climb a fence when they can just use a knife to pick up the latch on the gate and gain access to the back yard. Criminals typically take the lowest effort route.
Beautiful! The only thing I would have added is plastic ground cover topped with white stone at the base to avoid weed whacking or spraying along the bottom.
That $12,000 saved was the labor costs.
Honestly with a couple thousand more it's worth considering getting the job done by someone else. But with almost 3 times the price? Yeah nah. Especially with how amazing it turned out. Mad props.
@@diosdehuecomundo I researched the cost of roof replacement when I needed a new roof. Apparently, 60-70% of the cost of a new roof is labor costs. So, for a roof replacement costing $15,000, labor costs would be approximately $10,000.
In U.K. you can buy concrete fence posts which don’t rot.
lots of expensive tools.
Once you have them you can do anything.
Pretty basic ones you can buy in expensive brands. After a few years of home ownership, you usually have them all due to necessity anyway.
Absolutely love how this turned out. I did a similar fence project for my home but not the double board look so there are small spaces between each board. Now I want to double board lol. Great video.
Clever design. For a tiny extra costs with overlapping pickets you eliminated the annoying gaps in fences between boards. I like it! I think you could have saved about $1000 in other areas by making some different decisions but it's a very nice fence!
This is not an amateur project. That woman is insanely mechanically talented. I had to hire someone just to change a storm door on my house! 🤣
Love your design logic, comprehensive methodology and the great instructional video. Your fence is work of art - thank you for adding your detailed brilliance to the common useful information trust. Excellent in every way. All best to you and yours ❤
Thank you very much!
Many people skip staining, but I built a fence years ago and stained it on one side. The other side (with separate boards) I did not. The unstained boards ended up having to be replaced in a few years, whereas the stained ones are still looking good after 8 years.
Look beautiful! (I like to place boards vertically rather than horizontally to encourage water to quickly flow downward instead of being held longer & absorbed into the wood.)
~265 linear feet and 6'h, got all my holes dug, tomorrow I start setting post!!! Thanks for the inspiration. HOA is requiring it face outwards but other than that going for a similar look.