Garden fence , timber Vs pvc Vs concrete

Alfagtamini

Hi all

Looking to put up 40m fence over the next couple of weeks.

We have decided on a ranch style 3 rail fence.

I'm looking for peoples opinions and thoughts on timber Vs pvc Vs concrete.

Timber is by far the cheapest but I don't really want that hassle of having to paint it annually.

Thanks in advance

Lumen

You don't need to paint pressure treated fencing.

Rows Grower

Timber!

Before erecting the fence paint your timber rails with 1/3rd creosote mixed with 2/3rd's waste engine oil and you want have to worry about doing them again for about 5 years.

Let them dry outdoors for a few days before handling and don't use it on the lower half of the posts for fear of soil contamination.

The posts would want to be 100mm square and the rails 100mm x 50mm with a post every 2.4m and the post should be at least 500mm underground.

Leave enough space between the bottom rail and ground so you can strim the grass in summer.

Lumen

Rows Grower wrote: »

Before erecting the fence paint your timber rails with 1/3rd creosote mixed with 2/3rd's waste engine oil and you want have to worry about doing them again for about 5 years.

Creosote has been illegal to use in non-industrial applications since 2003.

And waste engine oil is carcinogenic.

Alfagtamini

Cheers for the replies

I am edging towards timber as it's working out at well under half the price of anything else.

Fortunate to have a timber mill offering pressure treated timber nearby.

Thanks again

Rows Grower

Lumen wrote: »

Creosote has been illegal to use in non-industrial applications since 2003.

And waste engine oil is carcinogenic.

Thanks for the info Lumen, I'll rip down my fences tomorrow and hand myself into the authorities Monday.

Alfagtamini

One more question.

Do you recommend using a pole driver or going down the route of digging a hole and using postfix ?

Ground is soft clay

daheff

just to bare in mind, timber posts will rot over time. you might get 10 years if you are lucky.

Alfagtamini

daheff wrote: »

just to bare in mind, timber posts will rot over time. you might get 10 years if you are lucky.

If I got 10 years from.the fence with minimal painting and upkeep I'd be happy.

Lumen

paulryanmini wrote: »

One more question.

Do you recommend using a pole driver or going down the route of digging a hole and using postfix ?

Ground is soft clay

Most of mine were done with a hydraulic pole driver on a small digger. The only limitation is access.

For restricted positions you can use a manual post basher, but that's a total git of a job. I know someone who gave themselves a permanent elbow injury from a couple of days of that.

If in doubt spec longer posts.

What top rail height are you going for?

Still waters

concrete; lifetime job if put in right

timber; 10 to 15 years depending on location and will need replacing but way cheaper to buy and erect

mayota

Concrete all the way. As a previous poster said you’d be very lucky to get 10 years. You could always use concrete posts with the timber railing, easy to replace the rails when they rot.

Lumen

Problem with concrete is that it looks bloody ugly in post and rail form.

I almost went with recycled plastic, but the price was just too much.

Alfagtamini

It's a 40m long straight fence. No issue with access.

Driveway on one side and open field on the other.

Looking for a fence we can see through if that makes sense.
Something along the lines of post and 3 rail.

Concrete would be nice and I've priced it from the local precast concrete supplier but they only have the concrete fence panels and we don't need that level of privacy.

I have also seen the concrete post and rail fence on donedeal but can't find a supplier near limerick /Tipperary

Lumen

paulryanmini wrote: »

ILooking for a fence we can see through if that makes sense.
Something along the lines of post and 3 rail.

Spacing matters. I went for 4 rail as I wanted a higher (4ft) fence. At that height 3 rail looks too gappy.

Alfagtamini

Lumen wrote: »

Spacing matters. I went for 4 rail as I wanted a higher (4ft) fence. At that height 3 rail looks too gappy.

Thanks lumen , that's exactly what we are looking for. I'll get onto the sawmills monday for a updated price

Also what height are you fence posts at ?

elperello

You could go for a kind of "hybrid" fence using angle iron/box iron set in concrete with timber rails.
The uprights can be drilled and rails bolted making future replacements easy.

Lumen

paulryanmini wrote: »

Also what height are you fence posts at ?

I can't remember, I'm guessing 6ft. The top rail is 4ft, and there was a bit above the top - there's an angled cut on the top of each post to run off rain away from the rails, cut with a chainsaw.

If you want the fence to last longer you can treat the cut end on the top (or cap it), but since the last fence failed at the ground I decided not to bother.

Don't dig holes, just bash the posts in. That way the clay is compressed around the post.

Alfagtamini

That's something I didn't think of thank you.

Has anyone used the petrol powered post drivers ? Just seen a video of one on YouTube seems to work ok?

Alfagtamini

Lumen wrote: »

I can't remember, I'm guessing 6ft. The top rail is 4ft, and there was a bit above the top - there's an angled cut on the top of each post to run off rain away from the rails, cut with a chainsaw.

If you want the fence to last longer you can treat the cut end on the top (or cap it), but since the last fence failed at the ground I decided not to bother.

Don't dig holes, just bash the posts in. That way the clay is compressed around the post.

Perfect thanks , 6ft seems about right.

Alfagtamini

https://youtu.be/ukKN68qDUDQ

Link to the petrol post driver

Roen

What I did was use metal fence post holders sunk into postcrete.
So dug a hole approx 60cm deep. Hammered the 75cm post holders in about 15cm into the bottom of that hole.

So at that stage I had a free standing post that I could move about to get my levels. I then filled the hole with postcrete.

It's time consuming but the post is up out of the ground so will last longer.
When it does go it's a matter of undoing two bolts and hauling it out.
Only disadvantage I can see is that in dry weather the post may shrink and loosen sightly.

If you went that route you could potentially just hammer the spikes straight in to the soil. I had to dig out as the amount of stones in my garden is unreal.
Also heavy clay here with next to zero drainage.

lawred2

I've never seen one good looking concrete fence

Pressure treated wood for me

Alfagtamini

Roen wrote: »

What I did was use metal fence post holders sunk into postcrete.
So dug a hole approx 60cm deep. Hammered the 75cm post holders in about 15cm into the bottom of that hole.

So at that stage I had a free standing post that I could move about to get my levels. I then filled the hole with postcrete.

It's time consuming but the post is up out of the ground so will last longer.
When it does go it's a matter of undoing two bolts and hauling it out.
Only disadvantage I can see is that in dry weather the post may shrink and loosen sightly.

If you went that route you could potentially just hammer the spikes straight in to the soil. I had to dig out as the amount of stones in my garden is unreal.
Also heavy clay here with next to zero drainage.

Thanks for your reply. Now that does sound like a clever idea .
Definitely easier than trying to find someone with a tractor and post driver.

Mitch Buchannon

There are companies that do wood effect concrete post and rails fences. They actually look (to me) quite well. There a couple of suppliers of this style in Ireland.

Alfagtamini

Mitch Buchannon wrote: »

There are companies that do wood effect concrete post and rails fences. They actually look (to me) quite well. There a couple of suppliers of this style in Ireland.

Thanks
I did spot this on donedeal and there is a supplier in Donegal.
Might be worth a call on Monday to see it they offer delivery to Limerick and what the cost is like.

Mitch Buchannon

paulryanmini wrote: »

Thanks
I did spot this on donedeal and there is a supplier in Donegal.
Might be worth a call on Monday to see it they offer delivery to Limerick and what the cost is like.

The pictures I posted are from a company in sligo. There is also a company in Wicklow that I know of.

Alfagtamini

Mitch Buchannon wrote: »

The pictures I posted are from a company in sligo. There is also a company in Wicklow that I know of.

Thanks I didn't know that. I'll shop around Monday and see how the price compares

Roen

I was also looking at the solid wood effect 4x4 recycled plastic posts sunk directly into postcrete and then normal wood as the rails. They are bloody dear.

The above looks great though and would be nice for the front roadside of the gaff.

Alfagtamini

I'll post up prices for the concrete wood effect on Monday when I find out

tradesman

Try okeeffe precast in old pallas limerick

Alfagtamini

tradesman wrote: »

Try okeeffe precast in old pallas limerick

Brought from them many times. I think they just have the wood effect fence panels but I'll check again.
Thanks

Lumen

Has anyone costed steel fencing?

Alfagtamini

Lumen wrote: »

Has anyone costed steel fencing?

No, never have actually.

Alfagtamini

Some prices back this morning.

Latvian pine pressure treated
100mm X 50mm posts €14
4.8m boards €14.50
€750 for 40m fence

Concrete wood effect 3 rail
40m €1550

Pvc white 3 rail
40m €1150

Shaunoc

the estate park steel railing is classically elegant. i'd classically rip down my 4 rail timber fence in the morning if I had funds for it...but alas

Lumen

paulryanmini wrote: »

Some prices back this morning.

That's about double the prices in the local builder's merchants.

Alfagtamini

Lumen wrote: »

That's about double the prices in the local builder's merchants.

Is that for the Latvian timber ?

Got a price back from my local sawmills in pressure treated spruce for €445

A2LUE42

paulryanmini wrote: »

Some prices back this morning.

Concrete wood effect 3 rail
40m €1550

Pvc white 3 rail
40m €1150

Presume that is just the material cost of the fencing itself?

Alfagtamini

A2LUE42 wrote: »

Presume that is just the material cost of the fencing itself?

Yes all supply only

Lumen

paulryanmini wrote: »

Is that for the Latvian timber ?

Got a price back from my local sawmills in pressure treated spruce for €445

Ok, that makes more sense. I don't know whether the Latvian stuff is worth the extra. If you're going to spend money, spend it on the posts before the rails, as they're in ground contact.

Alfagtamini

To keep the thread updated.

I was ready to place an order with my local sawmills this afternoon. Unfortunately they have a 3 week backlog.

Can anyone recommend a supplier (by pm) in the Limerick Tipperary town direction.

Thanks

listermint

Lumen wrote: »

Ok, that makes more sense. I don't know whether the Latvian stuff is worth the extra. If you're going to spend money, spend it on the posts before the rails, as they're in ground contact.

yeah me too, perhaps concrete posts and timber rails.

Id prefer not to be coming back in 7 years redoing fencing because the posts rotted away

Still waters

paulryanmini wrote: »

To keep the thread updated.

I was ready to place an order with my local sawmills this afternoon. Unfortunately they have a 3 week backlog.

Can anyone recommend a supplier (by pm) in the Limerick Tipperary town direction.

Thanks

try frs fencing.ie they might have some in stock

Alfagtamini

Still waters wrote: »

try frs fencing.ie they might have some in stock

Thanks , awaiting a call back

longgonesilver

Neighbours installed a plastic post and rail fence, only maintenance is a wash twice a year as it turns green under the trees. There is no sign of aging. It is over 25 years old. Their one is white which is a bit stark for my taste but they are available in black, Brown and mock wood. This one is Irish made, might be cheaper direct from the manufacturer.

https://www.ardtech.ie

There are plenty of pictures on their web site.

If you go for timber it is usual to make a hole for the uprights with a crowbar, then drive the uprights making sure they are turned at the right angle.

If you buy from FRS ask for a price to stand the uprights.

Alfagtamini

Thanks for your reply.

I'll give ardtech a ring in the morning.

Good idea also about asking FRS for a price to set the posts.