There are many decisions to make when deciding on what type of fence you would like to install at your home. A fence’s main purpose is to add security but won’t cost a fortune for your improvement budget. One of those many choices is an aluminum fence which can offer many styles and colors that can fit your unique vision of a design. Once deciding on an aluminum fence, learn some pointers on the best tips to use in order to have a successful fencing install.
Talk To Local Zoning Officials
No matter where you are located, each area has its own type of fencing that is permitted. Make sure to check that you are in the boundaries for height restrictions and if there are any boundary regulations. Depending on the location, some locations require you to offset the fence post away from the property line by a certain distance but others can allow the post on the property line. If you are uncertain where your property line exists, you can have a survey done for you to help understand where the line exists. Also, another set of information to verify not only with local zoning is with your Homeowner’s Association (HOA). Some of them may have very strict regulations as to what type or color of fence is installed on your property.
Call Miss Dig For Underground Utilities
Before starting your project it is of high importance to always call “Miss Utility” before you begin digging. Many do- it-yourselfers do not remember to take this precaution and end up in trouble during the install. In many cases, one third of a fence height has to be dug underground. With an aluminum fence, gate posts should be at least 30 inches below ground. There are many hazards beneath the ground that you do not want to take the chance of hitting a pipe or wire. To save yourself from one large headache, please take the time to make one quick phone call that could save you a lot of stress in the long run.
Keep In Mind The Fence Rating
There are three types of ratings for aluminum fences that many are not aware of. It is important to decide between the strength of residential, commercial, or industrial. In special cases, there has even been ‘Heavy Industrial’ design created. If you would like to learn more about these three ratings you can view Alumni-Guard’s website, which provides great information about the Cads and Specs for each rating separately. The consumer must think hard about what the purpose of this fence will be used for, a residential fence for example may not be the best option if the fence will be heavily “used” by a person’s animals and kids.
Layout The Fence Perimeter
Before beginning to build the actual fence, make sure to lay out your plan for the fence physically on the ground so that you can see what the fence will look like when completed. We recommend using inexpensive string and use stakes for the corners to remember where you will have to dig holes at for posts of the fence. Many of people forget to do this step and will come across larger obstacles than they had imagined because someone forgot for example about a big rock or tree that is in the way of where fence wanted to be installed.
Mark Off Pole Locations
It is very important to designate a place for each of the fence posts. The simplest way of doing this would be to place a “X” using paint but be sure to measure your placement and spacing correctly. Many people make the mistake of just eye-balling pole locations and this error will cause further problems including further expenses and time when it’s time to actually install the fence. When using the paint mark, it will need to show the actual center of where the fence post will be so it is helpful to know the post measurements before placing the paint mark on ground. Being cautious to not mix and match the posts because Aluminum fence posts are pre-punched to be a certain type such as corner, in-line or end posts for the gate.
Start With The Gate
The first thing to do in the project is the gate posts. When building wood fences, you have the ability to make alterations during the installation but because when installing aluminum fences, the posts are pre-punched and the rails fit tightly together. By starting with the gate posts it will help eliminate problems with measuring or strange entry locations. Also when installing an aluminum fence the gate posts need to be dug deeper than a different type of fence post because the posts have quite a bit of weight attached to the post compared to other fences. If making the mistake of digging the hole for the post to shallow, the process and maintenance in years to come will have to be repeated frequently so it is best to do it right the first time and dig the hole appropriately in depth. A suggestion from aluminum fence specialist is to dig a depth of 30″ for gates over 96″. With smaller gates you may only have to dig a depth of 24″.
Concrete and Aluminum Fence
Aluminum fences can be mounted to concrete however; there are things to remember when working with concrete. First, your fence posts need to be anchored properly because normal wear and tear on daily basis could lead the fence to weaken and sag overtime. To install aluminum fence to a concrete surface the simplest way is to use a floor flange for each post. A person can bolt down into the concrete, add the post and then finish securing it. Secondly, keep in mind to allow the concrete to dry completely before ongoing your installation. It is key to be patient when installing an aluminum fence, rushing the process will only make things worse. It may take up to three days for the concrete to dry completely but that is much less time than it will take to redo sections of the fence or possibly even having to redo the whole thing!
If you follow these simple seven steps, your installation should hopefully go fairly smooth.
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