Author Topic: Removebale Fence Posts Ideas  (Read 12974 times)

accolay

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Removebale Fence Posts Ideas
« on: December 23, 2016, 09:49:45 AM »
I want to make a portion of my back yard fence removable, and instead of reinventing the wheel, wondering if anyone has done this before? I only would need three posts to be removable that I could bolt fence panels to. It's something that would only have need to be removed every once in a while if I need large truck access to my backyard i.e. pouring new concrete into basement (old house), or eventually removing large old tree from backyard, and the neighbor could use it to more easily take his boat out from his backyard. There isn't enough room between my garage and neighbors garage to just make a large gate. We each have our own gate back there and the fence comes down from our houses in between the garages perpendicular to where the gates are, so I would need to remove a T-shaped section of fence to get a truck back there

So far, what I can think of is putting a sleeve of sorts into the ground, round or square that the post can be unbolted from and lifted out. Something akin to how traffic signs or city signs are put into the ground: one larger diameter round pipe set in concrete that a smaller diameter fits into snugly.

Material- City posts are galvanized and round, but it might be better to have square. Maybe a square post would look better?

Thanks in advance.

accolay

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Re: Removebale Fence Posts Ideas
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2016, 09:57:04 AM »

Prairie Stash

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Re: Removebale Fence Posts Ideas
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2016, 10:15:28 AM »
I bought 4X4 square steel tubes, my in town metal shop chopped it to lengths of 2'  (I would do 18" if I did it again). Only problem so far is water seeps from under it and leaves the post moist from the bottom up, its treated lumber so it might be a problem in another 10 years. I should have done more drainage at the bottom, more sand next time. I put the sleeve flush with the soil, I don't think it matters if its above a little other than aesthetics of looking at a metal tube. If you leave it out of the ground please paint it, it'll be annoying to paint in the future.

I just lift the post out whenever I want to. It has very little play (wiggle) due to how much contact there is between the post and the sleeve. It was overall pretty cheap, no tools required beyond a post digger.

Spork

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Re: Removebale Fence Posts Ideas
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2016, 05:12:55 PM »

I've never done this with fences... because I think staggered rails make a sturdier fence than making removable 8 foot sections...   But if you're doing it in sections, I'd just use metal fence posts and slide them into appropriately sized PVC.  I've put several clothes lines in where the posts fit perfectly in a PVC sleeve.  If you set the sleeve in concrete, you can pull the post up later with no issues.

lthenderson

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Re: Removebale Fence Posts Ideas
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2016, 08:02:01 AM »
I'm not sure wood posts would be the best for such a thing. Wood posts shrink with age which then creates gaps between it and whatever you use for a sleeve. This allows for constant exposure to moisture and faster rotting of the post. It also makes for a wobbly fence. I would be worried about the same thing with the system you linked as well.

A hinged portion would be much better than a removable section but I'm not sure I understand why this isn't possible in your case. A removable section made from wood that is big enough for a concrete truck to move through would be very heavy and awkward to horse around.

Dave1442397

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Re: Removebale Fence Posts Ideas
« Reply #5 on: December 24, 2016, 11:20:19 AM »
I really liked this fence idea I saw in Ireland. With the wet climate, wooden posts tend to deteriorate quickly, so most of the newer fences I saw were built using these concrete posts (and sometime, but not always, a concrete base) with wooden panels that slide into slots in the concrete once the posts are in place.


accolay

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Re: Removebale Fence Posts Ideas
« Reply #6 on: December 24, 2016, 03:37:10 PM »
A hinged portion would be much better than a removable section but I'm not sure I understand why this isn't possible in your case. A removable section made from wood that is big enough for a concrete truck to move through would be very heavy and awkward to horse around.

Just trust me? Ok, here's the skinny in case I'm missing something: think old city lots vs suburban lots. The space between neighbors garage and mine is just so- approximately 16 feet. (edit: less clearance for large trucks due to garage roof soffits, which I didn't measure.) There are 12 feet between my garage on the south and the fence line, so 4 feet between the fence line and his garage to the north. Each of us already has a hinged gate- the static post for each gate could be on our garage sides. I think I would only need two removable posts a) 4 feet north from my garage my gate could latch and b) 4 feet south from his garage his gate could latch. The perpendicular panel coming east from the fence line would also be unbolted and removed when needed.

Google says the standard width of a cement truck is about 8 feet. I think you'd probably want at least a couple feet on each side to be nice, so say 12 feet. Our gates- about 8 feet, then an 8ft removable panel for 16 feet clearance.

This moving of fence panel thing wouldn't happen everyday, only in select instances. One could unbolt the fence panel from the posts, then remove the posts.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2016, 03:47:36 PM by accolay »

lthenderson

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Re: Removebale Fence Posts Ideas
« Reply #7 on: December 24, 2016, 04:40:38 PM »
A hinged portion would be much better than a removable section but I'm not sure I understand why this isn't possible in your case. A removable section made from wood that is big enough for a concrete truck to move through would be very heavy and awkward to horse around.

Just trust me? Ok, here's the skinny in case I'm missing something: think old city lots vs suburban lots. The space between neighbors garage and mine is just so- approximately 16 feet. (edit: less clearance for large trucks due to garage roof soffits, which I didn't measure.) There are 12 feet between my garage on the south and the fence line, so 4 feet between the fence line and his garage to the north. Each of us already has a hinged gate- the static post for each gate could be on our garage sides. I think I would only need two removable posts a) 4 feet north from my garage my gate could latch and b) 4 feet south from his garage his gate could latch. The perpendicular panel coming east from the fence line would also be unbolted and removed when needed.

If it were me, I would get both of you to install a hinged gate with the hinge up next to your garage. Yours would span 12 feet and his 4 feet. I would also put another hinged gate on the perpendicular fence coming from the east as far back as necessary for both of you to access your yards. You could lock all three gates together where they meet and each would have a key. Then you don't have to worry about heavy removable panels, dealing with shrinking posts in inserts and you get full width access for trucks.

Google says the standard width of a cement truck is about 8 feet. I think you'd probably want at least a couple feet on each side to be nice, so say 12 feet. Our gates- about 8 feet, then an 8ft removable panel for 16 feet clearance.

This moving of fence panel thing wouldn't happen everyday, only in select instances. One could unbolt the fence panel from the posts, then remove the posts.

accolay

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Re: Removebale Fence Posts Ideas
« Reply #8 on: December 24, 2016, 11:47:36 PM »
If it were me, I would get both of you to install a hinged gate with the hinge up next to your garage. Yours would span 12 feet and his 4 feet. I would also put another hinged gate on the perpendicular fence coming from the east as far back as necessary for both of you to access your yards. You could lock all three gates together where they meet and each would have a key. Then you don't have to worry about heavy removable panels, dealing with shrinking posts in inserts and you get full width access for trucks.

We use the gates everyday to go in and out of to access our parking back in the alley to our non-attached garages, or take the garbage out etc. The plan is to have our hinged gates on our garage sides. I did consider a huge gate, but overkill for multiple everyday use I think. On his side, he can barely get a boat in and out of his back yard now so it would be nice for him to have a removable post/panel as well.

Still looking for any and all ideas for removable posts, but I'm thinking a sleeve will probably be the best solution.