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Can anyone shed some light on the proper installation techniques for 6′ high vinyl fence? I live in central New Jersey and am helping a friend install this type fence and can’t find info on the correct post hole depths,I always thought the frost line was 36″ here but the people at home depot told him to go down only 24″.
Also what are the tricks to getting the tops of the posts even? I remember when I used to work for a cyclone fence company we would set the posts in 36″ of concrete and come back the next day and cut them all to the correct height. It seems nothing I know about fence installation applies to vinyl fence.
How can you put the post in the ground 3′ when the posts are only 8′ to start with? 8′-6′ (fence height)= 2′ left to go in the ground,I’m Missing Something!
Thanks, Fred
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Hmm...seems like the manufacturer would be a better source of info that the Depot Peeple. Here's something i found at this site:
i How do you set the posts?
i The posts are set in concrete in the ground from 24 to 36 inches deep and in some cases cement is put inside the posts with re-bar for exceptional strength. (This is not recommended for livestock because it makes it too strong.)
They recommend this for corner and gate posts, not line posts.
*I hope you didn't buy the fence at HD. I looked at their stuff once. I would never install it for anyone. Look into Bufftec by Certainteed. But there are alot of good brands.I don't worry much about frost line. If a fence post heaves, it's not as big a deal as a footing for a house heaving.I usually dig down to about 36", try to set the post about 30" in the ground. Any more isn't worth much because the weak link is the vinyl post which will break, not a post being pulled from the ground.Set the post in the hole, fill the hole with dry cement (I usually only use cement on corner and gate posts like splinter already said) or just dirt. tamp lightly. site down the top of the posts and lift until it's right on. Then tamp the heck out of it.If the ground is sloped or rolling, you don't want a perfectly level fence.
*Unfortunately, I've had the displeasure of installing two HD fences. Nothing but problems. I completely agree with Ryan that the Certainteed product is hands above the US Fence stuff (HD). I found the illustrations and instructions to be somewhat lacking, and the exactness that is required for both depth setting and spacing borders on space shuttle work. Finally, although the finished product looks nice (I think I posted my complaint about HD's fence selection under another thread about HD cabinets a couple weeks ago), it is very weak, wavy, and not near the quality of Certainteed products. All this for only $60 per panel! Oh well, if you really want, I can post back about how we installed it, but this is a situation where I'd ask the customer to choose another line, or I'd walk on the next one. There are many other vinyl manufacturers around; do yourself a favor and go somewhere else.
*Fred, As long as the posthole is below frost line, then the posts wont heave. Just pull it up to height in the wet concrete after you get it in line. As for setting the tops, I always just eyeballed the grade, and set the post tops to match. Same thing with chain link posts. Beats a pipe cutter or equivilant. You could also set a string line to grade and pull each post up to the line.
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Can anyone shed some light on the proper installation techniques for 6' high vinyl fence? I live in central New Jersey and am helping a friend install this type fence and can't find info on the correct post hole depths,I always thought the frost line was 36" here but the people at home depot told him to go down only 24".
Also what are the tricks to getting the tops of the posts even? I remember when I used to work for a cyclone fence company we would set the posts in 36" of concrete and come back the next day and cut them all to the correct height. It seems nothing I know about fence installation applies to vinyl fence.
How can you put the post in the ground 3' when the posts are only 8' to start with? 8'-6' (fence height)= 2' left to go in the ground,I'm Missing Something!
Thanks, Fred