Installation instructions for a metal picket fence
The fencing of a private household has three main functions: it prevents the entry of strangers; denotes the perimeter of the owner's territory; is an element of decor. Among the variety of shapes, a variety of designs and methods of creating fences, a fence made of a metal picket fence is only gaining popularity among our compatriots, which replaced wooden rickety fences. The varieties, design features and stages of creating a fence from this material will be discussed in this publication.
Related article: polycarbonate fence between neighbors on the site.
What is a classic metal picket fence
The standard product is a profiled metal strip, 0.5 - 0.7 mm thick, made by stamping with intermediate heating of the material. Thanks to this technology, one or more longitudinal profiles and mating flanges are formed on the metal strip. Due to longitudinal bending, the strength of the product and its resistance to wind loads are significantly increased. After shaping, layers are applied to the metal fence for the fence:
- anti-corrosion, aluminum-zinc alloy;
- composition that enhances adhesion;
- soil;
- protective polymer coating or powder paint.
You should be aware that the most expensive models of euro shtaketnik can contain up to seven layers of protective coating.
The second and more familiar name for this material for domestic developers is the euro shtaketnik, which was introduced into use by sellers of building materials. And all because the main manufacturers of metal picket fences are enterprises in a number of European countries: Germany, Slovakia, Finland.
Main advantages
Despite the similarity of this material with its wooden counterpart, the Euroshtaketnik has a number of advantages:
- Durability. Depending on the coating, the declared service life of the material varies from 30 to 50 years.
- Resistance to weather and mechanical stress.
- A variety of shapes and colors, which makes it possible to bring to life almost any design solution.
- Low cost. The average price of one strip, 180 cm high, is 50 rubles.
Thanks to its durable coating, the fence made of metal picket fence does not require periodic painting and cleaning from rust at all. This material also has disadvantages, namely:
- Time spent. The erection of fences from a euro-frame takes much longer than a fence from corrugated board.
- Risk of injury during installation.
To avoid injuries associated with the sharp edge of the upper part of the product, it is recommended to use a ridge bar when creating fences.
Fence structure made of steel euro-frame
A fence made of this material involves fastening the strips to the metal frame using roofing screws or rivets. Round or square metal posts are used as a supporting structure. Fastening the fence between brick or wooden supporting elements is quite popular among domestic developers. The space between the supports is filled with a metal picket, fixed on the logs from a profiled pipe. The thickness of the crossbars is calculated depending on the weight of the fence, but, as a rule, a square pipe with a section of 20x40 mm is sufficient.
There are several options for installing strips on frame beams:
- Vertical. The structure of the fence is a series of vertical strips installed with a gap of 20 mm. This installation option is considered the most common among developers.
- Horizontal. In this version, the picket boards are attached to the uprights. The horizontal orientation completely eliminates the need for jumpers between the posts. Despite the less popularity, the horizontal fence will look no less aesthetically pleasing than the vertical fence made of a metal picket fence, the photo below fully confirms this.
- Staggered. This method involves two-way fastening of strips to the frame of the fence. After fixing the pickets from the front side, proceed to the installation of strips from the "rear". Products are fixed in a checkerboard pattern. This method allows you to completely hide the gaps, to ensure a high density of filling without violating the aesthetics of the fence.
There is one more, though the least common version of the installation of the euro-shtaketnik - combined. This method involves the use of a combination of various materials as a fence: a picket fence and a profiled sheet.
We build a fence from a metal picket fence with our own hands
To create a fencing made of euro shtaketnik, you will need to assemble a supporting frame. Square pipes with a section of 60x60 mm are used as pillars. For cross beams, profiled pipes with a section of 40x20 mm are used.
Pillars are concreted in drilled wells. The depth of the rack is not less than a third of its total length. The distance between the posts is 2 - 3 meters in the standard version of the fence. In the case of horizontal fastening of strips, the poles are installed in increments of 1 - 1.5 m.
For the vertical or horizontal method of installing strips on the frame, it is sufficient to "point" concreting of the support posts. If the option of staggered mounting of the pickets is chosen, then experts recommend using a strip foundation.
Calculation of the required number of picket fence
Band sizes vary by model and can be:
- width from 78 to 115 mm;
- length from 50 to 250 cm.
Not so long ago, models with a bandwidth of 100 appeared on the domestic market; 120 and 150 mm.
The calculation of the required amount of material is carried out according to the following algorithm:
(100 cm - gap size) / (13.5 cm + gap size) x fence length
For a double-sided fence, the resulting figure is doubled.
Calculation of material for the frame
With a distance between the posts of 2.5 m, it is very easy to calculate the required amount of materials to create a fence frame.
For 25 m of the fence, you will need: 10 support pillars, twenty logs of 2.5 m each. In addition, concrete will be required to fix the support pillars in the ground.
The rules for attaching the euro bar to the fencing frame
Fastening the strips to a metal frame, as a rule, does not present any problem, even for an unprepared person. Consider the sequence of fastening the material with roofing screws:
- With a marker along the entire length of the fence, we outline the points of attachment of the picket fence. At this stage, you will need roulette control, patience and maximum accuracy.
- We install the support bar from the side of the left bearing support of the fence.
Before fixing the plank, check the distance between the fence post and the metal picket fence.
After this procedure and checking the correctness of the installation with the building level, you can proceed to the direct screwing of self-tapping screws. For fences with a height of 2 - 2.5 m, four attachment points are used; structures over 3 m are recommended to be fastened with 8 self-tapping screws.
As a conclusion
In this publication, complete information was given about what a modern metal picket fence is, and a step-by-step process of its construction is described. Most domestic developers claim that metal picket fence is one of the most suitable materials for the quick construction of a beautiful, durable and reliable fencing of a private home. From experience, the cost of construction will be comparable to the cost of creating a fence from corrugated board.