Wire Panel Fence & Gate Project - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

**BuiltByMAC** · 10-20-2009, 11:33 PM

Hey all,

Some progress shots of my current project - a deer-proof fence w/ 2 gates.
Fence facing the street is powdercoated 4 ga. wire panels framed in cedar. Doubled 2x6 shaped beams provide barrier to 7'-6", preventing the deer from jumping the 5' fence.
Backyard fence is more basic - pt 4x4 posts, pt 2x4, 2x6 rails, 3/4" thick (actual) 1x6 cedar fence boards, 2x4 cedar cap rail and 1x4 cedar trim piece (to cover upper row of galv. nails) w/ custom shaped post caps.

Install the 2x4 cedar side rails (ripped down to 2 1/2"-slimmer profile), routed out to receive wire panels.
Slide wire panels down into side rails, screw 1x4 on either side to make bottom rail. The two pieces look like a single piece but provide drainage - a routed piece would hold water and rot out in short order.

Cap rail is routed to catch top of panel, top edges are hit w/ a roundover bit to pretty 'em up -

Gate is made by gluing up 3/4" planed, rabbeted fence boards to make an interior panel -

Panel is framed in w/ rabbeted 2x cedar. 2x material sits proud of panel by 3/4", back is flush w/ panel. I cut 1x material in the same shape as the 2x and sandwiched the interior panel between the two, adding PL between the 2x and 1x pieces. Hindsight being what it is, I'll just order 3x cedar and rout 3/4" channels in it next time. This was a pain in the ass, plus I had a bunch of screw holes in the back of the gate. I filled them in w/ wood putty but I'm not happy w/ the end result. I do like the thickness of the gate though, feels nice and solid.

I predrilled and ran 5" ledgerlocks through the corners of the outer framework. Routed all edges w/ a roundover bit to soften up the look -

Cut a 2x6 down to a 2x4 w/ a bumpout for the handle location...

Installed...

Backside...

I ran out of light and time to finish everything tonight. I'm up installing log siding on a cabin in the mountains the rest of this week (trying to beat the first snow), I'll get some finished shots of the rest of the fence this weekend.

Mac

SLSTech · 10-21-2009, 07:46 AM

Nice work Mac - so do we get to see pics of the cabin?

curapa · 10-21-2009, 11:23 AM

Looks great as usual Mac, I wish I could find more wallets like yours.

BTW, I saw the responses to your article in Deck Builder mag, some people will find something to complain about no matter what.

deckman22 · 10-21-2009, 12:24 PM

Nice fence Mac. We call that bullwire here, it comes galv. so I never felt the need to powdercoat. Can you powdercoat over galv. or do the panels come without galv.? I like the look of the black wire.

I did one that was similar this summer, but to keep a lab in not deer out. I routed grooves in 2x4 cedar on 4 sides w/2x6 cap. The 2x4 at the bottom I drilled weep holes for drainage, hopefully that'll keep it from premature rotting.

redwood · 10-21-2009, 12:57 PM

Lookin good Mac.

I also used that wire for a deer fence last year, but like Al, we left it galvanized.

What kind of company does powder coating, anyway?

curapa · 10-21-2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redwood

What kind of company does powder coating, anyway?

A powder coating business???

flyjaysun · 10-21-2009, 07:37 PM

Nice job, Did you come up with look of fence? really looks great! thanks

Quinn · 10-21-2009, 08:58 PM

Great job Mac. Way to take pride in your work!

**BuiltByMAC** · 10-21-2009, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLSTech

Nice work Mac - so do we get to see pics of the cabin?

I dunno, I spent the day installing Tyvek and flex. sill tape. I think real siders would laugh me off the board! It's that Drain wrap with all the wrinkles in it. It was impossible to staple up and keep tight. Of course, working w/ 9' tall rolls solo was a pita too...

Quote:

Originally Posted by curapa

BTW, I saw the responses to your article in Deck Builder mag, some people will find something to complain about no matter what.

Hey, there's armchair quaterbacks in every field, decks included. When they've built something like that by themselves...I might listen to what they have to say. Until then, their opinions of me mean nothing. I know that thing is bombproof, I saw where every screw and nail went.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deckman22

We call that bullwire here, it comes galv. so I never felt the need to powdercoat. Can you powdercoat over galv. or do the panels come without galv.? I like the look of the black wire.

Yeah, this wire was galv. The powdercoater can deal w/ some kinds of galv. metal, the others he sends out to be blasted. I dunno what he did w/ the wire panels. I know he can hit simpson zmax stuff w/o blasting it first.

The powdercoating was more for the HO desires - I'll get some pics of it in the daytime...the black makes the fence panels disappear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by redwood

What kind of company does powder coating, anyway?

A place in town called Altech Finishes - they specialize in powdercoating. I'm small potatoes compared to some of their clients...full size old fashioned light poles were hangin' on the racks last time I was there.

Mac

Bone Saw · 10-21-2009, 11:01 PM

sweet mac

curapa · 10-22-2009, 12:36 AM

Mac, after taking a second look at the pics I would like to offer some advice about your latch and hinge choice.

First, I have never had much luck with that type of thumb latch. They do install easily and can be adjusted but after a short while the latch on the gate side will begin to bend do to the pressure of the gate shutting. If the HO leaves the gate open and one good wind slams it shut the latch bends.

On production gates I use a standard anti-sag latch http://www.shop.com/anti+sag+latch?g...131941541&k=24, but I would hesitate using it on this particular project because it is not the best looking latch (it does work great though). This latch can slam all day long and it isn't going anywhere.

I cannot see the hinges very well in the pics but they appear to be the more expensive single barrel type. I began using those years ago and switched about two years ago to the 4 barrel hinge style http://www.hooverfence.com/woodfence/tstrap.htm. I have had much more success with the 4 barrel style, they are a much stronger hinge.

deckman22 · 10-22-2009, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuiltByMAC

The powdercoating was more for the HO desires - I'll get some pics of it in the daytime...the black makes the fence panels disappear.

Back when we used bullwire in deck rails I painted some black w/spray cans. The idea was to make the wire less noticable to be able to enjoy the view, which it did. However it was a major pita, I bought every can of black spray paint from one hardware store & most all from another store just for that wire, took forever it seemed. That was the last time I offered to paint wire.

The black does make the wire almost disappear, hopefully your customer doesn't find some buck with his antlers stuck in there one morning.

**BuiltByMAC** · 10-23-2009, 12:30 AM

Curapa, that's some good advice...

Regarding the latch, I have installed stop blocks before on some gate posts to absorb the force of the slammed door. Maybe I should do something along those lines for these gates...the barrel bolt that extends seems solid enough, but I haven't actually slammed the thing shut! I am burying the catch in the post, didn't get a chance to do that before night fell...

The hinges, well, the selection available locally isn't vast. I should probably wander online for the next gate. Good call, I can see where multiple barrels would work better. If they do start going wonky, I'll swap 'em out for something better...

Mac

redwood · 10-23-2009, 12:51 PM

I use Curapa's gate latch on almost all of my gates. It just works too well.

curapa · 10-23-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redwood

I use Curapa's gate latch on almost all of my gates. It just works too well.

The only problem that I have found with them is that most of them do not come with stainless springs for the locking mechanism.

neolitic · 10-23-2009, 03:34 PM

Any deer should be proud to be
stopped by that fence Mac.

Curapa, Redwood, that is the latch my DIL
wants me to take off (3 gates) because....
"It works funny."

curapa · 10-23-2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neolitic

Any deer should be proud to be
stopped by that fence Mac.

Curapa, Redwood, that is the latch my DIL
wants me to take off (3 gates) because....
"It works funny."

I had a customer recently request another latch for that same reason. It took a minute to explain how it was the best one available.

neolitic · 10-23-2009, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curapa

I had a customer recently request another latch for that same reason. It took a minute to explain how it was the best one available.

I've taken way more than a minute.

I'm pretty sure my son gets it, and
pretty sure she isn't going to.

redwood · 10-23-2009, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neolitic

I've taken way more than a minute.

I'm pretty sure my son gets it, and
pretty sure she isn't going to.

If my wife can figure it out, I'm sure that your's can as well.

neolitic · 10-23-2009, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redwood

If my wife can figure it out, I'm sure that your's can as well.

It's the DIL, I'm not allowed to argue
with her, my son is the one who suffers.