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How to attach timber extension to Colorbond fence?

How do I attach 2.4m long X 500mm high timber fence extensions to the top of a colorbond fence? Should I cut off the shorter legs and use the longer legs to screw the extension onto the colorbond fence? Which screws (and what length) do I need and how do I use them? Thanks

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Fencing and Screening

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MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @SallyBee. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about installing fence extensions.

Cutting the shorter leg off would be an option, but I have concerns about the rigidity of the extension due to the lack of mounting points on the fence.

As these extensions are predominantly designed for timber fences, you'd be rather restricted on mounting points when using them on a Colourbond fence. You'd only really be able to screw the legs of the extension into the vertical steel posts of the fence if they aligned with them. Potentially some additional screws could be fixed through the bottom edge of the screen into the horizontal top capping rail of the fence.

For the fixings, something along the lines of Zenith 12G x 35mm Galvanised Hex Head Metal Screws would be suitable. Just remember that you can only screw into the upright posts or top horizontal rail as the fence panel itself is a millimetre thick, and your screws will penetrate the neighbouring property.

I'd recommend you place your screen up against the Colourbond fence to see if, by chance, the legs of the extension match the posts of the fence. If you can take a picture, that would be great. If the legs don't align with the posts and there isn't anything to screw into, let us know, and I trust our members like @Nailbag, @Jewelleryrescue, and @Dave-1 will have some great advice on alternative solutions.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

SallyBee

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/34885#Comment_34885

Hi Mitchell thanks for your reply. The length of the screens is the same as the colorbond panels (2.4m). I did think I'd have to screw the legs of the extensions into the frame of the colorbond fence. Should I also screw the extensions screens together or leave them separate? There is no bottom edge of the extension screens to use to attach to the top capping of the colorbond fence. The legs on the extensions screens are 25mm thick, so would I need longer screws than 35mm? It's raining here today but if there is break I will try to get some more photos.

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/79750#Comment_79750

Good Morning @SallyBee

Welcome to the Community 🙂 Nice question to start out with and one most of us have run into when looking at our own fences. The pages in here have lots of privacy screen ideas.

Looking at your photo and going over what you and @MitchellMc have been saying I would still tend to head towards the screws that he has suggested. The posts for colourbond fences are not particulary thick so 25mm of the 35mm screws being taking up with the timber screen and then 1mm ish for the metal post thickness. The rest of the screw wouldnt be doing too much.

Trying to support the screen midway was causing me to wonder, how about a mounted strip of timber from the top of the top rail to the bottom of the rail for the fence and then you could screw the center support to that timber? Think Fence pailing size/type. If you wanted to you could also have one of those vertical fence slats over the join between colourbond panels to give it a uniform look? If you go the route of the added timber for support then the screws should be changed to timber screws for screwing the screen to the vertical strips and the screws that MitchellMC has suggested to attach the timber to the fence is all.

Dave

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/79750#Comment_79750

As @Dave-1 has mentioned @SallyBee, the wall of your post is only a few millimetres thick, so the 35mm screws will be fine.

That's great that the legs land at the same point as the posts. When I say the screen's bottom edge, I mean the last woven piece of material. See the uprights that it weaves through? You could screw through the bottom of that upright into the top capping of the fence.

Mitchell

SallyBee

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/104303#Comment_104303

Thanks for clarifying that. I will give it a go. 🙂

Jewelleryrescue

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/119228#Comment_119228

Hi @SallyBee

I Read your Frame is 2400mm matching the posts of color bond fence, Thats great because Color bond have purpose made exention post channels that screw into the existing fence. just for fence extentions like yours. With a little modification.

You will need metal screws 10g x 35mm for the colour bond. and a hex screw bit driver.

The idea is to use standard color bond metal screws (you can get coloured ones to match your fence colour as well as colored rails and fence extentions to match or highlight your project. These are bought by special order at bunnings desk.)

1/ add fence extentions to your current fence posts they are 340mm long so your 500mm panel will go higher which is ok. This will give you slots to drop your panel into and you can screw into the channel walls into your timber up rights to hold it firm,

2 Do buy extra fence rails to insert into the new side channels as this will allow your panel to sit inside it supported it goes in so the channel is upside down allowing your panel to slot into it.

Basically look at your color bond fence see the posts at the bottom? See how the bottom rail goes between the posts and encapulates the fence metal sheets. Well that is your exact same method above for your panels of wood. we are simply recreating this at the top of your fence where your wooden panel is used instead of metal sheeting.

This will match your exiating fence including the color with the strenght of color bond steel as that extension will be facing strong winds.

If you follow this path you will have to saw off the bottom timber legs on your panels to fit into the channels provided by the color bond metal.

Your panel will slot into a color bond picture frame.

Here is a guide by project pete which shows the steps remember instead of stteel latice your adding your timber panel instead with out the color bond top capping.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/How-To/How-to-add-an-extension-to-a-Colorbond-fence/ba-p/50846

COLORBOND Steel 340mm Domain Fencing Post Extension I/N: 0910756 $17.01

https://www.bunnings.com.au/colorbond-steel-340mm-domain-fencing-post-extension_p0910756

COLORBOND Steel 2350mm Monument Fencing Rail I/N: 0910744 $16.08

https://www.bunnings.com.au/colorbond-steel-2350mm-monument-fencing-rail_p0910744

Bremick 10g x 16mm Pale Eucalypt B8 Steel Fencing Screws - 100 Pack

I/N: 0119468 $21.46

https://www.bunnings.com.au/bremick-10g-x-16mm-pale-eucalypt-b8-steel-fencing-screws-100-pack_p0119468

SallyBee

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/104302#Comment_104302

Thanks Dave some great suggestions that I will explore 🙂

SallyBee

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/128192#Comment_128192

Thanks for the information, I will check out your suggestion 😊

Nailbag

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/133996#Comment_133996

Morning all, apologies for the late entry, it's been a very busy week. The tips supplied already by @MitchellMc and @Jewelleryrescue are excellent. The only small thing I can add is that I would pre-drill pilot holes for the screws just on the front uprights. That will make it easier to then drill directly into the colour bond and into the rear uprights. Without the pilot hole, the upright might want to pull away as the screws are drilling in to the colour bond.

Jewelleryrescue

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/137631#Comment_137631

Hi @Nailbag

pre drilling holes would work as a metal screws bit not meant for wood better to use wood screws and drilling/screwing over head always harder.

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