How to extend height of brick fence and add gate?

We have just purchased a little old fibro with wood cladding house that was built in the mid 40's.

It has what we assume is the original brick fence and we are wanting to keep it but need to add height for security and privacy aswell as add a gate across the driveway and replace the current garden gate.

I'm wanting an old heritage cottage vibe, so am thinking crisp white's with the Balmain Galvanised Federation Gates (obviously painted white) with picket fence panelling like the ProtectorAl in Aluminium Garden Fence Panel Bishop in Pearl white and either rendering the brick or just painting it white?

BUT how do I fix it to the wall?

The wall curves upwards at the pillars each side of the driveway, I don't want gaps but also don't want to remove the curve. Also there isn't much to attach them to vertically along the wall when it gets to the white 'pillar' pieces, what do I do here?

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Comments

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Elder85. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about fencing.

I really like the gate style you’ve chosen. Those Federation-inspired designs will look fantastic with a heritage cottage. Before diving into how to extend the fence, it’s worth clarifying whether your main goal is privacy or security. If it’s mainly privacy, adding picket-style panels or aluminium slats to the brickwork could work well. But if you’re aiming for true security, I'm not so sure how much of a deterrent it will be. Features such as sensor-triggered floodlights, visible security cameras, or even smart locks on gates are much more effective in discouraging intruders.

As for fixing panels to the fence, the curved brickwork leading up to the pillars makes things more complicated. You could mount posts directly on top of the wall and fix your panels to those, but the panels would likely need to be custom-sized to follow the curve neatly. Alternatively, you could mount panels to the front or back of the wall using brackets, though this can look a little tacked on and you’d still be left with easy access points over the pillars. Another option is to use the pillars themselves as mounting points for decorative inserts or wrought-iron style panels, painted white to blend in. This way, you’d retain the character of the curved brickwork while still gaining some height.

If you’re going for a true heritage cottage look, a neat solution could be to paint or render the brickwork white, then use curved-top picket or wrought-iron infill panels between the pillars so the upward sweep of the brick remains visible. Pairing this with some soft landscaping, such as climbing jasmine or a row of tall shrubs behind the wall, would add both greenery and privacy while keeping the period charm intact.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Elder85

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/57688#Comment_57688

Should have clarified more about security. Its more to stop people just stepping/climbing over the wall.

We already have cameras and sensor security lights.

Mounting panels to the front or back of the wall was the only thing we could think of and also agreed it would look tacky and create easy access to climb over.

We have considered using wooden pickets and trying to cut them with a curve to match the wall but we had no idea what to do about the gaps at the pillars

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/91206#Comment_91206

Hello @Elder85

I'm aware that you are after a certain type of fencing, but have you considered building a standard overlapping timber fence with a pool wedge at the bottom. The fence paling can be configured to take on the shape of the pillar. But to prevent people from getting a foot hold on the old brick fence, I suggest installing a timber pool wedge at the bottom. Timber pool wedges are timber pieces cut at 60degree angles and placed at the bottom of the fence to prevent people from getting a foothold at the bottom. It should make it much more difficult for anyone from trying to climb your fence and using the pillar as a step to go over to your fence line.

Let me call on our experienced members @AlanM52 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Elder85

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/111563#Comment_111563

Thanks for this suggestion. Are you able to show me examples of what you are talking about as im having trouble visualising it.

Elder85

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/57688#Comment_57688

"If you’re going for a true heritage cottage look, a neat solution could be to paint or render the brickwork white, then use curved-top picket or wrought-iron infill panels between the pillars so the upward sweep of the brick remains visible. Pairing this with some soft landscaping, such as climbing jasmine or a row of tall shrubs behind the wall, would add both greenery and privacy while keeping the period charm intact."

With the above are you able to show me examples of what you mean here please. I struggle to visualise things like this 😞

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/91209#Comment_91209

Hello @Elder85

Please give me some time to draw this up. As soon as I finish, I will post it here.

Thank you for you patience

Eric

Nailbag

Hi @Elder85

Agreeing with both @EricL and @MitchellMc I can't really offer an off-the shelf inexpensive DIY solution when the aim is to maintain that 40's heritage look of the fence. Fixing pickets to a new heritage style gate is simply going to coverup another aspect and at considerable cost for the gate.

I would be inclined to first have the brick wall repaired where it's split. Then you could consider having custom wrought iron fence topping that followed the profile at each curved end. This would be very expensive and inline with @MitchellMc last suggestion. But then install the new gate without the pickets. Or you could simply fix the fence and plant out suitable height and species shrubs on the inside of the property to provide that privacy. A low hedge either side of the path leading to the front door would also finish the look and add just a little more privacy to each side of the front yard and keeping the overall look heritage.

Nailbag

AlanM52

Hi @Elder85,

I am not able to conceive in my mind a way to achieve your outcomes to extend the brick fence and maintain a consistent heritage look that does not look like the extensions are tacked on. This is what I would do which retains a part of the brick fence.

On paper sketch a plan to erect a picket fence between the brick piers.

Like the existing curves on the gate piers you could also curve the fence on the other piers.

(For now ignore the pier height)

Order what you need, have delivered and check that everything fits by laying out along the ground.

Remove all brickwork between the piers.

If the pier height needs to be increased carefully remove the capping.

Clean and reuse fence bricks to extend the height and recap.

At this point if you wish render the brickwork and paint white.

Install the new fencing.

Cheers

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/123228#Comment_123228

Hello @Elder85

Here is a rough sketch of your fence with the timber fencing and the timber pool wedge attached.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

fence brick 1.png

Elder85

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/111563#Comment_111563

After discussing it with my partner who was the original one that wanted to keep the old fence and add to it. We have come to an agreement to keep the brick pillars with the white tops and knock-down the brick wall between each pillar and fix the white picket fence to the pillars and use the gates I mentioned for across the driveway and pedestrian access to the garden 😀 we will paint or render the pillars white. There is also a brick garden bed that runs down 1 side of the driveway and across the front of the house that we will match to the pillars, at the moment we have planted in one of the garden beds a gerbera at each end and in-between everlastings. The bricks from the fence we remove will be reused to make a pathway from the garden gate to the verandah stairs. I have put a metal arbour at the garden gate with plans to plant wisteria or similar to cover it. It was suggested star jasmine but I react badly with hayfever and sinus issues with it.

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/123282#Comment_123282

Hi @Elder85,

This sounds like a fantastic plan that will retain some of the charm of the original fence and repurpose the materials that are removed elsewhere.

I would love to see it once things are done. It sounds like it will look wonderful.

Jacob

Elder85

Absolutely devastated.

The garden gate I have my heart set on is to wide. It's 1000mm and my gate space is 760mm.

Its going between 2 brick pillars that have been there since the 50's, I dont like my chances of being able to move the pillars across a smidgen without damaging them

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/58081#Comment_58081

That's such a shame @Elder85.

I can't imagine moving the pillars would be easy either, unless you were willing to break one down brick by brick and rebuild it over that little bit. If they were centred on a path, you'd need to move both, which would be even more difficult.

Unfortunately, I'm not aware of a gate in that style that you could order to size.

Maybe you could speak with a metal fabrication company to see if they could replicate something similar in your size?

Jacob

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