How to install timber over wire fence?

[Mikey29]

Hey team! I'm wanting to install a new timber fence down one side of the boundary at our house. We currently have a horrid wire fence about waist height. I have spoken to a few fencing specialists and they have suggested leaving the existing steel posts in and sleeve timber posts over the top, as they are already concreted in and solid. Anyone tried this before? I assume you have to pour some grout in the sleeves to secure them onto the existing steel posts? Looking for help/suggestions/recommendations.

Cheers!

[JacobZ]

Hi @Mikey29,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

I can't say I am familiar with this technique, nor have I seen it done. The only way I could think to sleeve a timber post over that metal post is to bore a cylindrical hole down the centre of the post using a massive auger bit, then sit it over the post, then bolt through the timber and metal post to hold it in place. This would not be easy to do with standard power tools. If they had a technique that they could use to do this easily, then it sounds possible, but I am not positive how they would go about it.  If you've had fencing specialists recommend it, I would be asking them for some specific details about the process and materials that they would use. I think it is reasonable to ask for some clarification, as this is not a standard technique.

If you were just looking to replace the wire fence with palings without increasing the height of the fence dramatically, then you should be able to just bolt some timber rails to the posts and then attach your palings to the rails.

Allow me to tag @woodalwaysworks, @Nailbag and @Dave-1 to see if they have any thoughts.

Jacob

[AlanM52]

Hi @Mikey29,

The first photo looks like the front yard with 'your fence'.

The other two photos show 'your fence' running alongside a shared timber fence.

(Not sure about the above?)

Do you only want to do the the front with palings?

If that's the case remove the brickwork and install the usual 3 rails secured with U-bolts

Install the plinth board and then do the paling thing.

Maybe you intend to remove the back wire fence?

Cheers

[Dave-1]

Good Afternoon @Mikey29 

I have seen that type of Fence in American installs online, It seems to work well. Pretty much its a timber frame box around the post. So think 4 pieces of timber vertically around the post in a box shape. The rails are off center to the post. I dont see a problem really as long as the timber box is solid enough to handle forces of wind/leaning on type deal.

I would probarlly drill through the first timber side and then through the existing metal post and then out the other side and put a bolt in just to make it more solid but the American versions I have seen dont seem to do that.

Being an addition to the height I wouldnt go too high, maybe half again as high as the existing metal posts. Otherwise I would suspect the chance of it toppling would become more of a possibility.

Dave

[Mikey29]

Hey Jacob, 

Thanks for your reply, mate. 

Yes, it does seem to be an unusual technique hey. That could also explain why i'm finding it difficult to find anything online.

The way I understand it is the sleeve is essentially a box-type post made from 4 separate pieces of wood, not solid and drilled as you suggested.

My other option is to just rip the steel out entirely and just use standard timber posts, although this is adding alot more work and also introduces the possibility of damaging the brick wall.

[Mikey29]

Hey Alan,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Yeah so we have our wire fence, then there is a gap between our's and our neighbours fence (about 300mm) so essentially there's no shared fence at all, it's a void inbetween. Which is actually pretty good.

The plan is to keep the brick wall and remove the steel fence completely, and replace it with a higher timber fence - 1.5-1.6m high on top of the brickwork. I was thinking of just ripping the whole wire fence out but have been told I can keep the steel posts only, and sleeve over them.

Yes - looking at just simple paling front.

[Mikey29]

Cheers Dave.

Yes - been struggling to find anything online apart from one or two threads from the US describing exactly what you said. All very vague though.

I'm not sold on the idea as I'm not sure how it would cope, structurally, as I want it to be 1.5-1.6m in height. It could also be a ballache trying to work around the posts with fixing and installing the rails etc. 

On the other hand removing them from the brick wall could also cause issues as I was hoping to keep that intact and have the fence installed on top.

[Dave-1]

Evening @Mikey29 

Maybe frame up one post or two and then see how steady they feel at the highrer height?

Dave

[Nailbag]

Hi @Mikey29 

I can't say I have ever seen or even heard of this product before. I can't even find any products online.

But you could still use these posts and fix something like corrugated colourbond runnings horizontally and fixed directly to the posts. The posts could be pre-spray-painted a matching colour. It would make for a simple costs effective solution that would look great.

Nailbag

[Mikey29]

Cheers Nailbag 😊

Yeah it does appear to be a bit of an unusual approach, hey. Not sure I want to venture down that road the more I think about it.

I want to increase the height of the fence, it's only currently around 600mm and I want it to be the typical 1.6m for added privacy.

I think I'm just going to have too bite the bullet by removing the entire steel fence and core drill the new posts into the brick wall