Fence extension with no visible posts or uprights

[Marcas]

Hi all,

Prior post seemed to have been deleted.

I've looked around a lot but haven't found a definitive answer yet.

Needing to install fence extensions, though unsure how to do it properly without access to fence posts. Should I concrete in posts on the inside of the fence?

There's 7m of paved area and 7m of garden to do it in.

Cheers

[EricL]

Hello @Marcas 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's fantastic to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about putting up a fence extension.

I have to say that this is one of the most interesting fences I've seen. A self-supporting fence with no posts visible. I suspect that it either has the post support integrated with the panel or it is very cleverly hidden. If you look at each panel you'll notice that every panel is attached by a screw which leads me to conclude that either one or two of the panels travels deeper and acts as the post for the assembly. 

Attaching an extension to this type of fence is a bit tricky since there is no safe spot for you to drill into without having the other end of the screw exposed. Is this a double-sided fence? Would it be possible for you to post a photo of the other side of the fence so we can see how the screws were covered or installed without the sharp points being exposed? If we can see how it was done, it might be possible to duplicate the mounting style which will allow you to attach an extension.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Jason]

Hi @Marcas,

While you organise some more photos and detail for @EricL, let me also tag experienced member @ProjectPete  who authored the guide How to add an extension to a Colorbond fence and has shared other creative fence projects.

Jason

[Marcas]

Thanks Eric and Jason.

I've definitely looked at those posts and tried to work out some alternatives.

Don't get me wrong, the aesthetic of a clean fence is great as it's 4 sections of fence being 3m, 14m, 17m and 7m of fence.

The 3m section is fine, the 14m section needs roughly 6-9 metres worth with height added and the rest is sorted.

It's just difficult to try and work around to add that extra privacy.

Currently along a portion of it, I've got some java reed/bamboo style fencing put up which we had at an old rental.

In case anyone wonders - I did this by slightly unscrewing some of the fence screws, popped some wire around, then screwed them back in.

So far, I've thought of:

• Using Whites Outdoor 16mm Slat 1.1m Rear Fix Screen Up, cutting it to (approx.) 550mm pieces (still yet to measure; possibly also needing partial painting), securing it to the posts that are on the neighbours side of the fence and then using Ekodeck Designer Series 67 x 15mm 2.7m Screening Composite Riverbank Red to provide the extension. Will likely will need something to push out the Screen Up system beyond the grooves though.
• Using several Specrite 1800 x 902mm Pre-Oiled Merbau Alternating Slat Fence Panels and attaching them to the horizontal fence supports and posts where possible.
• Remove pavers on paved area (not shown but is roughly 7x3m), install posts there as well as along the garden bed fence and then add the first option (Screen Up) between the posts.
• Save and wait for enough funds to put up a louvred pergola and use the Screening panels as above (though this will still be a while unfortunately and we'd prefer privacy within the few months, not years 😅).

The back of the fence down the driveway is below, though the fences we share is set up the same.

Cheers again!

[EricL]

Hi @Marcas 

Thank you very much for posting those photos of the other side of the fence. That solves that mystery, I originally thought that the fence was self-supporting, but those steel posts and horizontal rails gave away the secret. The ideas you've proposed are all very sound, I suggest measuring the depth of the grooves so that you'll have a better idea of how deep the timber needs to be. 

It's difficult to guess how deep the current metal posts are, however, the extension set you're planning to use is not that heavy, but when taken together as a whole will definitely add weight to the fence structure. If you are planning to mount the extension to the horizontal rail make sure to use enough screws so that the timber can carry weight and withstand strong winds.

Your other suggestion of putting up posts guarantees that the existing fence will not be affected by the extension. It also serves as a mounting point for timber or decorative panels should you wish to cover the Colourboand fence in the future. These are all excellent ideas and I leave the choice up to you. I vote for putting up the posts, have a look at this discussion as to why - Merbau panel screening by @WendyL. If the finances are a bit tight you can update your fence piecemeal as your budget allows, but the final result will look fantastic.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Marcas]

Thanks again Eric.

I think that'll be a good idea and I'll get to work on researching and adding those posts.

I definitely got inspiration from WendyL's post given the panels themselves cut down the job time quite a bit.

It's been a busy few days thinking of what to do and exploring these posts - absolutely great ideas from this commuity. Appreciate all the help.

Cheers,

Mark

[fhall]

Hi EricL,

I have the exact same fence as Marcus. I want to attach an aluminum slat style extension like either the ProtectorAI screen slats or the colourbond slats, but don’t want to add new posts. Is there a universal kit or someway to easily attach these to the top of this style of fence, or to the posts on the back with some type of extension kit?

[EricL]

Hello @fhall 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us.

It might be possible to install a single extension panel on an existing fence, such as the ProtectorAl 1800 x 900mm Black Aluminium Welded Privacy Slat Screen or similar. But when joined together the structure gains weight and mass which when unsupported will put stress on the fence and possibly bend it or worse make the entire fence lean in. If you have access to the other side of the fence where the frame is, I suggest installing the post on that side where it will not be seen and you'll have a clean extension on your side. 

Another possible method is to use a square metal tube such as the Metal Mate 20 x 20 x 1.6mm 3m Galvanised Steel Square Tube and painting it the same colour as your fence to make it blend in. The metal tube can be drilled into the existing frame of the fence which will make it secure. I'm currently unaware of a kit that can accomplish this type of secure fixing. 

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @AlanM52 for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.  

Eric

[Nailbag]

Hi @fhall 

Personally I would not recommend attaching these directly to the existing fence without increasing the strength of the posts. At 900mm high + multiple length of these will essentially create a giant wind catcher even though they are slatted. The potential that over time high-side winds will put undue pressure on the fence and posts causing them to slowly loosen in the ground.

Plus something this high in structure you wouldn't be able to do on a shared fence without your neighbours permission. There may also be council restriction on how close you can freestanding a tall structure along your fence-line.

Just a few things to consider.

Nailbag

[Dave-1]

Good morning @fhall 

I wouldnt be going down the route of adding height to your fence, Pretty much for the same reasons @Nailbag has mentioned. The existing fence posts have been designed to carry the load/structure as they are. adding another 1/4 to a 1/3rd to the height of your fence will lead to issues resonably fast.

I have wanted to add height to my fence as I am installing a spa, The fence is high as it is, so my solution is to install seperate posts on my side that dont touch the existing fence with slats at the top so I do not impact the carrying load of the fence.

Dave