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What reo to use for fence screening?

heidipeters
Finding My Feet

What reo to use for fence screening?

Hi we currently have a wooden pailing fence. I want to build a trellis just in front of the fence that is taller than the fence to provide more privacy and to limit our plants from growing over fence to neighbour property( they hack the branches off). I was wanting to use two mesh to grow vines on. I really don’t know the type of mesh. The best posts( metal

or wood) and how to approx the mesh- any advice greatly appreciated 

thanks

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: What reo to use for fence screening?

Hello @heidipeters 

 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about fence screening.

 

If you already have mature plants that love to climb, I suggest having a look at this discussion - Vertical herb garden on reinforcing mesh by @Karl1. This is an excellent example of an easy way to install reo mesh on your fence. The materials you can use are 70 x 35mm Outdoor Framing MGP10 H3 Treated Pine - 2.4m along with Everhang 26 x 6.2mm Zinc Plated Round Screw Hook and Jack 1800 x 1050 x 5mm Light Duty Reo Mesh.

 

It is possible to get bigger mesh and smaller hooks if necessary. I suggest measuring the distance of your timber posts and see which mesh will work for your fence. I also recommend putting an extra post in the middle if the existing posts are too far apart. In this manner the centre of the mesh will also have support.

 

I also recommend having a quick read of this featured project - Vertical herb garden on reinforcing mesh by @RodAndo

 

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

 

Eric

 

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Re: What reo to use for fence screening?

Thanks- if I wanted to have it free standing and not attached to the fence- what posts would you recommend.

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: What reo to use for fence screening?

Hello @heidipeters 

 

If you were to use timber it would have to be treated like 100 x 100mm 3.0m H4 Treated Pine Post. Which would be the same size as a regular fence post. Another alternative would be steel fence posts. Although the drawback would be that the steel post might not be tall enough to go past your existing fence.

 

If you were to use steel posts, I propose using RapidFence Roll Top Wire Mesh Fence U Clips And Teck Screws. This will allow you to attach the wire mesh to the posts. 

 

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @TedBear for their recommnedations.

 

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

 

Eric

 

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Dave-1
Home Improvement Guru

Re: What reo to use for fence screening?

Good Morning @heidipeters 

Welcome to the Bunnings community page :smile: Lots of discussions in here espcially about added height for privacy on fences :smile:

I like the idea of free standing posts next to the fence, Id go down the track of timber posts as I kind of like the look and it feels more natural then straight out steel. 

 

Id dig a hole about a foot square, then place a H4 treated post into it and while keeping it vertical put rocks into it (Large but not huge) Ram them down hard to pack them in using another post or offcut and just work your way up the hole repeating it with soil and the rocks. It will be a solid post (500mm depth at least, 600mm would be better) Then use some concrete mesh arc 6m x 2.4m x 6mm reinforcing mesh to span between the posts so you can grow whatever you want. 

 

Id also space the posts around the 1.5m mark - 1.8m mark depending on how ridgid you want the mesh as it will want to wobble.

 

This is something ive considered doing :smile: but its on my "to-do" list

 

Dave

Re: What reo to use for fence screening?

PXL_20240125_005314694.jpgHi Dave!

 

I am very interested in this project. I would like to add a reo mesh screen to add height (and greenery!) to my grey cement sheeting fence (was here when we bought the house) but I am worried that the old fence is not strong enough to hold up a screen laden with Jasmine vines. I am happy to put in some treated pine posts to support the higher mesh screen but the fence abuts straight onto sandstone so I can't put the posts straight into the ground. Do you recommend I cut out holes in the sandstone tiles to properly anchor the timber posts with cement? If so, how would I go about doing this? I look forward to your response. Thank you! 

 

Charley 

Dave-1
Home Improvement Guru

Re: What reo to use for fence screening?

Evening @Charley2 

Welcome to the Bunnings Community page :smile: Hope you find something that works in here... Well There are so many things that hope is probarly to quick a word. I am sure you will find something in here that works!

 

Could you supply a couple o photos of the area you are thinking of? Maybe a long shot and a few of the sandstone wall/tiles that you mention.

 

I really dont like  any idea of adding to a fences structure too much. I figure that the fence usually has to withstand wind/kids/ various strains in the first place. You mention you dont mind putting in some posts to support the jasmine. That sounds good. Remember Jasmine will pull tight with age, the thicker the vines the stronger it will pull in on the structure. So maybe a freestanding structure could be best, even if its away from the fence by 30cm or so, it could be wiser.

 

Looking forward to seeing your photos and also seeing what other ideas the Bunnings members come up with :smile:

 

Dave

MitchellMc
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: What reo to use for fence screening?

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Charley2. It's fantastic to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about creating screening.

You could potentially attach the reo mesh to the back side of the existing pergola posts. You'd then only need an additional one to the right of your image. Cutting the paver sounds like the best solution. You'd basically cut a slot to suit the post's dimensions with an angle grinder. Make sure you wear PPE, including a face mask and safety glasses. Once you've concreted the post into the ground, you can place the horseshoe-shaped paver back into position around the post with the gap towards the fence. The offcut can be cut down to slot into the remaining gap at the rear.

 

If you haven't used an angle grinder before, it might be worth enlisting the services of a tradesperson to complete that work.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

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Dave-1
Home Improvement Guru

Re: What reo to use for fence screening?

Afternoon @Charley2 

I like @MitchellMc 's suggestion for removing the tile, digging a hole and then putting the tile in with a U shape cut. Mostly because we dont know what is under the paver.

 

You could also go the route of stringing wire between the posts of your pergola? I am thinking of balustrade wire. If you want it all along the grey fence then maybe a post in the garden bed for the third post and the balustrade wire between all three?

 

Dave

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