Slot In Fence Posts
- Slot In Fence Posts Barbed
- Slot In Fence Posts At Home Depot
- Slot Size In Concrete Fence Posts
- Wooden Slot In Fence Posts
- Fence Panels To Slot In Concrete Posts
- Garden Zone Light Duty Fence Post, 4 ft., 90004. Product Rating is 4. 4.4 (26) was save.
- I want to cut some slots in fence posts - maybe half a dozen of them about 1 - 1.5m long. (It's to make a set of compost bins with sliding fronts.) Options seem to be Use a router. I don't own one and have never used one. That could make it expensive and dangerous (HSS want 60 quid for a.
I’m working on a new woodworking project that involved cutting through-slots for bolts in a couple of boards. The two boards will act as adjustable arms to hold a dowel handle for a garden cart.
Removing an old fence post can be a pain in the ass – especially if the post has rotted and fallen off. That’s because fence posts are set in a concrete footing that is usually at least two feet deep in the ground. You could dig it out, but that takes too long. I'm imagining that the concrete posts have a slot or channel in them from ground level to the top. If this is the case, trim the 'Key' part of the fence with a circular saw. Insert the trimmed piece of fence into one of the post slots. Insert the end that isn't trimmed into the other post slot. It needs to be physically attached and isn't something which can make use of a slot in a post. If there is no system to fix to slotted posts then I suppose I could strap the loose frame to my concrete post with thin fencing wire, but that means drilling my new panel every inch or so and would look as cheap & nasty as it sounds.
I have cut shorter and narrower slots using a table-mounted router for a coin bank. These bolt slots were considerably longer and 1/4' wide so I was reluctant to use the same technique. I don’t have a plunge router – which would probably be the fastest and easiest way to do this.
Crowd-sourcing ideas
After checking a couple of woodworking forums for ideas – including one where someone trying this on a router table said the board 'shattered' (yikes!) – the general consensus seemed to be todrill out most of the material and clean up the slot later with a coping saw.
That sounded good (and safe) to me.
Since my slot was only 1/4' wide, I decided best approach was to use a 1/4' Forstner bit in a drill press to define the slot and remove most of the material, then clean up the slot with a file and sandpaper.
The shaft on the 1/4' bit was larger than the bit itself so I had to flip the board over to drill all the way through the 3/4' material. It’s probably a good idea to do this anyway to avoid tear-out unless you have a backer board underneath when you’re drilling.
What to do
Drilling
- Mark the centre points for each end of the slot in the blank and use a nail or awl to punch a small hole for orienting the bit.
- Set up the drill press with a Forstner bit the same size as the slot you’re cutting. You’ll need to attach a fence to the drill press table to maintain a straight line as you drill along the length.
- Place the blank against the fence and lower the bit. Adjust the fence and blank so the point of the Forstner bit enters the small punched hole. Clamp the fence in place, slide the blank to the mark at the other end of the slot and check that it’s aligned properly.
- Put a mark on the edge of the board that’s against the fence. Keep this edge against the fence when you flip the board over and drill the other side. This ensures the holes are in line even if your a hair off centre of the board.
- Turn on the drill press and drill the each end hole to define the slot – drilling about two-thirds to three-quarters of the way through the board. After that, just keep drilling holes and moving the work piece along the fence, overlapping holes just enough to keep point of the bit entering new wood. The slot will fill up with shavings which you should clear out if they get in the way.
- Once you’ve drilled the length of the slot, clean it out with a screw driver or something similar. Flip the board over (keeping the same edge against the fence).
- Repeat the process starting with the end holes. It doesn’t matter which direction you work in.
A COUPLE OF NOTES:
- If you’re making a wider slot, you may want to make an additional pass to remove the 'peaks' between holes.
- If you have a mortising chisel & bit you could swap that in once you’ve drilled the end holes.
Cleaning up the slot
- After the drilling is complete, clean out the shavings with an awl or small screwdriver.
- Clamp the work piece on edge to your bench and use a flat file to remove the high points left between the drilled holes being careful not to hit the rounded ends of the slots.
- Wrap a small piece of sandpaper around a drill bit (smaller than the slot) to sand the ends of the slot.
- After filing off most of the rough surfaces in the slot, wrap some sandpaper around the file and use it to finish cleaning up the slot.
If the slots were 1/2” wide or more, I probably would have used a jigsaw and straightedge to clean up the slots before sanding.
Slot In Fence Posts Barbed
If you’re planning to build a wood fence with metal posts, you’ve made a GREAT decision.
Because you’re investing in a wood fence to last for decades (instead of years).
But.
With metal posts, there is a big problem.
The metal posts that support your typical wood fence – are kind of (ahem) unattractive.
Wood fence panels slapped alongside “playground style” fence posts don’t exactly create the best look for your yard.
Though galvanized steel fence posts might be great for building a chain link fence, they are not so great when trying to build a beautiful wood privacy fence.
Thankfully.
There is a much better way to build a wood fence with metal posts. That’s completely different from your typical wood fence.
A Fence System That Changes Everything
The FenceTrac rail privacy fence system has completely revolutionized what it means to build a privacy fence.
Now you can have a wood fence with metal posts that stands the test of time.
And looks beautiful on both sides.
In fact, a FenceTrac fence looks the SAME on both sides.
That’s because.
FenceTrac uses a U-shaped channel rail system to hold your fence pickets in place.
These fence rails are connected in line with each metal fence post, to create a fence that runs right down the middle of your posts.
Instead of giving your neighbor the only “good-looking” side of the fence.
You both see the same great-looking fence lining your property.
A FenceTrac fence is beautiful, classy and looks fantastic no matter which side of the fence you’re on.
Why a Wood Fence With Metal Posts
Maybe you haven’t completely decided on a wood fence with metal posts.
If you’re wondering why you should consider using metal posts for your wood fence, consider that the average wooden fence post rots away in 7-10 years.
As soon as you put wood fence posts in the ground, moisture and wood rot begin to take a toll.
Wooden fence posts aren’t made like they used to be.
Prior to 2003, pressure-treated wood (including fence posts) was treated with chromated copper arsenate, a pesticide and preservative that prolonged the life of wood exposed to moisture and outside elements.
The use of chromated copper arsenate in lumber treatment was banned by the EPA, because it created a potential source of arsenic exposure.
Since the use arsenic was banned in the manufacture of wood fence posts, the life expectancy of your traditional wood fences declined – big time.
Most wood fences meet their early demise when the wood post rots at its base.
Leaving the fence vulnerable to high winds that simply blow it over.
A Wood Fence With Metal Posts That Last
Metal fence posts provide strength to the weakest part of your fence.
By using metal fence posts with your wooden fence, you will extend the life of your fence by multiple years.
…Often times extending the life of your wood fence by 2X, 3X or 4X years.
In this way, a FenceTrac fence is often a better investment over the long term, because it may outlast three or four all-wood fence replacements.
When selecting metal fence posts for your wooden fence, you have the option of plain galvanized steel posts, painted steel posts, aluminum fence posts, and galvanized painted steel fence posts.
FenceTrac posts and rails are protected by a multi-step coating system on top of a galvanized protective zinc coating. That way you get the classy look of painted fence posts with the corrosion-resistance and strength of galvanized steel.
A Wood Fence With More Privacy
When using the FenceTrac system to build a wood fence with metal posts, we recommend using tongue and groove red cedar fence pickets.
Slot In Fence Posts At Home Depot
This style of wooden fence picket nests together to create a strong fence with little (to zero) visibility through the fence.
You can stain these wood pickets before or after installing them into your FenceTrac fence.
Pickets can be installed vertically or you can easily create a horizontal wood fence with metal posts using the FenceTrac rail system.
Just check out our extensive gallery of fence installations to see examples of horizontal wood privacy fences.
And with FenceTrac, there are no fence backer boards. You simply cut the pickets to length and slide them into the rail system.
Four bolts hold the horizontal and vertical rails together to create each fence panel. The vertical rails act as metal post adapters, securing each fence panel to the metal posts.
Ideas for Your Wood Fence With Metal Posts
With FenceTrac, you are not limited to the same-old look of a wooden privacy fence.
The FenceTrac rail system gives you flexibility to create a decorative wood fence design that is completely unique to your property
So you can have the look you want.
In addition to wood pickets, you can use nearly any type of fence infill material you want.
Slot Size In Concrete Fence Posts
We’ve seen FenceTrac combined with bamboo, metal panels, welded wire, vinyl planks, PVC, composite fence planks and more.
You have complete freedom to create a fence that fits the style and functionality that you need.
Here is a small sampling of residential and commercial fence projects using FenceTrac.
A Stronger Privacy Fence With Metal Posts
As you can see – with FenceTrac – the possibilities are endless in terms of fence design, fence style, and fence layout options.
You can build a durable, long-lasting wood privacy fence, incorporating either a vertical picket or horizontal picket look.
Or you can build a privacy fence with some other type of infill.
Fence color options include: black, white, tan, and green.
Wooden Slot In Fence Posts
Standard fence panel size options include:
- 4ft H x 6ft W fence panel
- 4ft H x 8ft W fence panel
- 6ft H x 6ft W fence panel
- 6ft H x 8ft W fence panel
- 8ft H x 6ft W fence panel
- 8ft H x 8ft W fence panel
And we also offer swinging gates or rolling metal frame gate kits (with latches, hinges, hardware, etc.) to match the style of your FenceTrac fence.
Whether you operate a professional local fence company or want to build it yourself, the FenceTrac system makes it easy to install a more beautiful wood fence with metal posts.
Fence Panels To Slot In Concrete Posts
Contact us for a free quote or for more information.