Any homeowner strives to surround his home with a fence, which is not only a means of protecting property, but also helps protect the privacy of those people who live behind it.
When choosing a material, each person proceeds from his own criteria, the most universal of which are durability, practicality, ease of installation and processing. It is precisely these properties that corrugated sheeting has, which, unlike the chain-link mesh, the fence of which is made of, allows you to completely hide the house from prying eyes.
Let's consider how to start building a fence from such a common and beloved material by many.
Preparing to install a fence
In order for the fence installation work to proceed without interruptions and delays, it is necessary to carry out some preparatory measures.
The main ones of these activities are:
- Calculation of the required quantity and purchase of material. For this purpose, the perimeter of the fenced area should be determined and the height of the planned fence should be taken into account.
- Determination of installation locations for wickets and gates for vehicle entry.
- Defining the installation step support pillars. The step is determined based on specific conditions, but it should not exceed 3 meters.
- Preparing the site for work. For this purpose, all objects and elements that are an obstacle must be removed from the area of upcoming work, and the area itself must be leveled.
The procedure for installing a fence made of corrugated sheets
Marking
First of all, the places where the fence will be installed are determined and marked. For this purpose, a cord is stretched between the corners of the future fence, along which the installation of support posts is marked.
As a rule, they are used as support pillars metal pipes or square profiles. Of course, it is also possible to use wooden posts or beams, but one must not forget about their short service life. In the case of using metal elements, great attention must be paid to. For this purpose, all elements must be painted before installation, and their upper sections must be covered with any material that can prevent moisture from entering the internal cavities.
The supporting elements must have the following dimensions:
- diameter of at least 75 mm if pipes are used
- cross section is about 60×60 mm if square profiles are used.
Installation of support pillars
Installation of pillars begins with the preparation of holes, which can be made using hand drill. The depth of the pits can be from 70 to 100 cm, which is determined by the height of the fence. As a rule, the depth is equal to 30% of the height of the fence.
The installation of support pillars itself can be done using compaction or concreting. Moreover, the first method is cheap, and the second is reliable. In case of concreting concrete mortar prepared from a mixture of cement, sand, crushed stone in a ratio of 1:3:4, diluted with water.
Installation of pillars must be done in the following sequence:
- Install the outer poles and pull the cord along their upper cut.
- The height of the intermediate posts should be aligned with the stretched cord.
- Using a building level or plumb line, check that each post is correctly fixed.
- Install the next pillar only after the concrete under the previous one has hardened. This period can be from 2 to 3 days.
Installation of logs
Having installed the pillars, it is necessary to proceed to the installation of the inter-pillar joists on which the corrugated sheeting will be attached. This operation is usually performed by welding. However, it can also be done using bolts.
The following can be used as lags:
- corner size 40×40 mm
- profile rectangular section 25x40 mm.
For every meter of fence height there must be at least one log. Having finished installation frame structure, it is necessary to cover it with a layer of paint in order to prevent possible corrosion.
Installation of corrugated sheets
Installation of corrugated sheeting on the prepared frame is the final stage of all work.
The sheets are fastened using metal screws, screwed or using an electric drill with a bit into the recessed part of the wave at a distance of 100-150 mm from one another. Using stretched cords, you can control the installation height of corrugated sheets and the level of screwing in screws.
During the work, precautions must be taken, since all metal edges are sharp. These edges must be tinted using special polymer paints, and all work should be done using protective gloves.
To cut corrugated sheets, you should use a grinder, after wearing safety glasses. The edges resulting from sawing must be processed with a file.
No one suburban area can't do without a fence. Even if the most friendly relations have developed with neighbors, any owner still strives to fence off his property at least along the outer perimeter. Agree, you feel much more comfortable in the yard when you know that you are not being watched, willingly or unwillingly, by strangers. And worries about the safety of one’s own property stored in the yard or outbuildings become less acute. Therefore, questions are always among the top priorities.
Not so long ago, the choice of fence design and materials for its manufacture was not so great. Nowadays, the variety of options is so wide that it is even difficult to list them. But, probably, one of the most popular materials is a profiled metal sheet (otherwise it is called corrugated sheet or corrugated sheet). This is due to the fact that the cost of a set of building materials for the construction of a fence from corrugated sheets is quite affordable for the average homeowner, and the work on constructing such a fence cannot be classified as a task. higher level complexity, that is, they can be carried out on their own.
Let's take a closer look at what the advantages of such a fence are, let's see how to build a fence from corrugated sheets with your own hands, without resorting to the help of a hired construction team or renting special equipment.
What are the advantages of building a fence from profiled sheets?
Some owners of suburban areas treat corrugated fences with some prejudice, considering them some kind of frivolous fence for their territory. And it’s completely in vain - corrugated sheet fencing has a number of advantages that make it extremely popular.
Fences of various forms are an organic part of the vast majority of private garden plots. They not only protect the internal territory from prying eyes, but also often perform natural decorative function. In an effort to ensure a safe and comfortable life, owners order fences from all kinds of materials. One of the best options that meets most requirements would be to install a fence made of corrugated sheets.
In this article we will look at how to properly make a fence from corrugated sheets, and also discuss in detail the issue of choosing this material for a fence from corrugated sheets.
Classic fence and gates made of corrugated sheets
What is corrugated sheeting
Corrugated sheeting (profile sheet or metal profile) is a common and popular roofing material due to its advantages. Being a product of cold rolled metal, it is a sheet of rolled galvanized steel that has passed through a roll forming machine. As a result, the surface of the sheet becomes wavy, reminiscent of slate, and the waves themselves form stiffeners.
Waves (corrugations) can have different heights and structures: sinusoidal, rectangular, trapezoidal.
Manufacturers apply polymer and paint coatings(polyester, plastisol or pural), performing protective and aesthetic functions.
Profiled sheets do not require additional painting or any processing
Corrugated fences: pros and cons
As a fence material professional sheeting is chosen because of its positive qualities:
- Affordable price (they are much cheaper than wood or stone) with a decent appearance.
- Strength and wear resistance (treated special compounds, which reliably protect it from negative factors of natural origin).
- Lightweight material, which facilitates transportation and installation of the fence.
- The construction of fences from corrugated sheets is time-consuming.
- Comfort in operation (barrier from dust and noise, especially near the roadway).
- Mechanical strength.
- Environmental friendliness and fire safety.
- Unpretentiousness; an individual part can be replaced without dismantling the entire structure.
For any design option for a fence made of corrugated sheets, individual sheets are easy to replace
- Practicality (does not require annual painting, dirt can be removed with a damp cloth).
But we also need to take into account weak sides use of corrugated sheets:
- Large windage. Sheets can bend and become deformed in strong gusty winds.
- The sheets are coated with a compound that protects them from rust, but the joists and posts are made of steel profiles. At the attachment points, even with a primer, metal corrosion begins over time.
- It is difficult to carefully paint the joists without touching the main sheet.
What are the types of corrugated sheeting for fences?
The material is selected according to the conditions of future operation and the wishes of the owner. The manufacturer offers corrugated sheeting in a variety of colors and imitations of natural materials.
Fence made of corrugated sheets, stylized as stone
Varieties by coating:
- galvanized standard sheet;
- sheet with polymer coating, painted (plastic and synthetic resins);
- sheet coated with plastisol or polyester with increased wear resistance.
Sheets also differ in markings(steel thickness, type, width, wave height are marked):
- N – load-bearing profiled sheet intended for roofing work.
- C – wall sheet, suitable for the construction of fences and walls. By the number you can find out the height of the corrugation in mm (C10, C21, C20).
- NS is a universal sheet suitable for any construction work.
Additionally, profiled sheets are marked with the letters A and R. For fences, A-profiles are used (they are intended for painting on one side)
Video description
All types of profiled sheets are installed using similar technology. An example is in the video:
What you will need for installation: materials and tools
Materials included in the estimate:
- Profiled sheet of the selected brand.
- Metal pipes (used as support posts).
- Pipes for guides (standard steel profiles).
- Consumables (dowels, screws or rivets).
- Ruberoid to protect the holes from soil shedding (if the pillars are decided to be concreted) and a primer to protect the fastening points.
- Ready-made concrete, or its components - sand, crushed stone and cement (if the solution is mixed by hand).
If it is necessary to install a fence on a slope, the profiled sheet will have to be further processed
In addition to materials Tools will be required:
- Rope, nylon thread and wooden stakes for preliminary marking.
- Tape measure (minimum 4 m) and building level.
- Hand drill (replaced with a shovel).
- Welding machine for mounting the frame.
- Drill, screwdriver.
- Metal scissors, grinder, sledgehammer.
Development of a fence diagram and drawing
Before starting construction work, a graphic sketch (diagram of a fence made of corrugated sheets) is developed and a detailed drawing is drawn up. For this:
- The perimeter of the fenced area, topography and soil properties are clarified.
- Measure slopes.
- Insurmountable obstacles along the fence path (pipelines, electrical poles) are noted.
You need to ask the builders whether they make similar measurements. If not, then they are unlikely to be able to choose the right type of foundation, material of supports, joists and fasteners.
Standard layout of the fence site.
Marking the fence line
Marking begins with driving corner stakes into the corners of the territory. They fix the location of the support pillars. Additional stakes are driven in at the breaking points of the future fence.
Video description
About First stage construction of a fence from corrugated board in the video:
Installation of support pillars
The work begins with the placement of support (corner) and auxiliary (in bending places) pillars, on which the height from the ground is marked. The post must enter the ground until the mark aligns with the stretched string. It is also necessary to regularly check the vertical position of the pillar with a level.
As supports for fastening corrugated sheeting, choose a profiled or ordinary pipe, reinforced concrete or wooden poles, screw piles.
The supports are fixed in the ground by concreting the base or driving it in. It must be remembered that a third of the length of the pillar is buried. During operation, it is necessary to control the verticality of the supports.
Detailed diagram of installation of a fence made from a profile sheet.
Lag fasteners
After installing the main and intermediate supports, the crossbars (joists) begin to be installed. They are attached parallel to the base of the fence, retreating 20-25 cm from the edge of the profiled sheet. The frame for a fence made of corrugated sheets is mounted according to the rule: 1 log per 1 m of structure height. On a fence up to 1.7 m high, it is recommended to fasten logs in 2 rows, over 1.7 m - in 3 rows (to increase the rigidity of the structure).
To install the logs, 2 types of fastening are used:
- Welding. The fastest and reliable method. Welding areas are coated with a primer to prevent rust.
- Screw. Allows for dismantling.
Painting a frame for a profile sheet fence
Installation of sheets
The corrugated sheets are fastened to the transverse joists using screws. It is necessary to monitor the fastening of the screws.
An incorrectly installed (strongly or crookedly twisted) screw when installing a corrugated sheet on a fence can deform the metal and cause corrosion.
The joint is overlapped through the wave and fixed roofing screws or rivets (preferably steel rather than aluminum).
Video description
The process of attaching corrugated sheets to a fence is clearly shown in the video:
How much will the fence cost: installation price
The total cost of fencing made from corrugated sheets consists of the total costs of materials, services for their delivery and installation of the structure.
The price of a corrugated sheet is determined by its thickness, the nature of the coating and the profile height. Delivery costs are determined by the distance to the construction site. The cost of installation work varies depending on the terrain and project characteristics.
The main value that influences the final amount is the height of the fence, which determines the size of the post and the depth of its placement in the ground, as well as the number of logs (cross members). Calculate required amount sheets can be divided by dividing the total length of the fence by the working length of the profiled sheet. Self-tapping screws are purchased based on the number of corrugated sheets. 9-10 self-tapping screws are taken per sheet.
On average, you can find the following prices on the market:
- A fence made of corrugated sheets with metal posts 1.5 m high - from 1000 rubles. behind linear meter, height 2 or more meters (on three logs) - from 1200 rubles. per linear meter.
- A fence made of corrugated board with brick pillars - from 1400 and 1700 rubles, respectively. per linear meter.
Video description
Examples beautiful fences from the profile sheet in the video:
A metal fence made of corrugated sheets serves as a laconic and popular way of enclosing a private land plot. It is in demand due to low monetary and labor costs; basic construction skills are enough to build it.
One of the most inexpensive fences for a dacha or a private house - from corrugated sheets. Its design is simple - dug-in pillars to which transverse joists are attached. A corrugated sheet is attached to this grille using self-tapping screws or rivets. Everything is really easy, especially if you know how to use it welding machine. Although there is a technology without welding - on bolts or on wooden crossbars. In any case, you can build a fence from corrugated sheets with your own hands. If necessary, you can do all the work alone, but when installing sheets it is more convenient with an assistant.
Construction with metal posts
The simplest production is a fence with metal posts dug into the ground. You can use round or square section, but it is more convenient to work with square - profiled ones.
The length of the pillars is taken depending on the desired height of the fence, plus 1 to 1.5 meters are added for penetration into the ground. It is necessary to bury it in the ground below the freezing depth of the soil. For each region, the soil freezes to a different depth, but in central Russia it is about 1.2 m. When determining the depth to which you bury pipes, it is better to play it safe and make the holes deeper. Otherwise, the forces of winter heaving will simply push the posts out, and your fence will collapse (see photo).
For pillars, a profiled pipe with a cross section of 60*60 mm and a wall thickness of 3 mm is usually used. The distance between the pillars is from 2 to 3 meters. The greater the thickness of the profiled sheet, the less often you can install pillars. If the soil is difficult to dig, it makes sense to make the distances larger, otherwise you can save on purchasing metal - the thinner, the cheaper and the difference in price is significant.
Fence logs made from corrugated sheets are made from profile pipe 40*20 or 30*20 mm. Second option - wooden blocks 70*40 or so. When using wood, a significant amount is saved, but the wood disappears faster, and besides, it warps from moisture. Most likely in a few years you will have to change the logs, and they will already be metal. But it will work as an economical option for several years.
When making a fence from corrugated sheets with your own hands with wooden logs, do not forget to thoroughly treat the wood with an antibacterial compound (for example, Senezh Ultra). It is better to do this in the bathroom - immerse the bars completely in the solution for 20 minutes. This way they will last longer.
The number of logs depends on the height of the fence. Up to 2 meters - two are enough, from 2.2 to 3.0 meters you need 3 guides, even higher - 4.
Methods for attaching joists to poles
Metal logs are welded either between the pillars or in front. The first method is more labor-intensive, and produces more waste: you have to cut the pipes into pieces. But with this arrangement of the logs, the structure turns out to be more rigid: each post serves as a support for the sheet and it “walks” less; if desired, a couple of additional fasteners can be placed along it.
If you weld pipes in front of a pole (from the street side), there is less work, but you will still have to cut and there will be waste: it is necessary that the weld of two sections falls on the pole. Unless you adjust the distance so that they lie flat. Then you purchase materials in advance, and then calculate the installation step of the pillars.
To fasten wooden blocks, holders are welded in front or on the sides - metal corners or U-shaped guides. Holes are then drilled into them and fastened with bolts or self-tapping screws.
There is an option to assemble a fence from corrugated sheets without welding. There is a special one for this fastener, which is called X-bracket. This is a cross-shaped plate with curved edges, which is attached to self-tapping screws.
Corrugated sheeting for fences
For fences, corrugated sheets marked C are used - for fences and walls. There are also N and NS, but they are not suitable for fences - that’s more roofing materials. It is rare to see A and R markings; A profiles can be used for fences.
In the marking, after the letter there is a number - from 8 to 35. It indicates the height of the rib in millimeters. So C8 means that the profiled sheet is intended for a fence, and the wave height is 8 mm. The higher the wave height, the more rigid the surface will be. In strong winds, take at least C10, or even C20.
Sheet thickness - from 0.4 to 0.8 mm. The best option is a thickness of 0.45 mm or 0.5 mm. They are suitable for fences up to 2.5 m in height. If you need a higher one, take at least 0.6 mm.
The height of the sheet is usually around 2 meters, you can find 2.5 m. The width can be very different - from 40 cm to 12 meters. Different factories produce corrugated sheets of different formats.
Corrugated sheeting can be galvanized or painted (painted ones are 15-25% more expensive than galvanized ones). There are two types of paint applied: powder and polymer coating. Powder coating is more durable, but also more expensive.
There are sheets painted on one side - on the second there is galvanized sheet metal coated with primer gray, yes - from two. Double-sided coating is naturally more expensive than single-sided painting, but it looks better and has a longer service life.
Support pipes and fence logs are usually primed and then painted. And somehow it became customary to paint them with dark paint. By then attaching a corrugated sheet painted on one side to them, you get a clearly visible “skeleton” on a light gray background. In a small area this can be critical. Pay attention, and when building a fence from corrugated sheets with your own hands, paint load-bearing frame in light gray color. The result will please you: it looks much better from the yard.
How to attach a corrugated sheet to a frame
The sheet is secured with self-tapping screws or rivets. Self-tapping screws for corrugated sheets are galvanized and painted. They are selected to match the color of the fence. Tighten with a screwdriver using an attachment.
The installation step depends on the wavelength and height of the fence. The higher the fence, the more often you need to install fasteners. It holds normally if you fasten it through a wave, to increase strength, with two lags you can fasten it in a checkerboard pattern, and not one above the other.
When installing, it is important to align the first sheet vertically. Then everything else will install without problems. When laying sheets, the next one goes onto the one already installed on wave 1. Attach to the bottom of the wave. The self-tapping screw must be installed strictly perpendicularly. Then the hole is blocked with a washer and precipitation will not cause the paint to peel off.
To see how one can attach a corrugated sheet to a fence, watch the video.
DIY corrugated fence: photo report
A fence from neighbors and a front fence were being built. The total length is 50 meters, height 2.5 m. Brown corrugated sheet is used on the front, galvanized sheet is used on the border, thickness 0.5 mm, grade C8.
In addition, the following materials were sent:
- for poles profiled pipe 60*60 mm, wall thickness 2 mm, pipes 3 m long;
- 80*80 mm with a 3 mm wall were installed on gate posts and gates;
- logs 30*30 mm;
- gate and wicket frame 40*40 mm;
One person built the finished fence from corrugated sheets with his own hands.
The fence is installed on metal poles, between which the base is then poured. The owners need it because they plan to plant a flower garden in front of the fence (you can see the fence made for it). It is also needed to prevent water from flooding the yard during heavy rainfalls. Metal sheets They are not attached immediately from the ground, but after retreating a little. This gap is closed with a die-cut tape that remains in some industries. This was done on purpose so as not to block the access of air, so that the earth dries out faster.
Metal preparation
The first stage is preparing the pipes. A rusty pipe arrives from a warehouse; in order for it to serve for a long time, you have to clean off the rust, then treat it with Anti-Rust and then paint it. It is more convenient to first prepare all the pipes, prime and paint, and then just start installation. The rust was removed with a metal brush mounted on an angle grinder.
There were only 6-meter pipes in the warehouse. Since the height of the fence is 2.5 meters, another 1.3 meters need to be buried, the total length of the post should be 3.8 meters. To save money, they cut it in half into 3-meter pieces, and the missing parts were welded with various scrap metal available on the farm: cuttings of corners, fittings, pieces of various pipes. Then everything was cleaned, primed and painted.
Installation of pillars
The two corner posts were installed first. The holes were drilled with a drill purchased from a store. The soil was normal; it took about 20 minutes to complete one hole 1.3 meters deep.
The first pillar was placed horizontally and so that it rose above the ground to a height of 2.5 meters. To set the second one, it was necessary to recapture the height. A water level was used. You need to fill it in such a way that there are no bubbles - from a bucket, not from a tap, otherwise it will lie.
They placed the second post along the marked mark (they put it on a plank that was placed next to the hole) and concreted it. When the cement set, twine was pulled between the pillars, along which all the others were aligned.
The filling technology was standard: a double-folded roofing material was installed in the hole. A pipe was placed inside, filled with concrete (M250) and placed vertically. The level was controlled by a plumb line. It is very important to position the posts correctly, otherwise the entire fence will warp.
During the work, several times it turned out that the concrete was poured not inside the rolled up roofing material, but between it and the walls of the pit. It was a little pleasure to scoop it out from there, so the protruding part was cut into petals and nailed to the ground with large nails. Problem solved.
After the concrete had set, we made portable formwork from boards covered with thick film. With their help, the basement was filled. To make it stronger, reinforcement bars are welded along the bottom to the pillars on both sides. Formwork was placed around them.
Installing jumpers
Cleaned, primed and painted pipes for the crossbars were cut and welded. They cooked between the pillars. They also need to be leveled to make it easier to attach.
After the welding is completed, all welding areas are cleaned with a wire brush, treated with Anti-Rust and then painted.
Installation of corrugated sheets
Since the top lintel runs along the very top of the fence, and it is welded exactly level, there were no problems with leveling and installing the sheets. First they fastened along the edges, then installed intermediate screws. To make it easier to place them evenly, a thread was pulled between the outer ones.
Evenly installed fasteners are also beautiful
Afterwards the gates were welded and attached. How finishing touch- additional elements are installed on top - a U-shaped profile covering the top of the fence and plugs for the pipes.
As you understand, there is nothing particularly complicated. It is important to align the posts evenly and weld the frame. This is the main task. A lot of time - about 60% - is spent preparing pipes - cleaning, priming, painting.
Fence made of corrugated sheets with brick pillars
Of course, a fence with brick pillars looks more decorative. If you wish, you can do it, but it will take more time. There are two options:
- Do a full-fledged strip foundation. But it is long and expensive. On well-drained soils, you can make a shallow foundation; on heaving soils, you will have to dig below the freezing depth of the soil. And although the tape will not be wide, there is a lot of work - digging a trench along the entire length of the fence, installing formwork, tying reinforcement, pouring it and then finishing it. Put on top brick pillars. Durable, reliable, but expensive.
- Make according to the scheme described above: load-bearing pillars with a base. Bricks are laid around the pillars. This method is less expensive. About,
The whole technology is the same, only the reinforcement will be more rigid - two belts of two rods with a diameter of 10-12 mm. It will be necessary to install embedded elements in the pillars to which the guides will be attached. They (mortgages) can be welded to the pipe after it has been exposed and the solution has set.
Photos of the design of fences made of corrugated sheets
Often a profiled sheet is combined with forging, sometimes a frame is made from a profile pipe, a profiled sheet is mounted into it and the whole thing is decorated with metal patterns - forged or welded. Another option to make the fence non-standard is to install the wave not vertically, but horizontally. It would seem like a small change, but the appearance is different. Some ideas in the photo gallery below.
Fences made from corrugated sheets are advertised as having the best price/quality ratio. This is true: an unpainted galvanized fence lasts for 10 years, and manufacturers give a guarantee of 20-70 years for panels certified according to GOST 24045-94, depending on the type of coating. However, the proposals of fence builders are immediately alarming: the simplest, unpainted, 1.8 m high, on posts simply driven into the ground - from 900 rubles/linear. m. This works out to be 90,000 rubles for a country house of 6 acres (20x30 m). without a gate? Nice job!
Further surprises are revealed. Firstly, turns: there is a surcharge for each of them. Then, the frame needs to be at least primed, so why should it immediately rust? And you have to pay for the primer. As a result, at least 1,300 rubles/linear run up. m. for “budgetary - non-budgetary”. You inevitably start to think: wouldn’t it be better to do it yourself?
This article is constructed, so to speak, in reverse order: first we will tell you what and how to build a fence yourself, and then compare it with a custom-made one. All you have to do is compare the cost, estimate your capabilities and decide what suits you best.
Materials
The most common mistake made by homemade fences is the wrong choice of material. Fence materials make all the difference: appearance, strength, durability, but chasing only cheapness or only “coolness” is wrong. You need to choose taking into account various external factors.
Sheet
The basis of the fence is profiled sheet steel sheet with protective coating. The fence needs the so-called. wall corrugated sheeting designed for vertical installation. Roofing and other varieties are not suitable primarily due to price; they are much more expensive.
Wall corrugated sheeting is marked with the letter “C”; it is followed by a number indicating the height of the corrugation (wave) taking into account the thickness of the coating and, separated by a hyphen, a number indicating the practical width of the sheet in millimeters. Practical means taking into account the overlap of sheets during assembly. Eg. S15-1150. The height of the sheets is in the range of 1440-4500 mm. However, sheets above 3000 mm are supplied only upon special order and at an appropriate price.
For fences, sheet C8 - C25 is used, but the most popular is C15 (above in the figure). Why? Pay attention to his profile. The ascending small half-wave (shown by the red arrow) is cut off without any allowance, so the sheets are mated without problems, as shown in the inset at the top left, and you can buy C15 from any manufacturer. That means it's cheaper.
But already at C20 (below in the figure), the same half-wave is cut off with a small upward allowance. This gives an advantage when installing loaded structures (walls of temporary pavilions, for example), but is not significant for a fence. However, at the slightest violation of the manufacturing technology, the mating sheets no longer fit into each other. You can’t check it when purchasing; a defect can appear on any pair of sheets. This means that you will have to take expensive, reputable brands.
Coverage and price
“Bare” sheets of corrugated sheets are not produced. They go on sale mainly with 3 types of coating:
- Galvanized - from 160 rub./sq. m. Not for the sheet!
- Painted with polymer resins or enamels - from 230 rubles/sq. m.
- Coated with plastoisol (modified PVC) - from 260 rubles/sq. m.
Galvanized sheets require additional priming and painting, not only for aesthetic reasons. Zinc resists corrosion well, but as a metal it is quite soft. And the fence, unlike the roof, is located in the dustiest layer of air. Look at your neighbors' galvanized roofs: a galvanized fence will last 1.5-2 times less. And in any case, if the fence has a free lower edge (see below), it will have to be tinted every year.
Sheets painted with polymers last 20 years in any climate zone, provided the bottom edge is insulated. Without it - half as much. The reason is not the extreme resistance of polymer paints to abrasion (abrasion).
Sheets in plastoisol withstand at least the same: microscopic grains of sand are pressed into a fairly viscous PVC and themselves create a protective layer from subsequent ones. But PVC does not tolerate overheating and, especially, UV overexposure; it is caused by an excess of direct sun rays dry out and peel off.
Therefore, expensive plastoisol sheets are justified in regions approximately north of the Tver - Yekaterinburg - Novosibirsk - Blagoveshchensk line. In the boreal zone, a fence made from them can last 50 years. To the south you need to use polymer-coated or galvanized steel.
Columns
The sheets are attached to a frame that provides most of the strength of the fence. The frame consists of vertical pillars and longitudinal horizontal connections between them - lags. More on the lags below, but for now let’s deal with the columns.
Easiest and cheapest in middle lane will take ready-made purchased poles (see figure on the right). You can find them on sale, from small local manufacturers, for 260-300 rubles. a piece. For a fence of 6 acres with the correct configuration, you will need about 36 pieces, including gates and gates. Total – 9360-10800 rub. Let’s say right away: if you make the pillars yourself from a pipe or profile purchased at retail, it will not cost any less, plus time and work. The exception is the fence on, see below.
The post shown in the figure is actually intended for a chain-link fence, but it is also perfect for corrugated sheeting:
- The top is already sealed, so you don’t have to worry about water getting inside.
- There is a thrust bearing, which allows you to get by with a cheap sand cushion when concreting.
- In most cases, holes are already drilled in the paws. This allows you to fasten the logs without welding, using bolts (metal) or self-tapping screws (wooden).
- No need for separate (expensive) corner posts; how to attach the logs in this case - see fig. below.
- The paws allow you to assemble the frame end-to-end, rather than overlay (see below), which allows you to increase the strength of the fence many times over.
Since all manufacturers purchase ready-made metal profiles for poles, the quality of the product does not depend on the place of its manufacture. In places without excessive rainfall, provided that the soil is sandy or loamy, the pillars can simply be dug into it. On oily, but not soaked or acidified soils, it is also possible by first dousing their root parts with molten bitumen and wrapping them in roofing material. Provided that the fence is buried a third of the height of the post, the fence will be strong enough.
About homemade piles
On sandy loams and loams in areas with an annual precipitation rate of up to 300 mm, the fence can be made on screw piles. At the same time they disappear completely concrete works and digging. In terms of price, this gives a savings of one and a half times: holes for the posts need to be drilled with special equipment, see below about the technology.
However, you don’t have to be interested in ready-made piles: they are intended for foundations and are capable of carrying high load and are designed for a service life of 50-120 years. Therefore, the price is 2500 rubles. per piece - funny.
You can make fence piles yourself from pipes if your home workshop is sufficiently equipped and you have the strength and skills for hard work:
- The ends of the pipes are flattened into a “spear” cone.
- From a sheet of steel at least 3 mm thick, disks with a diameter of 3 pipe diameters are cut out (roughly, using an autogen machine).
- In the center of each disk, a hole is cut (or roughly) along the outer diameter of the pipe + 15% of it and a radial groove is cut.
- The discs are folded into “propellers”, put on a “spear” to the untouched body of the pipe and secured by welding.
Lags
Sometimes you can find recommendations to install under corrugated sheets wooden joists. This is simply nonsense: wood and corrugated sheets are not compatible with each other in absolutely all respects. It would be better then to just put together a picket fence.
Installation of corrugated sheets should only be carried out on metal logs made of rectangular pipes. The corner will not fit on the joists: it will not have the required wind resistance. The channel is heavy and expensive. And a 40x40 corrugated pipe costs something like 90 rubles/linear. m. It is no coincidence that we take the forty: the width of the log pipe should be one and a half times less than that of the column, and optimal size pipes for the post - 60x60.
Self-tapping screws
The sheets are attached to the joists/posts with self-tapping screws-press washers (with a wide washer-shaped head). The head itself must be hexagonal: you cannot drive it into 4-5 mm of metal with a screwdriver or a screwdriver with a cross-head attachment; you will have to use a spanner wrench or install the corresponding working part in the tool. Of course, self-tapping screws are needed for metal.
The diameter of the screws is 4-5 mm. The length of the threaded part is 2 sheet thicknesses + pipe wall thickness + diameter of the screw body. The total is 2 mm + another 2 mm + 4-5 mm = 6-7 mm. Each sheet of flooring requires 5 self-tapping screws for two joists or 7.5 for three joists. How many lags to install - see below.
About purchasing flooring
Sellers of corrugated sheets often, when purchasing from a certain minimum number of sheets, offer in addition a jar of paint from the manufacturer of the sheet of the same color. Don’t refuse, and if they don’t give it to you, buy it. “Native” paint will be needed to paint the heads of the screws and paint the joints of the sheets. This is necessary primarily for the corrosion resistance of the fence, and aesthetics come second.
Video: about cheap corrugated fences
Fence designs
The construction of a fence begins with the choice of its design. The first thing to decide here is whether it will have a free (raised) bottom edge (see figure) or buried in the ground. A fence with a gap at the bottom is absolutely necessary if the site is on a slope and/or on loose, floating, waterlogged soils. In this case, disruption of the natural drainage of the soil is fraught not only with a decrease in the productivity of the land, but possibly also with cracks in the building.
However, wind and dust will blow into the gap below. The point here is not only the constant roll of garbage inside along the fence. Street dust is a good abrasive; the smallest grains of sand will be erased over time protective covering, and the flooring will begin to rust. So you will need to tint it regularly.
The second option is to install special U-shaped protective profiles on the bottom (and it wouldn’t hurt on the top, too). They are sold together with the sheets. The lower profile will also have to be painted once every 3-5 years, but it will not be as noticeable as the “blubs” on the branded painted sheets.
Overlay or butt?
The frame of the fence on round piles/poles will have to be assembled on an overlay, i.e. Weld the joists to the outer surfaces of the posts, and attach the flooring sheets only to the joists. This is how it is possible (and most often done) to assemble a frame on rectangular posts. The advantage of this method is simplicity and speed: we “drive” whole pieces of lags and drive them. That's why professional builders That's how fences work.
But if the fence is on rectangular posts, then it makes sense to do the extra work yourself and install the logs between the posts end-to-end so that their outer surfaces coincide. Then the sheets can be attached to both the joists and the pillars. You will also need more self-tapping screws to the quantity indicated above, add 3 more per post, but the strength of the fence increases significantly. This becomes especially clear if, God forbid, a car drives into it.
Errors, sizes, more lags
The most significant factor influencing the strength, reliability and appearance (evenness) of the fence is the penetration of the posts into the ground. It should be at least 1/3 of their height, but if the pillars are concreted, this is not enough.
The correct corrugated fence is shown on the left in the figure, and on the right - typical mistakes, leading to corrosion of pillars and their distortions:
- The post pierces the pillow and goes into the ground. Due to the intricacies of physical chemistry, which there is no room to discuss here, corrosion will occur several times faster than just in the ground.
- A hole in a concrete “bump” around a pillar; cause and effect are the same. Concreting must be carried out at least to the ground level, and it is best to make formwork with a board height of 40-60 mm and raise the concrete plug.
Another common mistake is to wrap the pillars with roofing felt, concrete 2/3 of their depths and fill the rest with sand. Soil moisture will immediately accumulate in the capillary gap between the post and the wrapper. Soil microliving will come with it, it will quickly deal with the metal coating, and - corrosion.
As for the dimensions, the most important of them is the distance between the pillars. If the frame is assembled with an overlay, then it will be optimal to double the practical width of the sheet. If the frame is made end-to-end, then you can take a maximum of 3 m between the pillars. It doesn’t matter where the sheet joints go with either method.
With a sheet height of up to 2 m, you can get by with 2 logs, spaced approximately 300 mm from the top and bottom of the sheet. If the sheet is higher, you need a third one in the middle of it. And if the sheet is up to 1700 mm high, then lightweight logs can be installed, not 40x40, but 40x25 mm. Then they are mounted edgewise, with the wide side vertical.
Simplest: straight into the ground
The cheapest, but not at all weak fence can be built if local conditions allow the pillars to be driven directly into the ground, pos. 1 in Fig. The depth of the pillars is shown conditionally. If the fence is not on stilts, but on rectangular posts, you need to dig holes under them, and place the posts themselves on a sand (gravel) bed 200 mm thick. The diameter of the pit is on both sides of the thrust bearing; for a standard pole – 300 mm.
You cannot dig wide holes for pillars with a shovel or a bucket excavator: disturbing the soil structure far to the sides will lead to the pillars soon “moving” in all directions. With a hand drill, you can only go deep to the required depth in sand or black soil, but you can’t build a fence in them without a foundation at all. Conclusion: you will have to hire a drill machine. And how much they will charge for a hole - look at the location, there is nothing similar to the price standard in the Russian Federation.
It is impossible to wrap 3-4 dozen piles with a hand winch, continuously monitoring the verticality of each in two mutually perpendicular planes (after all, you can’t fix it if it’s “lost”). That is, you will have to hire a mini-excavator with a pile driver or a drill machine (almost all of them are equipped with one). Hence, there is another condition for the possibility of building a dugout fence: access to the necessary special equipment. Therefore, despite their apparent simplicity, such homemade fences are not very common.
Conditions that allow you to dig/drive the pillars directly into the ground (see above) in most cases also allow you to bury the bottom edge of the sheets into it. But in this case, you need to protect it from rusting, otherwise why bother?
The simplest way is to dig a narrow trench in advance and fill it with bitumen after installing the flooring to the top of the soil. However, you shouldn’t hire a trench excavator for this; it’s better to make a trench shovel yourself, which will later come in handy in the garden for digging, hilling, loosening, etc.
How to turn a regular shovel into a trench shovel is clear from Fig. The support for the foot will be a piece of reinforcing rod with a diameter of 10-12 mm. It is durable, the foot does not slip on it, and at the same time its smoothed relief does not cut the shoes. Several holes in the shovel handle are needed to adjust the digging depth. The stop in them, so that it does not fall out, is wedged on both sides with small nails.
About the pillars
Since you can’t install a dirt fence without special equipment, you can’t help but mention such a variety as a pole-setting machine. She simply sticks the pipes into the ground immediately exactly to a given depth. This technology is not widespread in our area, but in Japan, for example, almost all new poles made of thin-walled stainless steel are installed with pillars. If you find such a machine within reach, and you need a fence at your dacha, keep this in mind. This will be the least expensive option in terms of labor and money.
With concreting
In the same way, with the help of bitumen, it is possible to isolate the buried edges of fence sheets on concrete posts from the soil. Then the sequence of work is as follows:
- First, we do not concrete to the full height, we wait for the concrete to harden.
- We dig a trench under the lower edges of the sheets.
- We install the flooring.
- We add concrete to the pillars.
- After the concrete has set, we pour bitumen.
But, if funds and time allow, it is better to also concrete the bottom of the flooring (item 2 in the figure). This is especially important in windy places: bitumen only provides waterproofing, but a solid concrete strip around the perimeter also provides high wind resistance. The technology is the same, only step 5 will be excluded, and in step 4 we add concrete under the pillars and fill the bottom of the flooring with it. It is useful, as already mentioned, to raise the concreting above the ground using collapsible formwork made of planks.
Brick and corrugated sheets
A brick fence with a corrugated sheet is a common occurrence. It has a fairly solid appearance for a private home (see figure), is not visible, and costs 2-5 times less than a solid brick one. However, it is impossible to erect brick pillars separately: a heavy structure will place a large load on the soil and cause shrinkage. As a result, the fence is not only will go like a wave, but it may collapse altogether: the logs will pull the pillars one after another, like dominoes.
For such a fence, a foundation is required, as for any capital structure. The best option is 0.6 m wide; the column is equivalent to a wall of 2 bricks. Depth into the ground - at least 0.7 m in mid-latitudes, of which 0.2 m will be on the sand cushion. Protrusion upward – 250-300 mm.
In a “brick-sheet” fence, it is necessary to ensure insulation of the edges of the sheets not only from below, but also from the sides. The reason is the same: dust devils, and the dust will now also include brick particles. That is, both in the columns and along the top of the foundation, grooves (grooves) are needed into which the corresponding edges of the sheets will fit. Then the edges of the sheets are sealed with cement-sand mortar.
Drilling grooves with a hammer drill - you understand, this is not work, but self-mockery. One of the solutions to the problem is shown in pos. 3 in Fig. higher. A groove in concrete is formed, as usual, with a wooden block.
Grooves remain in the posts. You can deal with them, keeping in mind that now there are ready-made, with all straight sides, three-quarter and half bricks on sale. Therefore, we will change the method of laying the pillars. Instead of the usual, bandage in a row in a circle - as shown in pos. 3 of Fig. We lay out even and odd rows in mirror image, as shown there. All that remains is to drill holes in the lintels of the pillars, place logs in them, and seal the unnecessary grooves in the corner pillars with brick halves.
True, this method of laying is not very economical: if a row of a regular column requires 4 full-size bricks, then for a “new” one 2 + 3 3/4 each + 1 half = 4.75 bricks. When laying 25 rows (a fence 2 m high), 250 bricks are added to 20 pillars, counting according to full dimensions, an excess. Moreover, the finished scaffold goes on sale at a higher price than the same amount of full-size brick.
A brick fence, regardless of whether it has a “foreign” deck or a solid one, looks best on a brick foundation. In this case, the lower groove is formed by simply not adding one brick to the middle of the tape (item 4 in the figure above). And you need to keep in mind that a brick foundation cannot be made everywhere. The conditions are approximately the same as for building a fence directly in the ground.
About edge corrosion
The precautions described above regarding the edges of the sheet are intended to protect its edge. Here, on a thin cut with sharp edges, the protective coating is destroyed first of all. It is from here that rust begins to creep, and when its streaks become visible, it is much more difficult to deal with it.
How to build a fence?
The calculation of the fence is simple and does not require any design. It is based on the design length: 3 m for a fence on a frame end-to-end, 2 practical sheet widths for overhead joists. The technique is as follows:
- At the corners - a pillar for each.
- 2 posts per gate with a wicket, if it is separate.
- We divide the length of the perimeter by the estimated length, round the result to the nearest whole number, this will be the number of intermediate pillars.
- Distribute them evenly around the perimeter.
If you round up, it will be 2 columns more. And each pillar costs at least a bottle of vodka. Joke. And no joke - you can move the pillars a little apart without losing the strength of the structure.
Next, we count the sheets of flooring: divide the length of each side of the perimeter by the practical width. From the side with the gate we subtract its width and count each remainder as a separate side. We record the width of the remaining sheets, then add them up and count how many whole sheets will come out. Now we’re rounding up to a larger whole - you can’t joke with bottles here, a hole will form in the fence. Adding everything together, we get the purchase quantity of sheets.
All that remains is to count the lags. To do this, divide the same perimeter by the selling length of the profile (3 m most often) and multiply by 2.05 for 2 lags or 3.07 for 3. We give a small allowance for welding/cutting. We round up the result in pieces to a larger figure, so that again it will come out without a hole, and the trimmings will be useful on the farm.
Installation of pillars
Something about this was said earlier in the process. The pillars are aligned in height and in a row in the usual way- along tightly stretched cords, 30 cm above the ground and along the tops of the pillars. We install the corner posts first, then the gate posts, and then the intermediate posts between them. We begin to install them only after the corners with the gates are firmly in place. Both when concreting and when backfilling with soil, this requires at least 3 days.
We align the height of the pillars along the cord immediately, adding/removing a sand cushion, but it should remain at least 15 cm. We align it vertically along the top cord and plumb line. If the fence goes up/down a slope, then the posts can only be aligned along it in a row, and the verticality will have to be verified with a plumb line from two adjacent sides of the post. We align the pillars as they are secured.
If the pillars are dug in, then we feed the soil from the dump into the hole in portions so that layers of 15-25 cm come out. We tamp each layer; for this, a piece of sixty-gauge timber or something like that will work well. Having compacted the layer, we check the column for a row and a vertical line; if necessary, we level it.
The holes of the concrete pillars are first filled to 3/4 of the depth. Until the solution begins to set, we level it in a row and vertically, wedging it in the hole with stones (they can be left there) or with wooden wedges wrapped in plastic film– they will have to be removed after the solution has hardened and concrete added. Having leveled, add the solution to the top and wait at least 3 days until it hardens. Advice to strengthen the pillars before the solution sets and hardens by welding temporary supports to them is left to the conscience of their authors. Let them build their own fences like that, if they ever built anything themselves.
Frame assembly
There are no difficulties here: we place the pipe next to the pipe, temporarily tie it to the posts with knitting wire, and align the logs according to the cord and level. Then we weld the joist joints; if they do not fall on the pillars, it’s okay. Then we remove the straps one by one and weld them to the posts.
Assembling the frame end-to-end is only justified if the distance between the sidewalls of the pillars is equal to or slightly (20-30 mm) greater than the selling length of the logs, otherwise a lot of money and labor will go into scraps. When welding such a frame, the joint is first grabbed, then the strapping is removed from it and the joist is welded completely, both to the legs and to the post. The installation of the frame is completed with priming and painting.
Flooring
We install the corrugated sheets on both sides of the gate, placing the sheets alternately. Thus, all the “patches” will be left behind. After cutting the corner sheets to width, immediately paint the cuts with standard paint, driving it firmly in with a hard edge brush. Keeping in mind edge corrosion, this is exactly the case when a penny saving will cost thousands of overruns.
To install the flooring, you will need 3 screws per lag per sheet: in the first wave from the beginning, in the middle and at the joint of the sheets. The self-tapping screw at the joint holds 2 sheets together, so when calculating it we count it as half a self-tapping screw. If the frame is assembled end-to-end and the flooring is on 2 joists, then we add 3 more screws to each post, at the level of the joists and in the middle between them.
We drill holes for self-tapping screws with a diameter of 1.15 of the self-tapping screw body without thread. For a four it will be 3.3 mm, and for a five it will be 4.5 mm. It is impossible to drill a smaller diameter; the self-tapping screw, without going in completely, will grab so that you will have to break it out and re-drill the hole.
Before screwing, the self-tapping screw and the hole under it must be lubricated with cheap grease: grease, grease. It is cheap - it is bituminized within a year, and the associated parts will be reliably protected from corrosion. A helper (you can’t install a fence alone) immediately removes the grease squeezed out from under the head with a rag moistened with kerosene and paints the head of the screw with standard paint, driving it in as if it were a cut.
If there is still paint left after installation, it is useful to paint over the joints of the sheets. This will protect them from dust and the same, be it wrong, corrosion. Now all that remains is to apply protective profiles, seal the edges of the sheets in the grooves, if the pillars are brick, the fence is ready.
Video: the process of self-installation of a fence from corrugated sheets
Let's compare
Now you can estimate how much cheaper it will be to install the fence yourself. Here are the missing data for the calculation:
- Strip foundation in the middle zone. – from 5000 rub. per sq. m slabs.
- Drilling a 300x1000 mm hole or driving a pile with a Bobcat mini-excavator - from 200 rubles. in the black earth zone.
- Concreting 1 post for a fence, using the owner's materials - from 500 rubles. right there.
- Brickwork - according to local prices, the cost varies greatly depending on the region.
- A good gate with a built-in wicket can be bought for 10,000 rubles.
But don't go too deep into the calculations. They have already been carried out, and we can say that if the price of the work is 100% of the cost of materials, then they are doing it for nothing. That is, if you do it yourself, the savings are at least double. As for a fence near a residential building, especially if it only protects from the street, you can still think: you need beauty, but it costs money. But it’s definitely better to make a country fence yourself.
Finally
Corrugated sheeting, like brick, is an element building structures, the technology of application of which is very flexible. For comparison: ask a mason which masonry method is best. He will most likely stare at you like Badamka the President at the map of Khakhluyandiya. It all depends on the specific conditions and requirements, you just need to follow some basic principles. For a fence made of corrugated board they are:
- The fence must sit firmly in the ground; the deepening of the pillars has already been said.
