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Greenhouses & Garden Structures

converting old chain link fence

17 years ago

Okay, I have grown various vines on sections of my chain link fence for years, and still do, but some parts of the fence I would like to completely convert into something else - fence-wise. Here is my thought, I would love to know if anyone has ever tried something like this or if you think it would work. I am thinking of removing the chain link part and wrapping the metal posts with boxed-out cedar (4 pieces around the old post) and then building pickets or better yet a rail and stile type fence between the newly wrapped posts. What do you all think?

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Comments (5)

birdwidow
17 years ago
I think you could be the first on your block with a cedar fence that will never suffer rotted out posts.

Neat idea!
clavero
17 years ago
Ironic. I just chatted about this very thing on a thread about espaliered trees. We used galvanized posts as upright to a grape arbor (no rotted posts indeed) and U-bolted on horizontals. Maybe slip copper pipe over the glavie pipe first? Even just a paint job hides the pipe reasonably well.

I'd love to see a pic when you are done.

Steve
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Okay, here I go again w/my endorsement of five leaf akebia (aka chocolate vine, a name I can't understand). Semi-evergreen, very fast grower, flowers beautifully in very early spring, twines by itself with no help - on a chainlink it would be very happy! It can be aggressive, but not invasive imo. I have hacked it back and hog tied it to lattice fencing and it just keeps on like the Energizer Bunny. Not sure about exposure requirements - I have akebias planted on the inside of fences facing East and West and both are doing splendidly on my side and my neighbors enjoy their share too. Five leaf akebia might be just what you need. Lady Banks Rose - got those too. One on a retaining wall w/a Southern exposure, the other on afore mentioned West fence. Thornless and gorgeous in early spring - before shading trees leaf out - and one of the few in full bloom plants that sustained thru our Easter freeze. Hardy little specimen! Only downside is that LBR does have to be 'woven' constantly and sends out amazingly long shoots thruout the season so challenges my ability to climb the wall and cut 'em off. Small price to pay! Hope ths helps ......
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We have an elderly neighbor who was painting his chain link fence. DH and I decided to lend him a hand. While one of us held a huge piece of cardboard on the opposite side of the fence (to prevent splatter) the other rolled the paint onto the links. Then we switched sides. Last we had to go back with a brush and get top railing and little nooks that roller missed. Honestly it didn't take long and that was almost 12 years ago and that fence still looks great! My neighbor is on a tight budget, I cannot remember the brand of the paint, but I've seen him use Dutch Boy a lot on exterior projects, so maybe that's what it was. (It was silver in color.) If it were me, I'd use a primer. But he didn't and it came out OK.
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Good point arcy. We get along well with the neighbour and I am well versed in the art of persuasiveness. She has a tendency to do what she wants with her yard and not take us into account. A few years ago she built a deck without permits that is right up to the property line, if not over it. She closed in the base of the deck all around except on our side so we had to do it ourselves or be faced with a view of the garbage under her deck. We could have had the deck removed, but chose not to. She built her garden up beside the chain link fence so that the weight of the dirt caused the fence to push into my garden by about 6 inches. I pointed it out to her, and I helped her (actually, I did it, she watched) dig out the dirt and put in a solid barrier so it wouldn't happen again. So the upshot is, that I will present it to her in a persuasive manner. If she protests, I think I have enough leverage against her to make her see that we have put up with a lot from her, she can put up with this from us. If she wants her side painted black, I will happily do it for her. I've learned that with close neighbours, it is worth the extra effort to get along. It causes too much stress otherwise.
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davisgard
17 years ago
This how my backyard wooden fence was built 6 years ago by a fence company here in Northern California. The metal posts were boxed with wood--and the idea was that the posts wouldn't rot out. The fence looks pretty much like any other wooden fence.
tonda1
Original Author
17 years ago
OOOO, davisgard, got any pictures???

Well, the encouragement from you all is helpful. I half expected naysayers to tell me what a crazy idea it was... so I may just go for it! See what happens.
mokevinb
17 years ago
Don't forget, when you cut out a section of the chain link you will need to install an end bar into the remaining sections and fasten them to the steel post. (You may need to put in an end post set up to give your fence enough strength to carry the tension, but this can easily be done.) Otherwise, I think your idea is neat! Oh, by the way, don't forget to recycle whatever fencing you take out. You can either use it to make portable panels, for concrete reinforcement or sell it along with any other scrap steel/metal you have.

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