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timmmay

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#223104 13-Sep-2017 06:19
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We need to keep our toddler off the driveway, limiting him to the deck and lawn. We also need to stop him running off a 0.5m drop where our clothesline is. I guess we need two fences, each with a gate.

 

The fencing we need is in two sections:

 

  • 9m across a deck, though 2m of that is concrete driveway. Ideally it will include a 90 degree bend and a 20 degree bend, but we can go straight if it's much cheaper. The fence will attach the the house and the shed. We don't mind drilling into the deck, it needs to be replaced sometime anyway.
  • 7m around the clothesline pit, including one 90 degree bend. This has a wooden retaining wall with 4x2" capping.

A builder we found on builders crack estimated $3500 to put in pool fencing, which is more than we want to spend. It did bring up the idea of pre-made fencing though, which we hadn't considered.

 

The main requirements are:

 

  • Keeps toddler safe
  • Can't easily be climbed
  • Prefer no splinters
  • Should last 2-3 years, after that we'll toss it out
  • Not too ugly (minor consideration, price more important)

Is there something we can just buy and screw down ourselves? Any other ideas?


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tchart
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  #1863153 13-Sep-2017 07:22
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Premade panels are the way to go. Don't use pool grade panels though as they are about twice the price. It's a bit of a rort really as the non-pool ones are literally a couple of millimetres off in terms of meeting standards.

Anyway they are 1.2m X 2.4m and run about $85 at Bunnings.

If the areas are straightish they it should only be a couple of hundred bucks.

Heck I've even seen some panels for around $45 at Bunnings but they weren't 1.2m high.

Also consider wooden posts as these would be cheaper.

 
 
 

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timmmay

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  #1863160 13-Sep-2017 07:39
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Thanks @tchart. Finding stuff on those websites is tricky if you don't know the names, but I've found some premade fencing there. I'm just not sure how I'd attach it. I might go in this weekend and have a look around.

 

If anyone has done it and can recommend products, including how to fasten it to the deck / etc, that would be super useful.




timmmay

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  #1863163 13-Sep-2017 07:50
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Thanks Handle, that's a useful guide. I'll head into a hardware store on the weekend and asking the staff.


tchart
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  #1863169 13-Sep-2017 08:00
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There are premade posts for those panels that screw into a deck. I'm not sure how sturdy they are. I'd probably mount them on the side of the deck rather than on the surface. The surface mount posts were more expensive from memory.

If you are digging holes for poles I'd suggest you spend $150 on a hand auger. Saved me heaps of time. Even in rocky Hutt soil it works really well (look for fiskars).

cruxis
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  #1863170 13-Sep-2017 08:01
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We used chicken wire  and hammered some posts to nail it too. It only costs about 100$.

 

https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/number-8-plastic-mesh-0-9-x-5-metre-green/p/291831

 

We took the fence down once he reached the age of understanding about 4 years old.

 

 


timmmay

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  #1863172 13-Sep-2017 08:05
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tchart: There are premade posts for those panels that screw into a deck. I'm not sure how sturdy they are. I'd probably mount them on the side of the deck rather than on the surface. The surface mount posts were more expensive from memory.

If you are digging holes for poles I'd suggest you spend $150 on a hand auger. Saved me heaps of time. Even in rocky Hutt soil it works really well (look for fiskars).

 

Our deck is effectively ground level, with no sides, as it levels off the section against the house, driveway, and lawn. We'd probably surface mount, as otherwise we'd have to cut a big hole in the deck for the post, then we'd have a hole to fill.

 

cruxis:

 

We used chicken wire  and hammered some posts to nail it too. It only costs about 100$.

 

https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/number-8-plastic-mesh-0-9-x-5-metre-green/p/291831

 

We took the fence down once he reached the age of understanding about 4 years old.

 

 

That's worth considering, lightweight posts and plastic fencing :) It might be just a touch too lightweight and not durable enough for the wind we get. Maybe we could do that around the clothes line and do the driveway fence more solid.




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timmmay

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  #1864317 13-Sep-2017 10:37
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Haha, I don't think my wife would go for that one!


kiwifidget
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  #1864323 13-Sep-2017 10:41
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You can also get those buried electric boundary fences for dogs. Should work on kids too. :)

 

Far less unsightly than fencing, and the collar could be multi-purpose.





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frankv
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  #1864332 13-Sep-2017 10:52
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Thinking about the 0.5m drop under the clothesline...

 

If you put a fence there, will it tangle with clothes/sheets on the line?

 

Maybe think about turning that 0.5m drop into a 0.5m ramp? Or a couple of steps with plants and stuff? But, if it was me, I wouldn't do anything about it (unless there's something real bad at the bottom). Kids climb on 0.5m (and taller) things all the time... think beds and chairs and tables. They learn fairly quickly about falling and the need to avoid it.

 

 


mdf

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  #1864333 13-Sep-2017 10:52
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I made temporary toddler fencing when our kids were smaller. The design of this progressed a bit through various versions, but the easiest was sheets of plywood with a grid of holes drilled in it, with some battens at the ends to bolt it together with thumb screws. Key to this was that it was quite low (800mm ish from memory?). I clipped it to the house or fence, and it had 90 degree bends in it. It was therefore really stable just sitting there and didn't need posts or concreting. I wouldn't want to use this design for a long run without bends though, as that provided a lot of stability. How long is each individual run along your 7 and 9 meters? Also not suitable for a real fence, just for low-height toddler containment.

 

It did progress from barrier > plaything > challenge > inconvenience > firewood as they got older.

 

Bunnings used to have something similar in principle made out of bright, bound-to-fade plastic that you just zigzagged across the lawn (I think you filled the base with water too?) but cannot find it online.

 

If you wanted something more permanent and with any kind of height, I'd be a bit wary about screwing it to pine decking boards. Hardwood might be okay, but ideally you would only want to screw into a joist or bearer to make it solid. You can get a lot of torque down a length of a post. Obviously you can dynabolt into concrete driveways, but that wouldn't exactly be temporary to my mind.


timmmay

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  #1864360 13-Sep-2017 11:21
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@frankv it's a retaining wall between the lawn and the house. The clothes line is a fold out model attached to the house. A ramp wouldn't work, but thanks for the thought. A fence probably wouldn't tangle, if it's that windy we won't put things out, and there is a bit of a gap.

 

What I can see happening there is enthusiastic running, tripping over the raised wooden border, then going head first down 0.5m onto concrete breaking a bone.

 

@mdf plywood might catch a bit much wind at our place.

 

A water filled plastic barrier might work, but a gate could be difficult.

 

Decking is cheap, that stuff with lines on it. The deck is pretty poorly made, but should be ok screwing into that for a while. I'll make sure it's solid, maybe using a plate on the wood rather than just screws. Wouldn't want to damage permanent concrete with a temporary fence.


k14

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  #1864421 13-Sep-2017 12:01
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Yep, +1 for the bunnings options. I did this for our 2 year old last year. Cost me about $300 all up which was about 5m of fencing plus a gate and latches etc. I did concrete the posts in but you may be able to get away with less permanent solution (or just use a small amount of concrete when you put them in). It is pretty decent and has held up well so far. Really easy to install. Just need to get the posts roughly aligned and then cut the panels to suit.


blakamin
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  #1864426 13-Sep-2017 12:07
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timmmay:

 

 

 

Decking is cheap, that stuff with lines on it. 

 

 

You mean that stuff that installers insist on installing upside down?

 

 

 

http://www.build.com.au/should-decking-grooves-face-or-down

 

 

 

https://www.softwoods.com.au/blog/should-decking-ridges-face-up-or-down/

 

tongue-out


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