A fence made of a metal picket fence (euro fence) with your own hands

Choosing a fence for a site is not an easy task - it is necessary that it be reliable, durable, beautiful. All these requirements are met by a fence made of a metal picket fence (euro fence). Climbing on it is problematic - not that toughness. Breaking it is "boring" - usually, hooligan lovers limit themselves to bending a couple of slats. Beauty, of course, is a subjective criterion, but such fences look better than the same solid one fence made of corrugated board... In addition, they are not so susceptible to wind loads, which saves on support poles. An additional plus - they are blown through. In general, not a bad option.

What is a metal picket fence

The metal picket fence is made of galvanized steel sheet. A relief is formed on the sheet, after which it is cut into strips-picket, covered with protective compounds, painted. Planks of a certain height are obtained. Typically, the height is from 150 to 180 cm. To complete the fence, you also need support pillars (most often 60 * 60 * 2 mm), bowstrings (two or three crossbars that go between the posts) and fasteners.

It looks quite solid

Types, forms, profiles

The thickness of the metal of the euro shtaketnik can be from 0.4 to 1.5 mm. The most common is made of steel with a thickness of 0.5 mm. The width of the picket fence is from 80 mm to 128 mm, the length is up to 2 meters.

P and M - shaped profiles of a metal picket fence

There is a metal picket fence with a different profile: P (rectangular), M-shaped and semicircular. M-shaped have more ribs, respectively, have greater rigidity. But there are also U-shaped, in which grooves are formed in the "back". In this case, it is already difficult to say which one will be tougher. Most likely, the latter, especially if it has rolled edges.

Each company has its own profiles

Semicircular ones also have greater rigidity, but are more difficult to form and usually have a higher price. For greater strength, additional grooves can also be formed along the long side.

In general, the more stiffening grooves, the better the bar resists bending along its length. But with the complication of the relief, the price becomes higher. Since it is rather big in itself, you usually have to find a compromise. In any case, the bar should be able to withstand your attempts to bend it.

What to look for when choosing

When choosing a metal picket fence, it is advisable to see the game offered to you live. The same metal thickness may be declared, but in practice it turns out that the edge of the bar from one batch can be bent with a finger, with the other batch such a trick fails. And this is from one manufacturer. It is a matter of the quality of the batch of metal, and it is rarely stable.

A rolled edge, several layers of protective coatings - these are the signs of a good metal picket fence

Also, be sure to pay attention to the edges - it is better if they are rolled up. Firstly, it is a more attractive appearance, secondly, the greater rigidity of the picket fence, and thirdly, the sharp edge is bent and it is impossible for them to get hurt. There is only one drawback for a picket fence with rolling - a higher price, since it requires special equipment and additional processing time.

If we talk about the products of specific firms, then the Euroshtaketnik Grand Line (Grand Line), Barrera Grande, Nova, TPK Center Metallokrovli, FinFold, UNIX (Unix) are popular.

Painting methods

It is worth understanding the coloring method.There is an iron picket fence with double-sided and one-sided painting. On one side, the back is covered with a layer of primer without staining. Has, accordingly, gray color. A fence made of metal picket fence, painted on one side, gray inside the plot. It's not that bad - it is not striking. If this option does not suit you, either buy with double-sided painting, or paint yourself. The paint is taken "for roofs", choosing a suitable shade. Note that brushed metal looks ... not very. If you have a spray gun, the appearance will be good, although not perfect.

This is how the "wrong side" of a metal picket fence painted on one side looks like

You should also take into account that there are two types of staining a metal picket fence:

1. polymer coating;
2. powder paint.

The first method is much more reliable, since the application technology requires special equipment and strict adherence to the technology. As a result, such a picket fence can withstand increased mechanical stress. Even if a scratch appears in the coating (although you have to try), the metal does not rust, since there are still protective coatings that prevent the appearance of rust.

Polymer coating is the best choice today

Powder coating, in theory, is no worse. But only if it was made according to the rules: a protective coating was applied to the primed metal, and on top of it - powder paint and baked in special chambers. But the point is that you can apply paint in the "garage", and somehow you can burn it there. The result will only be completely different. In addition, there are ready-made sheets of Chinese origin. In them, paint is applied in the workshop, but often directly on an unprimed steel surface. Outwardly, it is impossible to determine all these nuances, and after the slightest scratch, rust appears. So the polymer coating is safer.

What can be a metal picket fence

You may like metal fences or not, because there is no dispute about tastes. But in terms of practicality, they certainly outperform wooden analogues... Once installed, you then do not remember the fence for years. It does not need to be painted to make it look decent, since good quality paint lasts for years without visible changes. And this is one of the important factors that make you think about installing such a fence.

Option without foundation

On a strip foundation

With a foundation and pillars of clinker bricks

Installation methods

There is a single-row and double-row (double-sided, checkerboard) method of mounting metal picket strips. With a double row, the strips are placed on both sides of the bowstring, and so that they overlap each other at least a centimeter. Therefore, the distance between the slats should be slightly less than the width of the picket fence. With this installation, 55-60% more strips per running meter of the fence will be required. But the fence turns out to be practically imperceptible - only at a certain angle you can see a small part of the area. And this despite the fact that the fence will not be solid and all the "charms" of a solid fence will not touch you.

Methods of mounting a metal picket fence: in one and two rows

Most often, the strips are mounted vertically, but there is also a horizontal mounting method - it can also be single-row or double-row. The horizontal fence looks more "exotic". With two-row (double-sided) installation of the strips, it turns out to be generally opaque.

Horizontal iron picket fence

The disadvantage of this mounting method is that special posts and intermediate posts are needed, which will provide the required structural rigidity. Another nuance: slats are usually produced up to 180 cm long, longer ones will have to be ordered, and this costs additional money. So either you will have to put more poles, or overpay for a custom size.

Dimensions and distances

When mounted in one row, the gaps between the planks may be different.The exact distance is chosen arbitrarily, depending on how "transparent" you want to make the fence. Most often, the distance between the pickets is 35-50% of the strip width. But this is not a rule, there are both smaller and larger gaps.

When installing in a checkerboard style, if you do not want your yard to be seen at an angle, the planks should overlap 50% of the fence width or more. If "visibility" is not important, you can set them so that the edges overlap by only 1 cm.

The height of the fence is chosen depending on the wishes of the owners. If you want the yard to be as closed as possible from prying eyes, the length of the plank should be at least 180 cm.Considering that they will be slightly raised above the ground, this is enough for the vast majority of people to be unable to look into your territory.

We choose the height at will

If you do not care whether something will be visible through the fence or not, you can take both 1250 mm and 1500 mm. In the first case, the fence will end somewhere at the chest level of passers-by, in the second - at eye level or slightly below (see the approximate layout in the figure), and this is without a foundation.

The width of the span of a vertical fence made of a metal picket fence is 200-250 cm. It is at this distance that the pillars are dug in, then two or three crossbars are fixed between them. These crossbars are called "lags" or "bowstrings". For a picket fence up to 150 cm high, two crossbars are sufficient, for higher ones, three are better.

Types of fillings

There are several more varieties of filling spans (distances between support posts). The easiest way to install the direct method is when all the strips are of the same length. On top of such a fence, you can put a U-shaped bar made of the same material (sold in the same place as the euro-shtaketnik). In addition to the aesthetic load, it also covers metal sections, which increases the service life of the fence.

Types of metal picket fences

All "waves" require cutting most planks to a certain distance. One "wave" per span is made with a step of 50 or 25 mm. With a step of 50 mm, the height difference between the shortest and longest planks is significant, but the fence looks more delicate. In the case of a “wave” with a step of 25 mm or with a “double wave”, the difference is smaller. The upper planks are put here much less often, but they can also be installed. Only in the place of the “wave” fracture will the sides have to be cut and bent.

Features and installation rules

When installing a fence from a metal picket fence in Central Russia, it is recommended to install poles from a profiled pipe 60 * 60 mm (60 * 40 is possible). For crossbars, it is more convenient to take the same profiled pipe, but with a section of 40 * 20 mm. In this case, the fence will accurately withstand wind and snow loads.

When installing, the pitch of the posts is 2 meters. If there are two crossbars, then they are fixed so that the edge of the plank is 25-35 cm.With a picket height of 150 cm and more, the distance is 30-35 cm, with shorter ones - 25 cm it is better to do three logs, and not only in regions with strong winds. It's just that with two lags, the distance between the fasteners is too large, which makes it easy to push the strips apart.

Approximately at this distance, it is necessary to fasten the logs when installing a fence from a metal picket fence

There are two ways of fastening the strips: with screws and with rivets. Self-tapping screws and rivets are installed on both edges of the strip on each of the crossbars. That is, if there are two crossbars, 4 self-tapping screws / rivets are needed for each strip, if three, then 6 pieces of fasteners are needed per picket fence. You can, of course, fix it on one self-tapping screw or rivet on the crossbar, setting it in the middle. But in this case it is as easy as shelling pears to push the pickets with your hands - and you don't need to climb over the fence.

This is faster to mount, but this is a "purely decorative" fence

Which type of fasteners should you choose? Self-tapping screws are easy to install - this is their plus. But they are also easy to unscrew, which, under certain circumstances, can be a disadvantage.Rivets take longer to install, but they are much more difficult to remove. What should you choose? On the front of the fence or if the fence is left unattended for a long time (giving a seasonal visit), it is definitely worth putting rivets. Of course, if the attackers set themselves the goal, they will cope with the rivets, but this will be more difficult. When installing a fence between neighbors in houses of permanent residence, it is quite possible to attach a metal picket fence to self-tapping screws.

How to do it yourself

As you probably noticed, a metal picket fence is made using almost the same technology as a professional sheet, and the sheet is cheaper. Therefore, many have an idea to make a picket fence by dissolving the profiled sheet into strips. In principle, this can be done if you are able to cut strictly along the line without any noticeable deviations. But for cutting it is necessary to use scissors for metal - perforated or manual. In no case should you cut with a grinder, since it burns out the protective cover. So the work is not easy and will take a lot of time. If this doesn't scare you, you can try it.

For small fences, you can find substandard in warehouses or from manufacturers

What is the disadvantage of a homemade picket fence from a professional sheet? Everything is obvious: the edge is rarely even, since it is difficult to do it manually. In addition, the cut is unprotected and may begin to rust. You can, of course, smear the sections with a primer / paint, but in order for all the layers to lay down normally, an absolutely clean surface is required. That is, the places of the cuts must initially be dedusted (not so difficult, but it takes time), then also degreased. Only in this case the protective coating will be of really high quality.

It is advisable to roll up the edges - this will give the homemade picket fence more rigidity, because additional reliefs are rarely formed on the profiled sheet. It "keeps" its shape due to its size and alternation of waves.