Chapter 31: Fencing

1. Introduction

Fencing the yard for a Habitat home can easily take up portions of 2-3 workdays. Often this work is done progressively toward the end of the building process (when there are extra volunteers), instead of leaving it all for the last day or two. It is best to get the fence posts in the ground and cemented the first fencing day. Then the actual fence, gates, and accessories can be installed on the next workday. Much of the work also depends on the weather, so it important to start as soon as it is possible.

Formulating a site plan for the lot should begin at the time the house plans are reviewed with the HfH Construction Committee. The fence locations should be planned along with the landscaping elements, and the Site Supervisor should help to layout the fence lines.

Fencing will often be done in conjunction with other adjacent Habitat houses that are on similar workday schedules.

2. Safety Issues

• Locate utility and drainpipe hookups so as not to disturb (or bury) them when fence post digging is done.
• Lift with your legs, not your back. Be careful that volunteers don’t overexert themselves when using wheelbarrows, etc.

3. Prior tasks to have been completed before starting

All utilities / drain tiles / downspout hook-ups installed

Site should be at least rough graded, as the bottom of the fence needs to be located at approximately finished grade level.

4. Recommended Staff/Crew Assignments

It is suggested that at least 10-15 volunteers, including 2-3 crew leaders, be recruited for each day of Fencing/Landscaping. Divide the crews up by distributing the experience level among the crew leaders. It’s not unusual to have all volunteers doing rough-grading, etc. at the beginning, but when possible it is better to divide up a few crews to work on different areas /tasks.

6. Tools/Equipment list

Tools & Equipment Needed at Each Site:

• Shovels (flat and regular)
• Wheelbarrows
• Post hole digger (hand, power, Bobcat-mounted, etc.)
• Tamper
• Rakes
• Fence Tightening tools / Come-a-long /Bobcat
• Bolt Cutters
• Tube Cutter

Tools Each Crew Leader Will Need:

• Crescent / box end wrenches (for fencing accessories)
• Twelve-Gauge Drop Cords
• Hack Saw
• Permanent Felt Marker
• Utility Knife

Tools Each Crew Member Will Need:

• Work Gloves
• Good Boots

7. Material List

• Fence posts (smaller diameter)
• Gate/corner posts (larger diameter)
• Fencing Hardware / Accessories
• Chain-Link Fence Rolls
• Redi-Mix Concrete
• Water

8. Quality Checkpoints

____ All debris cleared from site
____ Post holes to proper depth
____ Posts installed with cement and level and plumb
____ Fencing / accessories installed so fence is taut (no slack)
____ Gates open, close, and lock properly
____ Site cleaned up and tools returned clean to trailers

9. Construction Drawings and Text

NOTE: The following drawings, diagrams, and text are to be used on the job site when a question arises as to methods and procedures associated with the task. The notes on the drawings have been geared toward use as a quick reference. If a more in-depth explanation is needed, please read the text description. But most importantly, consult your Habitat Site Supervisor and Construction Manager for advice as needed.

One of the best ways for learning the fencing details is to go and look at an already completed HFH site. A picture is really worth a thousand words in this case. The actual job is not really that involved, but not too many people are familiar with the pieces and/or systems involved.

Typically on the first fencing day, the HFH Site Supervisor will help to stake out the fence rows. Holes for the posts then need to be dug about every 8' along the length. The holes should be a minimum of 18-24" below grade, and then filled with a half bag of redi-mix concrete and water and then tamped down. Use a level (special post levels are available) to make sure that the post is plumb and tamp down the earth down around the post to hold it in place. At the gate and corner locations, the process is the same, except the posts are of a larger diameter.

On the second fencing day, the posts should be trimmed down with a tube cutter or hack saw to about 38" above grade. After the fence posts are cut to the proper height, install a post cap on each post. The top rail then gets strung across the top, threaded through the post caps. At the corner and end posts, there is a termination post cap that the top rail dead-ends into.

Once the top rail is installed on a fence row, the actual chain-link fencing can be installed. The roll should be laid out starting at a corner. The fencing material should be installed on the outside of the poles, facing out towards the neighbor’s side of the yard. Thread a 36" thin termination bar through the end of the chain-link. Secure it to the corner post with 3 "end brackets" and bolt these securely to the end post. At the other end of the fence, attach a special stretching bar to the end and pull on it with a come-a-long or the Bobcat until the fence is taut. Secure the fencing to the intermediate posts with pre-cut wires. In addition, twist the wires every 3' or so along the top rail before relieving the tension on the come-along or Bobcat. If the fencing roll is not long enough to finish a whole side, weave the rolls together. (See a HFH Site Supervisor or an experienced Crew Leader for this demonstration.)

Once the entire fence is installed around the yard, move on to the installation of the gates. The gates are pre-built sections of fencing that have special mounting brackets/hinges to be secured to the gate posts. Slip two of the mounting brackets/hinge onto the gate posts and install the gate to them. The mounting brackets should be installed on the gate posts so they are facing in opposite directions to prevent the gate from being easily removed from the posts. Check to see that the gates close and latch correctly. Adjust the bracket/hinge pieces appropriately if they do not. 

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  Page last updated Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 6:40:18 PM