# Replacing fence panels.. and what to do with the old ones...



## Fecn (12 Mar 2008)

My back fence is 8ft high concrete posts with 6ft x 6ft panels which slot in the gaps. Once again, it's been windy.. and once again, I've lost a few fence panels. - Fortunately that's all that's gone this year so I don't have to get the wall rebuilt.

I've just ordered myself some new panels which will be getting delivered tomorrow and will again be faced with the fun task of installing them.

Last year I adopted the rather.. erm.. fun... approach of standing halfway up a step-ladder, lifting the panels above my head and slotting them into the posts... It was all a bit challenging - especially when the wind picked up whilst holding panels above head-height.

I'm thinking there has to be an easier way (aside from getting one of my tall mates round to help)... I'm thinking about making some kind of crane-style-thing to get the panels raised up.

Last year, I fed the old broken panels through my garden shredder and used the chips to fill in a hole at the foot of the garden - Rather tedious but it managed them all.

Anyone got any better ideas for how to tackle this? Seems to me like I did a lot of hard work last year for a simple job... and my golden rule is 'If you're working hard, you're probably doing it wrong'

Cheers,

Fecn


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## Slim (12 Mar 2008)

Replacing fence panels is an easy two person job, but with one person it is a pig. I wouldn't waste you time with any fancy contraptions, just get a mate round to help. It really wouldn't take long.


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## Fecn (12 Mar 2008)

Slim":16763jho said:


> Replacing fence panels is an easy two person job, but with one person it is a pig. I wouldn't waste you time with any fancy contraptions, just get a mate round to help. It really wouldn't take long.



I need to find some mates who don't have to work during the daylight hours - I'm (un)lucky enough to be my own boss so it's easy for me to take an hour in the middle of a sunny day - My wife's pregnant again so she's not doing any heavy lifting.. and my resident employee has hurt both of his arms so can't lift anything either.... Sounds like a pathetic bunch of excuses but really and truly it'll take me a couple of weeks to arrange an able-bodied mate in daylight hours (without wind or rain).


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## Digit (12 Mar 2008)

It's a bit late now as the panels are on their way but I solved the same problem by replacing the panels with lengths of timber slid one at a time down the grooves.

Roy.


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## Fecn (13 Mar 2008)

Panels got delivered this morning and I've still got no mates... so I worked out another way...

Victim planks/scrap wood...






5 mins later... some kind of lifting frame thingy..





Up she goes...





And into the slot...





Easy peasy... one down.. two to go.


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## Paul Chapman (13 Mar 2008)

=D> =D> =D>


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## Travis (13 Mar 2008)




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## Slim (13 Mar 2008)

Brilliant ingenuity Fecn. Although, I wouldn't expect anything less from you. =D>


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## Dave S (13 Mar 2008)

Brilliant!! With a load to do myself, I just might consider trying that myself!

Dave


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## Fecn (13 Mar 2008)

Dave S":7zbab0pg said:


> Brilliant!! With a load to do myself, I just might consider trying that myself!
> 
> Dave



I was orignially thinking of a pulley at the top.. but when I tried using the rope to pull the frame to upright I found that it was just not going to happen... The way that works for me is just to tie the panel to the frame with a quick-release knot at the bottom of the fence panel and then lift the frame up by hand - Once the frame's leaning against the fence it becomes pretty stable and you can nudge the panel into the top of the posts.. then just release the knot.


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## Anonymous (13 Mar 2008)

That is very impressive.


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## Rich (13 Mar 2008)

It's because of people like you that once upon a time this country led the world in ingenuity, I would'nt mind betting that even Niki will comment on this one, well done.    
Rich.


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## wizer (13 Mar 2008)

hahah that made me laugh, fantastic solution.


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## Southern377 (9 Jun 2013)

I can't see those all important pictures?? Suggestions? Thanks.


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## beech1948 (9 Jun 2013)

pics refuse to open here as well. message is that the web site address can not be found.........if google can't find it it does not exist!!

Al


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## devonwoody (9 Jun 2013)

Its a 2008 post so I suspect the link is broken.

I wonder where Fecn got to, did he not make a computerised machine, we swapped boxes many years ago so Fecn, would like to hear from you.


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## Southern377 (9 Jun 2013)

Thanks for quick response, shame about the pictures. Any one else got a similar solution to the problem; panels ready but currently waiting for the wind to die down.


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## Jack (W) (9 Jun 2013)

I made this fence panel hoist a couple of months ago using six 63mm x 38mm x 2.4M lengths of studwork timber (£2.60 each from the local shed), six coach bolts and bits of ply and rope I had in the garage, and a couple of pulleys I found part way through the installation.

It worked exceedingly well, the whole installation was very easy and controllable.

Jack


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## thick_mike (9 Jun 2013)

It looks like something from Les Miserables!


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## Jack (W) (9 Jun 2013)

Yes, I based in on an earlier French design, but modified it to meet today's British H&S requirements (mind your toes though).

Jacques


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## Southern377 (10 Jun 2013)

Wow! Brilliant..........off to the garage ..........I was thinking more of attaching a frame to the panel when flat on ground then standing vertical next to fence posts before losening and wriggling panel downwards but yours looks heaps better!! Thanks.


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## Phil Pascoe (10 Jun 2013)

Is there a reason for the larch lap to run top to bottom? I'd have hung it the other way?


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## mind_the_goat (10 Jun 2013)

Here are some my old fence panels:







Just need to add some plants


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## Jack (W) (10 Jun 2013)

Moderator(s), thank you for dealing with my photos and I apologise for inadvertently putting you to this trouble. 

Southern, good luck with your fence replacement, and some photos would be nice.

Phil, yea, it looks as though the fence panels might perhaps look better if rotated ninety degrees, but the top rails dictated that they went in that way. The panels of course look better from my neighbour’s side.

Rob, nice boat and a lovely idea. I hope you’ll post some photos when it’s planted.

Jack


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## Eric The Viking (11 Jun 2013)

mind_the_goat":1294bpwn said:


> Here are some my old fence panels:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's really fun, Rob. Are you going to add some mesh to the mast and boom? It strikes me it would work really well for something like Jasmine, a Fuschia or even a small Clematis - some sort of flowering climber, anyway. 

I think I'd be tempted to line it with polythene too. I made the mistake of not doing that with our twin compost bins (2x2' x 4'high) from shuttering ply. They work really well (our garden is small), but after eight years or so they're now rotting and I'll soon have a pile of rotted ply to deal with :-( 

Either way, it looks grand.

E.


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## mind_the_goat (11 Jun 2013)

@Eric. Mesh, that's good idea I'll give that a go. I have lined it now. 
I have another made to a different design, but had to use thin ply instead of old fence wood, due to more tightly curved bow. Steam bending 20 year old larch proved a bit difficult


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