Fence posts (cheap and for 100 years): gabions, PVC posts, HDPE pipes, fiberglass, asbestos cement, wood
It is important for owners of private houses and summer residents to designate the boundaries of their site. The fence protects from uninvited guests, curious neighbors and animals. Many people think about how to save money on the construction of a fence, namely on poles. They are often made from metal pipes, reinforced concrete, bricks.
Poles can also be made of wood, asbestos-cement pipes, PVC, HDPE, fiberglass pipes. There are gabion pillars. Should you use these options? Is this savings justified?
1. First I would like to show pillars of gabions.
Maximum structural rigidity. The box is filled with stones, gravel, broken brick, timber, etc. In the center of the box there are concreted metal rods. Nice, practical, but expensive.
However, it is possible to reduce the cost - to make gabions ourselves from a metal mesh and wire to connect structural elements. Let's talk about cheaper options:
2. Wooden pillars. To last a long time, burn them with a gas burner and brush them on metal. Pay special attention to the ends when firing (they are destroyed first). Dip the bottom in boiling resin.
Another idea is to additionally waterproof wooden poles. Cut off the bottom and neck from the plastic bottles and put them on the bottom of the posts. After that, warm it up with a building hair dryer so that the plastic squeezes the wood tightly. Then just dig it into the ground without concreting. Such poles will last up to 50 years. Use yellow self-tapping screws for fasteners.
3. Fiberglass posts. They are produced in square, rectangular, round shapes with a tapered end.
Pros: does not rust, does not rot. The posts are lightweight, highly durable, with a flat, smooth surface.
4. PVC pipes - not a very good option for poles. Such pipes are recommended to be used only for formwork. If you nevertheless decide to use such pipes, then be sure to fill them with sand and pour water, tamp them. Plus, make rain caps.
Concrete cannot be used with plastic. Because the expansion coefficients of concrete and plastic are different. With seasonal temperature drops, the pillars "do not float", stand evenly and firmly.
5. Can be used asbestos-cement pipes 100 mm.
At a cost, they will come out slightly more expensive than PVC pipes. Pour wet sand into the pipes and tamp. Pour some concrete on top. To make the pillars stand longer, fill them completely with concrete and lay the reinforcement inside. These pipes do not rot. The difficulty arises when fixing the lag. Therefore, you need to think over everything in advance and make (buy) brackets or studs.
6. HDPE pipes for gas or water - an excellent solution for poles. The walls of the pipes are thick and strong. Temperature drops are not terrible. The pipes are easy to cut and screw in self-tapping screws. They cost a little more than PVC pipes, but they will last longer.
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