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Fence building - in the home stretch (questions)

11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago

Am building a fence and like the great wall of china, its taken me a few years to get to the point where its almost done. Its L shape with full size double doors in the tall 7 foot section and the 24 ft section just a 5 .5 foot fence.

QUESTIONS:
1) Thinking of constructing doors with vertical 1 x 6 boards and the Z bracing on back. Is this going to be enough to keep the doors from warping given that they are so tall (ea is about 23 inches wide)? Will ordinary gate hinges be enough to hold the weight - would I gain anything by mortise type hinges instead? How many hinges is 3 per side enough.

2) The section with the doors has a big 4 x 6 piece layed sideways on top of the 3 6.5 tall posts (withg 8" timber lock screws holding it on. Is this too much weight on top? Someone told me it was - do yall agree? If so there's another way I can do it with less weight but would be a pita to take apart.

3) There is some slight flex still in the posts - if I whack them very hard the fence (both sections) wiggle slightly. The big 4 x6 post at the corner of the L is the only one that does not move, I assume because its being braced so well in 2 directions and its 4 x 6. (the rest are 4x4) Could I get a reality check - am I being realistic to think none of the posts should move at all and that more bracing is required to stiffen it more? Or is there going to always be some flex. The posts are all very securely installed into holes 3-4 feet deep with various combinations of crushed limestone and concrete so no problems there - its just the natural flexibility of the wood.... I think??????

4) Basement bulk head - making 2 doors for the basement bulkhead just like the doors in the fence only dimensions are they're 5.5 ft tall instead of 6.5. Would like to make a pulley system for the wider, heavier section but dang if I can figure out exactly where to place the pulley (there is an exterior wall it can attach to) or how exactly it would work.

5) WOOD FINISH - your recommendations please - brand and type. The wood is beautiful IMHO - green treated but I selected pieces with care so I want the grain to show but am also concerned with durability/ longevity of the wood.
TIA