AVS Blog Archive for November 2009

Why are we talking about building a deck base in this awful British weather? Don't ask me!

If your garden has not flooded, and you have a weekend spare, then why not prepare you garden for decking. You never know, you may be able to enjoy BBQ next spring. Or perhaps eat your Christmas dinner on the new decking area if you have a nice patio heater, like the Zeus which was recently pitched on Dragons Den.

There is no right or wrong way to build a deck base. The objective is to create a solid level timber structure to fit the decking boards too - simple! What really helps is that the decking base is not seen so it does not matter what it looks like!

Two tools that will help you to do the job properly are:

• Landscaping screws will join timber easily and firm:
• Joist Hangers to butt joint one timber rail to another (rails are sometimes known as joists).

Both tools are easy to use and fast to use.

Use timber posts concreted into the ground to hold the structure in place.

The decking design will depend on the space you have which is a result of how high above the ground the deck is to be. Where space allows use beams to support joists, for example, if your deck is 3.60m wide and you have created a framework supported with Timber Posts and have fixed in place your 3.60m joists, then set at 450mm centres without additional support. At 3.60m long these joists will be too flexible to support the deck in the centre.

This is where a another larger timber rail (sometimes called a beam), set this immediately under and at 90 degrees to you. Set joists at approx every 1.8m in mid position with posts to support the beam. Without too many additional posts you now have a firm deck structure which you may fix your decking Boards to.

Luckily we are discussing fence posts, and not the Royal Mail's post or this blog would never of got written!

Back to fence posts, anyone can dig a fence post hole. It is easy but like most tasks you need the right tools.

Contractors use a long handled graft because it has the weight and the length to get into hard compacted soil, so that you do not need to kneel down. The next best thing to do (if you only have a few holes) is to use a garden border spade – the small ones with a blade approx 5-6" wide.

What does a good fence post hole look like?
It is about (2' 6" ) 750mm deep and about 250mm (10") square with straight sides. The size of a fence post will change slightly depending on post size.

How do I get the soil out?
If the hole is big enough (be careful not to make it too big), you will be able to get the soil out with the spade. If you have a lot of holes to dig. it is even easier with a double handled post hole digger, this is what contractors use.

What if the ground is stony or has concrete in it?
The answer is to use a 5' long crowbar or a power tool with a breaker attachment.

Top Tip:
How to dig out an old concrete fence post base:
Dig a hole in the soft soil immediately to one side of the concrete base to the full depth required. Once you have done this spit the concrete with a bar or breaker and lift the big chunks out. Don't make the same mistake a lot of people do, which is trying to break the concrete straight way. You will be rewarded by little chips of concrete and it will turn out to be a real marathon job.

Did you know that timber fence posts are only as good as the chemical treatment they have received? Please beware! There are some very poorly treated posts on the market although they may look alike – appearances can be deceptive.

What do AVS ensure for you? All our posts are kiln dried prior to treatment to accept the treatment deep into the post. We have launched a range of timber fence posts that have been through a brand new treatment process for longer life. We use carefully selected pine (redwood) posts which have been kiln dried (to around 28% moisture content). The posts are then treated with a special ACQ treatment process to give the fence posts virtually total protection from fungal decay and insect damage. All this means that your Garden fencing will be the envy of all your neighbours.

Here a are a few interesting facts about timber which we sourced from the UK Timber Frame Association.

1. Did you know that wood is effectively a carbon-neutral material (even if you allow for transport)?


2. Did you know that 77% of the energy used in the production of wood products comes from wood residues and recovered wood?


3. Did you know that concrete uses five times as much energy, and steel uses six times more energy to produce than timber?


4. The beauty of wood is that when it has reach the end of it's life it can be easily recycled.

There you go, who thought that we 'would' help you with your pub quiz knowledge!

There are two main types of solid wooden fencing:

• Fence Panels
• Closeboard Fencing

Which should I choose?

The pros and cons of fence panels:

• Fence panels are not good on slopes because you will get gaps under the panels as panels need to be placed at 90% otherwise the posts will not vertical;
• Fence panels are weaker and therefore not so good with our windy British weather;
• The life expectancy of a fence panel is shorter for the above reasons;
• You will have more holes to dig, as the posts are closer together;
• The good news is that fence panels are easier to erect and also they are cheaper!

The pros and cons of Closeboard Fencing:

• Closeboard fencing is a little slower to erect;
• The initial cost of closeboard fencing is higher;
• Closeboard fencing is ideal on sloping ground as you can stagger the fencing to fit the slope.
• The design of closeboard fencing can be varied, which allows you to make certain sections stronger on exposed sites;
• The lifetime expectancy of closeboard fencing is much longer;
• Closeboard fencing is made of small parts which are assembled on site, therefore there are no heavy panels to lift.

Top tips
When replacing an existing fence, there is probably a short section somewhere along the fence line, alter the arrangement of this so that you do not have to dig up all the old concrete fence post foundations you can dig into fresh ground.

Erecting Fence panels
If the ground has a slight slope start at the top and work down. It makes stepping the panels i.e. adjusting to suit ground level a lot easier to get right.

Erecting Closeboard Fencing
Do this in 2 stages stage 1 Posts and rails stage 2 add the gravelboard and clad the fence with featheredge.

Talking of wood, Ronnie Wood from The Rolling Stones is expected to pay his ex-wife Jo £6.5 million after they were given a 'quick' divorce yesterday (November 11)! It's lucky that AVS fencing is highly competitively priced – at least Ronnie can afford new fence panels :)

Unless you're a celebrity wanting complete privacy in your garden – picket and palisade fencing are ideal because you can partially see through them and therefore, they make excellent decorative fencing.

So which fencing should you choose for your garden?

Here's the main differences between picket fence panels and palisade fencing:

Wooden palisade fencing and picket fence panels look identical – both fences allow vision through and they are often used as a decorative boundary when full privacy is not required. Plus both fences are available with flat, pointed or rounded tops.

The main difference is that palisade fencing is sold in pieces and is constructed on site, where as picket fence panels are sold as as panels. AVS palisade fencing and AVS picket fence panels are both guaranteed for 25 years.

AVS sell ready made panels and separate components that need assembly on site. Separate components do cost slightly more but will produce a longer lasting and slightly studier fence.