I am looking to build a 900mm high cedar slatted fence with 15mm spacing between the battens onto an existing 1m high rendered double skinned brick wall with soldier course brick coping using 75x75mm fence posts. The post will be spaced approx. every 1.5m. Firstly, I want to get some advice onto whether it’s a good idea to fix the fence on the top of the wall? Its along a row of back to back terraced houses which does help to break the wind somewhat, as I guess wind loading could be an issue? Secondly, if it is a good idea, what fixings would be recommended? Thirdly, if it isn’t a good idea, what would be a good alternative? The reason I’m looking to mount the fence onto the wall is partly because I prefer the look and also I’d prefer not to loose the 10-20cm or so width to the garden by fixing the fence on the inside face of the wall. Any help/suggestions would be much appreciated please, Chris
It’s alway a terrible idea to fix a fence to the top of the wall. Why would you loose 100-200mm fixing internally ?
Thanks for the quick response. The vertical face of the fence mounted to the top of the wall would be approx. down the centreline of the wall but when fixing to the inside face of the wall the vertical face would be on the inside of the wall so the 10cm loss in width would be half of the wall width if that makes sense. While it won’t impact upon the garden footprint my thought is that it would impact upon the sense of space and width of the garden at head height. But my priority over anything else is to get a stable fence
This situation usually ends up with posts the height of the wall plus the fence. They can be longer and so buried but may come up against the wall footings, but better is to bolt or screw though the posts into the wall with maybe a piece of tile for the post to rest on /try to keep off the damp. A piece of 3" x3" or maybe 4"x 4 " is rested on top of the wall, fixed to a post.When the panel is screwed to several of these posts on posts it usually finds itself running along the central line of the wall , or the boundary ...depends on existing dimensions.
Thanks for the reply. My intention is make sort of a screen rather than use panels. I was planning to erect the posts and then nail Cedar battens to the posts. Would the posts need to be concreted into the ground at the base of the wall or could they fix to the wall and finish, say, half way down the wall and then the battens nailed. Otherwise, as you say I’m going to have to get posts that are around 2m in length when I only require the top 900mm for the fencing battens
If asked to do this job I would use 2m posts, resting on brick or tile, and screwed to the wall. If the wall was in poor condition I would use longer posts to bury in the ground as an addition to the wall screwing. I would not think of screwing to the top of any wall. I would set the posts 1.8m apart. Should you later change your mind, or the slats don't wear well then you have the option of fitting in standard 1.8m panels. I wouldn't try to nail the posts to the wall.