If you want an affordable way to secure a piece of property, then a chain-link fence in Houston might be the answer. You can install a chain link fence with planning, patience, and some elbow grease. In Houston, there are no permit requirements unless you plan for a fence taller than eight feet, but here are the steps we recommend you take.
•If you are a homeowner, consult your HOA before installing any fence.
•Be clear about where your boundary lines are, or you may need to get a land survey.
•Before digging, always contact 911 to mark the underground wires.
•Have the necessary tools for your project lined up before you start; this will save you time and frustration.
Tools for installing a chain link fence in Houston:
•Multipurpose Fencing pliers
•Hang ring plier nine-gauge.
•Hog Ring Pliers
•Hog ring staples
•Offset Ratcheting wrench for fencing.
•Fence tension claw
•Hole punch sheet metal, vinyl, plastic
•Dead blow hammer
•Handheld magnetic sweeper
•Level and measuring tape.
Mark and Measure The Location
** If you are replacing a fence, you can skip these next two section
Mark the layout where your chain link fence will be located using string and batter boards. A batten board has two stakes and a horizontal cross piece. Place the batten board at the corner of your layout to support the string and allow you to adjust the string. Drive the battenboard into the ground to stake off where your fence will start, then take masonry string and tie it to the board to mark the line where the edge will be set. To the square, the corners measure three feet along one string and four feet along the adjacent string. The diagonal between should be five feet. If not, adjust the lines. The result will resemble a triangle. Next, take a carpenter’s pencil and mark the post’s location and spacing with stakes. Typical spacing is between 6 and 10 feet. Mark the holes about half the post’s width away from the layout lines. Then, mark your lines on the batten boards with a pencil and untie them to dig your post holes.
Dig Your Post Holes
If you want to dig the post holes, take a shovel or an auger. There will be an end, gate, and corner post. These are called terminal posts and should be wider than the post. To set your posts at the correct height, it’s helpful to mark the ground line on them before placing them in the holes. Set the terminal posts first. They’ll be the height of the chain-link fabric plus two inches. The line posts will be the height of the material minus two inches. To ensure the height of the line posts is uniform, measure them with a level and then mark the post with a carpenter pencil. Then, mix up a 50-pound bag of Quikrete Fast Setting Concrete and pour it into the hole around the post. NEVER drop the dry bag into the hole, as this can cause the concrete to set unevenly, leaving the post weaker and more prone to breaking. Fast-set concrete mix cures in about 45 minutes, so ensure your posts are set in the right place before mixing. Take a level to check that each post is flush or plumb, then hold it in place with braces. After the concrete has dried, remove the braces and fill the rest of the post hole with the earth.
Install the post hardware.
At each terminal post, slip on an end brace band and tension bands with the flat side to the outside. Next, slide on another end brace band with an end cup, then add the post cap. For corner posts, add tension bands for each direction and alternate the cups of the brace bands with one up and one down. Offsetting the cups will keep the top rails in line.
Install the Fence Rails
Add the offset loop post tops on the line posts with the offset toward the outside. Add tension wire along the bottom about 2 inches from the ground and on the same side of the fabric. Unroll the fabric on the ground and slide a tension bar through the first row of diamonds. Secure the tension bar to the terminal post with the tension bands and carriage bolts. The fabric should extend just past your end post. To remove any excess fabric at the end, open the loops at the top and bottom of a fabric strand, then twist them out. Attach the fabric to the end post. Insert a tension bar about 3 feet from the end of the fabric. Add a temporary tension band to the terminal pole and hook a come along to it. Hook a stretcher bar to the tension bar, attach the come along, and tighten the fabric. The fabric is tight enough to squeeze the diamonds just a little bit. Pull the rest of the fabric to the terminal post and insert a tension bar through the fabric and tension bands on the post. Tighten the bolts. Remove the come along and temporary bar. Attach the fabric to the posts with fence ties about every 12 inches and along the top rail every 24 inches. Secure the fence to the tension wire with wire clips along the bottom.
•Pro Tips: Many commercial chain-link fences throughout Houston have a top rail, but if you choose to leave it off, this will make the fence harder to scale. Consider adding a bottom rail to the fence to help keep trespassers from climbing underneath it or pulling on the wire. If this chain link fence is for a Houston ballfield adding a bottom rail will also help prevent accidents as it will stop players from sliding under the fence during a homerun.
Adding wooden slates
The wooden boards can be oriented vertically or horizontally when applying wooden panels to chain-link fence panels. Use one bracket at the top and bottom and at least one in the middle. Wooden fence panels will generally have three straight edges and one that follows a scalloped or dog-ear pattern. Make sure only to align two such patterned edges together when securing the fence, or the gap will be harder to cover. Ensure the panels are level before connecting them. If there is any misalignment in the slats, ensure they align at the top edge, as irregularities lower to the ground are less likely to be noticed and are easier to cover with grass.
Further secure the wood panels by using screws and drilling them most of the way into the once-horizontal, now-vertical supports of the board. Leave half an inch of each sticking out and attach these to the chain-link fencing using construction-grade zip ties. Finally, cover the gaps between the patterned and straight edges of the panels with 1x3-inch slats.
Chain Link Fence Estimate In Houston
If you are interested in receiving a free estimate for installing a chain link fence in Houston or the surrounding area, then contact our family-owned and operated company, Emerson Home Exterior Enhancements. We have been in business since 1999 and are prepared to help you secure your property. Contact us today at (281) 545-7740
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