pOSTING tECHNIQUES
sLEEVE-dRIVEN-pOST
(mETAL FENCES ONLY)
One of our options is to have posts driven to 5' deep. Most fence companies set their posts 3' to 3.5' deep (even if they promise a 4' depth), so a 5' post depth is the premium choice. This method of installation comes with our 4 year workmanship warranty. First, we drive in a commercial grade galvanized sleeve/post to 5' deep. Next, we slide a new post onto the galvanized sleeve/post and securely attach it with specially designed metal screws. After this is done we can continue building the fence like normal. This design allows for easy replacement of posts in the future if the fence becomes damaged or needs to be temporarily removed - simply unbolt the post from the sleeve post if necessary.
cEMENTED-POST
This method of installation is when a hole is dug (typically 4' deep), concrete is poured, and the post is set in the concrete. When we dig a post hole, we make the base of the hole wider than the top so that when we pour the concrete there is a "bell" or "anchor" shape to the footing. This bell shaped footing helps to prevent heaving from frost in the winter time. Posts are also cemented when we suspect there will be a high wind load on the fence - This means that wood fences and PVC fences very often require concrete footings. Wind load occurs when the fence acts as a barrier or stopping point for wind. All of our fences which involve concrete footings are given a 2 year warranty on workmanship at minimum.
dRIVEN-pOST
(mETAL FENCES ONLY)
This is our main method of post installation for chain link fences - 80% of the chain link fences that we install each year have posts installed 3.5' deep. Driving fence posts is better than setting them in concrete mainly because you will get a longer lifespan out of your fence. This method of installation comes with our 3 year warranty on workmanship.
With the frost line in Ottawa and surrounding areas typically deeper than 4 feet, posts set in concrete will always heave and move over time. After a certain point in the heaving process, these posts need to be removed and replaced and will cost you hundreds of dollars per post to have the concrete excavated properly. Just ask any other fence company for a quote on a fence post replacement!
With driving the posts to 3.5 feet deep, this allows for easy post adjustment for the entire life of the fence. If your chain link fence posts start moving slightly in 10 years from now, you can simply adjust or tap the posts down/straight again. With concrete footings that heave, the entire footing needs to be removed and the whole post replaced as well. A chain link fence post is a smooth round tube similar to a Sonotube/Builder's tube - this helps the driven post to avoid being gripped and heaved by the frost.
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We have replaced many posts which were set in concrete footings by other companies. These posts' footings all range from 1' deep to 4' deep and cost the clients hundreds of dollars each to remove and replace. If these posts were driven in, it would have been a quick, cheap service call to adjust a post - no digging or footing removal involved! Our standard warranty is 3 years for posts driven 3'6" deep, 4 years for posts driven 5' deep, and 2 years for posts set in concrete.
A driven-post fence can be removed and re-used many years from now - posts and all!
