Fence Supply Inc

Fence Supply Inc. - Wood, Iron, Chain-Link, PVC, Farm & Ranch Fencing, Iron Handrails, Posts, and Gates, PVC Handrails, Posts, and Gates; Gate Operators; Access Control; Kennels

(972) 226-0004

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How to Install a Safe-T Rolling Gate

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1. Set gate posts 6″ wider than required opening. Build gate frame 12″ wider than opening between gate posts.

Gate and fence posts installed

Gate and fence posts installed

Chain-link fence fabric installed

Chain-link fence fabric installed



2. Mount track brackets to gate posts and line posts with U-bolts. Tubular portion of bracket should be about 12″ from ground on bottom and about 12″ from top of fence.

Track brackets installed

Track brackets installed



3. Cut 1-5/8″ O.D. pipe track to fit on outside of track bracket sleeves, top and bottom. This forms continuous track. Level and align to ensure smooth roll.

Rail track installed

Rail track installed



4. Attach double-wheel carrier to gate then install rear wheel bracket assemblies, leaving clamps loose, and hang gate on track. Adjust and align for smooth ground roll. (8″ wheels work better on uneven ground.) Balance and align, making sure weight is evenly distributed on both track wheels. Tighten rear wheel clamps.

Rolling gate installed

Rolling gate installed



5. Install offset latch to fence post.

Offset gate latch installed

Offset gate latch installed



6. Your Safe-T Rolling Gate is now installed.

Installation complete

Installation complete


Main Components

 

Chain Link Fence for Perimeter Security

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Chain Link Fence for Perimeter Security

Security is not the absence of danger, but the presence of things that will keep us away from it. And what better way to keep the danger at bay than a chain link fence? Here is a collection of the different advantages of chain link fences for security purposes:

Ease of installation

Chain link fences are fairly easy to put up since they already come as ready-to-install materials. All you need to do is roll them out, cut them, and attach them into your fence frames and posts. No complicated measurements are involved in their installation since all you need to do is match their measurements to that of the fence. And they don’t need any finishing to improve their serviceability or to prolong their life.

Lesser overall cost

Chain link fences excel in their economic value. They cost less per fence-foot than most other fence types. Their ease of installation also guarantees that minimal labor is needed in setting them up. They also don’t need any finishing touches, so you will save the costs of painting and staining. Chain link fences also need minimal to no maintenance after installation, which adds up additional savings over time.

Added security through visual transparency

With chain link fences, you can see exactly what is going on in your property at all times. Sometimes criminals use the privacy of other kinds of fences to their advantage, because privacy fences makes it easier to hide. If security is a big factor in your fence choice, consider the high visibility chain link fences give in addition to securing your property.

Customizable measurements

The measurement of chain link fences can be customized to your needs. You can choose from different wire gauges and mesh sizes in accordance with your requirements. Below is a list of suggested wire gauges and mesh sizes to give you an idea on how to purchase chain links according to your needs:

Purpose

Wire Gauge

Mesh Size

Residential

No. 11

2 inches

Commercial

No. 9

1 to 2 inches

High Security

No. 6

1 inch and below

Customization

Chain link fences are highly customizable. They can be outfitted with any number of features and accessories to add to the security of your fence. You can add barbed wire on top or your chain link fences, or you can easily charge them with electric current. Chain link fences are also most compatible with motion triggered flood lights due to its visual transparency.

Chain link fences offer a great number of advantages when it comes to security, economy, customization, and many other factors. Consider building yourself a chain link fence!Chain link is indeed a better choice and with these advantages it can be concluded that it is one of the top choices for security, economic, aesthetics, and whatever other purposes your fence may serve.

Cedar vs Economy Wood Fence Material Comparison

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People love wood fences for many reasons, like better privacy and the good looks of  a wood fence. There are a range of wood fence materials out there, which might leave you scratching your head about which one is the best. We’ve had a lot of questions about cedar in particular, which is more costly, vs. other wood varieties which are more economical such as spruce or pine.  Here are some things to think about to help you decide which is best for you.

Cost

As mentioned, cedar is generally the most expensive wood choice, followed by spruce and pine. Pressure treated woods vary depending on the supplier and the manufacturer. You know your budget, but remember: you get what you pay for. Don’t sacrifice quality for the bottom dollar, because you’ll spend more in the long run if you have to replace fence panels and posts every few years because you used cheaper wood.

Longevity

Cedar is the longest-lasting wood you can use. It’s naturally water-resistant, so it repels water and ages slower than other wood types. Cedar fence materials will last 20-30 years or more, depending on the species. Western red cedar is the most durable cedar variety. In comparison, untreated spruce pine lasts only 7-10 years if untreated, or 13-16 years if it’s treated. Buying treated wood or treating it yourself will increase the lifespan of any wood fence.

Strength and durability

The oil present in cedar fibers acts as natural pesticide, giving it increased resistance when used outdoors compared to other wood varieties. Cedar is also more flexible than other woods, which makes it  less susceptible to splintering and breakage.

Handling and installation

The weight of the wood you choose makes a difference in the handling and installation of your fence. See the chart below for different weights per board foot of different materials.

Material Weight per board foot, in pounds
White Cedar 2.3
Spruce 2.8
White Pine 3
Red Cedar 3.1
Red Pine 3.5
Short Leaf Pine 4.3

Lighter wood will be easier to handle and will require less installation labor. Also, softer woods will be easier to nail or screw into.

Other cedar advantages

Some other things to consider when choosing wood for your new fence:

  1. Stained cedar wood looks better than most wood varieties, because of  its uniform texture and richly grained quality.
  2. The low-absorption qualities of cedar means that cedar warps less, and will not shrink and expand with the changing seasons.
  3. Cedar smells great; there is a reason why our grandmothers and grandfathers kept their prized possessions in cedar chests!

We think cedar makes for a better wood fence than other, cheaper options.  It is true that some treated wood may last longer than cedar, but these treatments involve chemicals which may be toxic and cause health hazards.  But cedar is naturally resistant to weather and insect damage, looks great, and smells wonderful, too.

For these reasons, we recommend cedar for investment value and quality.

How Long Should a Wood Fence Last

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When you’re planning on installing a new wood fence, make sure you think about how long it’s going to last. This mainly has to do with how long the wood that you’ve chosen is going to last, and how soon or long it’s going to be before the wood needs to be replaced.

Natural life of wood

The first thing you should know in estimating the life of your fence is the natural life of your wood. The most commonly used wood types for fences are cedar, spruce, and pine. Depending on the species, cedar may last for about 15-30 years, spruce may last for about 4-7 years, and pine may last for about 5-12 years.

Life of treated wood

Most treatment companies claim that when treated, most lumber will last more than 20 years. This holds true for pine and spruce, while cedar may last up to 40 years. Whatever money you spend on buying treated wood, you will more than make up for it in the long run.

Installation considerations

The biggest culprit when it comes to premature aging of fences is moisture. Be sure none of your fence panels or pickets touch the ground, where it will be in regular contact with a lot of moisture. But what about your posts? A fence is only as strong as its weakest link, and ground that is high in moisture reduces the life of a post by up to 3 years. Make sure your posts are stained or treated before you install them, and make sure you provide a concrete or gravel filler for your post holes to keep out moisture.

Maintenance

To get the maximum life out of your fence, you must regularly maintain it. Not maintaining a fence will take years off of its life. Make sure you stain and paint your fence, and reapply the stain every 2 years, or the paint every 4 years.

Now after you have considered all the factors listed above, take a look at the charts below to see how much proper installation and maintenance will make on your fence. The table below will show you how long your wood fence should last.

Cedar

 

Untreated

Treated
Timber life (years)

15 – 30

25 – 40
Is your fence properly installed?

Yes

+0

No

-3

Yes

+0

No

-3
Is your fence properly maintained?

Yes +2

No

-2

Yes

+0

No

+0

Yes +2

No

-2

Yes

+0

No

+0
Minimum estimated life (years)

17

13

12

12

27

23

22

22
Maximum estimated life (years)

32

28

27

27

42

38

37

37

Spruce

 

Untreated

Treated
Timber life (years)

4 – 7

20
Is your fence properly installed?

Yes

+0

No

-3

Yes

+0

No

-3
Is your fence properly maintained?

Yes +2

No

-2

Yes

+0

No

+0

Yes +2

No

-2

Yes

+0

No

+0
Minimum estimated life (years)

6

2

1

1

22

18

17

17
Maximum estimated life (years)

9

5

4

4

22

18

17

17

Pine

 

Untreated

Treated
Timber life (years)

5 – 12

20
Is your fence properly installed?

Yes

+0

No

-3

Yes

+0

No

-3
Is your fence properly maintained?

Yes +2

No

-2

Yes

+0

No

+0

Yes +2

No

-2

Yes

+0

No

+0
Minimum estimated life (years)

7

3

2

2

22

18

17

17
Maximum estimated life (years)

14

10

9

9

22

18

17

17

 

How to Pick the Perfect Wood Fence

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Are you scratching your head  over the many options and styles available for a new wood fence? Don’t worry, Fence Supply Inc. is here to help. We are just a phone call away and we will be happy to help you through this process. All we need is your measurements for your fence project to help you estimate what and how many materials you need. See our article Measuring For My Fence Project. This information is very important to give you an accurate estimate for materials.

Choosing a great Wooden Privacy Fence can be a very straightforward process. In fact, the process should begin with a simple question of how long you would like the wooden fence to last. The cost of a new wooden fence is important, but this should not be the deciding factor. Longevity and functionality is a much better fence decision maker.

Your first step is to pick one of the four types or species of wood.

Wood type or species

Traditional

Cedar

Cedar

Treated Pine

Spruce/Pine

Longevity

20 – 25 Years

20 – 25 Years

15-17 Years

9 – 12 Years

Grade Options

Clear, #1, #2

#2 BTR

#2

Premium

Thickness

21/32”

21/32”

23/32”

5/8”

Environmental friendliness

10+

10+

10

10

Cedar Fence Options

Western Red Cedar has natural durability and exceptional beauty that bring warmth, character and longevity to your fence project. Western Red Cedar is great for both residential and commercial projects. Whether you choose a #1 grade, with small, tight knots, or the Cadillac of cedar grades, clear, Western Red Cedar offers virtually unlimited versatility and design flexibility.

Western Red Cedar is a truly sustainable fencing material. It has the lowest environmental impact when compared with other fence materials such as brick and stone. Go Green with Cedar.

Western Red Cedar is one of the world’s most durable woods. Natural resistance to moisture, decay and insect damage has long made Western Red Cedar the premier choice for either privacy or decorative fence projects. Fibers in cedar heartwood contain natural preservatives that are toxic to decay-causing fungi.

Western Red Cedar Fence Alternatives

Fence Supply Inc strives to help customers stretch their fence dollars as far as possible. We offer some great alternatives to western red cedar that last almost as long. Currently we offer two such products: Everwood and Aromatic Cedar. These are cousins of western red cedar and offer almost the same longevity and durability, at less of a cost.

Note: most companies will sell you these products and call them western red cedar. Fence Supply Inc. will not do this. We always want our customer to understand the product they are receiving. Come in and check out these two varieties yourself to see the difference.

If you are offered a “cedar product” from another company, and the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Ask lots of questions, and come in to Fence Supply Inc., where you will be sure to get honest answers.

Treated Pine Wood Fencing

Treated pine is a great product as an alternative to Western Red Cedar. It is more cost effective than cedar and has a good, long lifespan.

All of our treated pine is treated with MicroPro® technology, a revolutionary way to pressure treat wood for decks, fences, landscaping and general construction uses. MicroPro® pressure treated wood is treated with micronized copper preservatives, which help protect against termite damage and fungal decay. MicroPro® offers many benefits including significantly improved corrosion performance. MicroPro®-treated wood products are U.S. building code compliant.

Osmose MicroPro® technology is the first treated wood process to be certified under Scientific Certification Systems Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) program based on Life-Cycle Assessment.

Read more on how this treatment is revolutionary: Information About MicroPro® Micronized Copper Treated Wood http://www.treatedwoodtruth.com/Treated-Wood-Information-on-Osmose-MicroPro-Lumber.php

A comprehensive review of copper-based wood preservatives can be found at http://www.treatedwoodtruth.com/pdf/Nov08-FPJ-Feature.pdf

Spruce Wood Fencing (commonly referred to as SPF)

Spruce is a great, economic privacy fence option.  Fence Supply Inc. has a few different options when spruce fencing is the fence of choice.  Spruce fencing accepts stain very well to extend the life of the fence and give a nice rich look.

Spruce-pine-fir

SPF refers to spruce-pine-fir, Canadian woods of similar characteristics that have been grouped for production and marketing. Four species, White Spruce (Picea glauca), Engelmann Spruce (Piceaengelmanni), Lodge pole Pine (Pinus contorta), and Alpine Fir (Abieslaciocarpa) comprise the SPF species group. All yield high-grade timber with relatively small, sound tight knots.

SPF lumber is seasoned uniformly in dry kilns to a moisture content of 19% or less. Kiln drying inhibits natural staining of the wood, improves its strength and stiffness, enhances its appearance and increases its resistance to decay and attack by insects.
SPF has a high strength-to-weight ratio and is well known for its outstanding working properties. It takes and holds nails exceptionally well and is easily worked with hand and power tools.

How to Line up Wood Fence Post

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Fence posts are one of the most important parts of your wood fence when it comes to withstanding the stresses of time and nature. They bear the burden of holding the wood fence against the wind and whatever else nature throws at it. Installing your posts correctly so they are sturdy will help your fence last longer.

Wood post installations are not only a dig-and-fill kind of job. You need time, attention, and patience. Make sure you go through the following steps for your fence.

Establishing the area within you property line

The first thing you should do is determine the perimeter of your fence. Get a map of your property from your local government, showing your property line. It’s also a good idea to check with the government if you need any permits to build your fence. Use the map to plot out the perimeter of your fence on, or just inside of, your property line.

Setting and measuring the wood fence perimeter

Using the lot plan as reference, set your fence lines and mark them by using wooden stakes and string.  Be sure that the fence line doesn’t go over the area of your property.  Then measure each fence line and jot it down to use for planning the number of fence posts.

Determining the number of fence posts

The number of wood fence post depends on the measurement of each fence line, the type of your fence, and the kind of wood panels you’ve decided on.

Wood fence posts may be lined up 6 to 8 feet apart depending on the type of your fence. For privacy fences where the wood panels are placed next to each other, 6 feet is more appropriate in order to have enough post strength to carry the weight of your wood panels.

The type of wood in your fencing panels also plays a big part in the proper spacing of your fence. The heavier the wood variety, the smaller the distance between your posts should be.  This is again for the purpose of having enough support for the weight of your fence.

When you have decided on the proper spacing between your fence posts you may then figure out how many fence posts you’ll need. Just figure out how many you need for each side of the property line, then add them all up. For any sides where you’ll have a gate, note that you should have two lines, one on each side of the gate (don’t forget to include the gate post!).

Corner posts should be buried deeper to the ground (at least 2/3 of the entire length of the post) compared to your line posts (at least 2 feet). Considering this, your corner posts should be longer and if possible larger than your line posts.  The following formula will help you compute the number of fence posts you need. The gate posts should be larger and longer as well.

Lining up wood posts

There are two ways to choose on how to line up your wood posts. The first is to start from a corner post and line up each post equal to the distance you have decided in between posts.  In this method, you may have the last post with a different distance to the corner post compared to the spacing of the others.  This is the more economical way of lining up fence posts.

The next method is to space your posts equally.  This will give you better weight distribution but might be more costly compared to the first method since you may need to cut your wood railings if the spacing is a nonstandard length.

Mark the points where your posts will be buried using wooden stakes. After this, you can now proceed to the installation of your posts and the entire fence.

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