Ask a Building Trades Professional

[warpus]

Project update: We have acquired all the required screws and today screwed in the top 6 steps properly and made adjustments where necessary. Everything seems to line up and the steps look very slick

It looks like the step that's warped needs one of the brackets to be moved an inch or so.. but it's also a bit cracked now! There's a short fault-line running from the right edge.. We managed to get one end of it screwed in firmly and snugly to the bracket, but the right side just won't go.. so as a result it's a bit wobbly too.

All the other steps screwed in and look great! Super stable.

On Sunday we are probably going to use the extra step and replace the warped one with it.. readjust that bracket.. take down the bottom 7 steps, and put up the new ones.. and then the project is done!

 

[Cutlass]

Soon you'll know everything we know.

 

[ReindeerThistle]

Soon you'll know everything we know.

... And then we can have our revenge in the Jedi (or Bob Vila!)...

 

[warpus]

Stair warming party on my new stairs next weekend and you're all invited too of course

 

[Cutlass]

You sending plane tickets?

 

[warpus]

You sending plane tickets?

Next time I've won a substantial amount of money, you can count on it.

We just finished the work on the bottom 7 steps today!

It was a bit of a pain to remove the bottom step.. and large bolts there forced us to install every single step 1 inch or so higher than previously.. But that actually sort of worked out, as it meant that the top step could be put snugly against a board to match what we did with the other set of steps. It looks normal and feels normal when I'm using the steps, you can't really tell that one of them is a bit lower.. and it's actually quite nice that the bottom step is higher - it will be easier to get rid of weeds under it - that's one spot that's always a bit annoying when I'm mowing the lawn.

We didn't touch the warped board from last weekend and didn't move that bracket.. in the meantime my roommate is going to borrow a thing we can use to sand down the corners of some of those brackets that stick out - they are quite sharp.. and we are going to leave the steps as they are over the winter and see how they look in the spring.

There is still an extra uncut step that we'll be able to use to replace anything that's wonky when the snow melts and it's warm enough to do some work outside.

I'm going to take a picture of the steps a bit later, I'm going to bring my camera when I'm mowing the lawn.

 

[Cutlass]

Set a clamp of some sort on the high part of that warped board, force it into the shape you want. As it gets wet and dry and hot and cold a few times, it will harden into shape.

 

[warpus]

So.. parts of my fence just fell over. Yep, it's been windy here today.. super windy.

If we define a "fence part" to contain everything in between two posts, then on the right hand side of the yard five entire fence parts are lying on the ground, including 5 of the posts that used to hold them up. I knew that 2 of those posts were rotting, because I hired a company to go fix some of it.. but then they backed out at the last minute and I've been too busy to spend more time on it .. until now.

On the left hand side two entire fence parts are lying on the ground. The posts seem fine, I think, these fence parts seem to have snapped right the F Off the fence. The metal brackets just seem to have flown off. It must have been some pretty damn crazy gusts of wind.. or maybe something flew across the yard and hit the fance? Who the hell knows...

The gate almost fell over too and the posts supporting it need to be redone, and as far as I can see the back of the fence is 100% okay.

I've talked to the neighbour on the right, and she's trying to figure out if her insurance is going to cover stuff, and what her deductible is.. The left hand neighbour wasn't home - he is going to have a nice surprise whenever he does get home...

I talked to my dad, who has put up fences before, and he says we should just leave it like this, get some people together, and put up a new fence, maybe using some of the same fence parts up. Definitely new posts. But my roommate is all "we should do it this weekend", because he has a dog, and so now whenever the dog wants out, he has to be vigilant. But there's no way I'm getting anyone out here this weekend, because it's damn cold. So that's probably not happening.

Either way, any suggestions from the audience?

@Cutlass, Sorry, I was going to look into that (your last post), but then completely forgot about it. I don't even really notice anything when I walk on that step anymore, it doesn't wobble and doesn't look warped.. but I haven't really looked. As far as I am concerned, I consider it a non-issue! But now that I've been reminded, I am going to check it out next time I'm down there.

 

[Cutlass]

Do you need the fence because of the dog? Otherwise leave if for spring. Digging new fence post holes in frozen ground is a job best avoided.

 

[warpus]

Well, I'm sure there's alternate solutions for the dog for the winter. My roommate seems to think that we can just put up the fence "and it'll stay like that if we support it right", but I am a bit.. skeptical..

 

[Cutlass]

What kind of a fence is it? Do you have pics? In all seriousness, digging a hole in frozen ground is serious hard work. If you have to replace those posts, and from what you've said you do, then there's no way around that part. Now it's early in the winter, even for Canada. So the ground may not be frozen solid yet. But it will be frozen enough. Hell, many of the building supply places and lumberyards don't even carry the fence material in the winter, because no one does that job then.

Which brings up step 1: Make some calls and see if you can even get the materials you need. If you can't, problem solved.

 

[warpus]

I talked to my roommate and his idea is to put up the fallen down fence pieces using a custom made support mechanism, so that the dog can at least enjoy the back yard in the winter. I told him I will take a look at it with him on wednesday and we'll figure it out.

I am imagining an alternate solution using some sort of a (plastic?) mesh thing I can hopefully buy somewhere to cover up the holes with. Can I buy something like that at a hardware store for a reasonable price?

This is the sort of fence I have:

I would have actual pictures but it's too dark and cold outside now..

So imagine a fence like that with 5 of the pieces in between the posts down on the ground, blown over..

 

[Cutlass]

Get a roll of this stuff and a box of these and nail them up over the broken places. Get a few posts like this to fill in the gaps if you need to to hold it upright.

Use wire fencing because the dog will just chew through the plastic. That should get you through the winter.

 

[warpus]

Seems like I can buy 25 feet worth of 24 inch high chicken wire for $8

That seems high enough to keep the dog out and cheap enough to make it a potentially good solution.

But do I need posts for it or something then? I probably have wooden things I could use to make a makeshift posts with lying around.. but what do you professionals recommend?

Get a roll of this stuff and a box of these and nail them up over the broken places. Get a few posts like this to fill in the gaps if you need to to hold it upright.

Use wire fencing because the dog will just chew through the plastic. That should get you through the winter.

edit: Nice, all my questions answered before I even know it.. Thanks

I was also under the impression that in my link above the chicken mesh came with posts. It doesn't! Do you think makeshift ones made out of pieces of wood are a bad idea? Should I buy something like what you linked? And will that chicken mesh work?

 

[Cutlass]

The dog will probably not go through chicken mesh. But check to make sure the dog won't jump over 24 inches. Many will. And how much snow will be there in the winter? A 24 inch fence with a foot of snow on the ground is a pretty low fence. As to the makeshift posts, be sure that it's secured to the ground well enough so the dog won't push himself under it. You know those pieces of wire that are used as tent pegs? You could maybe use a bunch of them to hold it down.

 

[warpus]

Good point, I completely forgot about the snow somehow..

And I've never seen this dog jump over anything, but now I see what you're saying.. this makeshift barrier has got to be higher!

I see 1"x48"x25' roll of chickenwire for $18.99 .. Probably tall enough?

edit: I just noticed that 2"x48"x25' is only $11.99 .. I wonder why that is.. Here's what I'm looking at

 

[Cutlass]

4 foot would most likely do it. It's only a temp fix, after all.

 

[warpus]

Any idea what the difference between the 1 and 2" is? You'd think thickness since the other 2 numbers are length and height, but..that doesn't make sense. and then the "thicker" one is a lot cheaper?

 

[GinandTonic]

I guess how wide the mesh is would explain how the larger number is cheaper.

That is to say how wide the space between each wire.

 

[warpus]

oh how wide the holes in the fence are. hah. gotcha.

What a silly and confusing misuse of units to write it out the way they did, but at least now it makes sense.