DIY Fence Idea

[trademak]

In enclosing our in ground pool we needed to balance security with ease of monitoring. We wanted to be able to see the pool from inside our house and yet have it secured when we were not directly monitoring its use. We needed a "see through" fence. All of the more traditional methods like wrought iron and its variants or solid glass were too expensive for us. So we built a fence using four foot tall sheep/goat feedlot panels on the top combined with very short (only one foot) treated fence pickets. I won't go into construction details but will include a few pictures instead. I have a few finishing touches to complete such as trimming the top of the posts and facing the post with pickets, but I am quite happy with the way this turned out. More pics in next post.

COST BREAKDOWN (per 8 foot section)
3 - 6 foot pressure treated fence pickets @ $1.37 ea. = $4.11 (cut to desired height - I chose 11-3/4" for a finished panel height of 1')
6 - pressure treated 2 X 4 X 8 @ $2.97 ea. = $17.82 (5 of the 6 are ripped into 2 X 2's)
1/2 - Section of sheep/goat feedlot panel @ $28.00 * (approx.)
Screws, glue, misc. hardware $8.00 (estimated)

TOTAL excluding sales tax - $57.93
* Must be bought in full panels ($56.00)

 

[trademak]

More pics...

 

[toadydodee]

That looks awesome!

Maybe you could use some u shaped staples to hold the panels in at the top?

 

[duraleigh]

Incredibly well built and very, very attactive! That is really one of the best pool fences I have seen.

 

[spillmar]

Very nice cottage/farmhouse feel. A rustic pool house would go awesome with that fence. We went with DIY ornamental iron route and used OzPost fence post spikes - total for me in material came to $15 pet linear foot at 5ft high.

 

[carlscan26]

Did you check local code requirements for a pool fence? You may have another one around the yard so this may not matter. The spacing on that wire is too big for the regs in my area. Regardless, those look good and you get the pride of the DIY part too!

 

[trademak]

Since I have a safety cover in my area I am not required to have a fence at all. I can lower my insurance rates if the fence will not allow a 4 inch sphere to pass though the enclosure which this will do (3.75" spacing between wires). Local regs for a pool with fence only is the same.

 

[dattia]

Wow... that is really a nice looking and functional fence! I love it!

 

[carlscan26]

Since I have a safety cover in my area I am not required to have a fence at all. I can lower my insurance rates if the fence will not allow a 4 inch sphere to pass though the enclosure which this will do (3.75" spacing between wires). Local regs for a pool with fence only is the same.

Nice!

 

[Theo]

Very Nice! It would have been more work, but did you consider painting the steel before it was installed?

 

[trademak]

We will paint the wire in place with a roller. I almost pulled the trigger and had a friend powder coat it for me...

 

[crek31]

Looks great!

 

[Yukon Jack]

Wow, I gotta agree that looks great. Sure wish I could do something similar but I doubt it would pass code for how I would want to use it since it could be climbed.

 

[carlscan26]

Just about any fence can be climbed...check your local codes for requirements

 

[Durk]

Just about any fence can be climbed...check your local codes for requirements

Most local codes are just rehashes of the 1999 BOCA Code requirements:http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...sf0TEDSdg&sig2=e6r-joHJVk27g5apsg6B0A&cad=rja

The OP's fence is definitely NOT BOCA compliant, as the vertical spacing substantially exceeds 1 3/4 inches. This would allow a kid to stick a foot in and climb the wall. Home depot garden wire mesh, which can be steel or vinyl-coated steel, would fill the bill and I think it costs less than the wire proposed. Ours is a BOCA town, and I have this wire stapled to the outside of a basic post and rail fence. I think that is about as cheap as you can do a BOCA fence.

 

[carlscan26]

Since I have a safety cover in my area I am not required to have a fence at all. I can lower my insurance rates if the fence will not allow a 4 inch sphere to pass though the enclosure which this will do (3.75" spacing between wires). Local regs for a pool with fence only is the same.

Yep our local regs are just about the same. But the OPs may be different and as he said he's already compliant with the cover.

A fence provides a level of protection and reassurance but vigilance should never be forgotten. A determined child will find a way around just about any safety system.

 

[carlscan26]

Here are our regs:
http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/dplu/docs/DPLU379.pdf

They've modified the boca list but it's pretty much the same. One interesting difference is a point made about not being able to be climbed by a child less than 5 years old.

 

[Lershac]

You forgot to budget in all the adult beverages while putting it up.

 

[trademak]

You forgot to budget in all the adult beverages while putting it up.

That's a fixed cost...

 

[ntermini]

Looks great, but if the primary reason for the fence is to safeguard your children, then it's a bit dubious. The wire material looks like the perfect climbing size and shape, not to mention very alluring looking for a child to climb. The more I think about it, the more this fence troubles me as a safety precaution.

When wemhad our Guardian fence installed at a cost of $1,500 dollars (which is a lot of money for us), I told the sales person that he could really quote me any price and I would have still said yes. He told me that the worst calls are those where he has to go to someone's home after one child has already been lost because the parents didn't want to spend the money for a safety fence. It's a chilling prospect, and one which all of use with pools and children should heed.