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Since ancient times, finials have been installed on fence posts. They have both an aesthetic function and a practical one – they extend the service life. Fence pole caps come in a variety of shapes and sizes. And they are made from different materials. They are even called differently: a headband (headband), a cap, a lid, a pommel and even a cover. And these are only the most commonly used names, there may be others.
What are fence posts for?
When looking at a fence, caps often attract the most attention. The pillars themselves are very noticeable, and the tops too. So the first reason for their use is obvious – external view. But that’s not all. There is also a practical side. And it is perhaps even more important. The fact is that a brick pillar inside usually has a cavity. It can get pal and precipitation. It is clear that this will not lead to anything good. Gradually, the masonry and the brick itself will collapse.
Even if the top of the post is sealed (with mortar, for example) and the cavity inside is not accessible, a cap is needed. Snow also accumulates on the plane, ice freezes, rain flows. And they also destroy the mortar in the seams, and then the brick. Heads are made less often on metal poles, but zealous owners put plugs. This also extends their service life. And insects like to settle in the cavities, so you need to close them from them too.
Caps on wooden fence posts cover the most vulnerable part – the cross cut. No matter how you paint, here the paint holds the worst, and moisture seeps in, destroying the wood fibers.
What materials are they made from
In appearance, and, moreover, from the photo, it is not always possible to determine what the fence top is made of. Caps on fence posts are:
- wooden;
- concrete;
- polymer sand;
In appearance, you can’t understand what the fence and covers on the poles are made of - metal (not only from tin);
- plastic (polymer);
- ceramic;
- stone.
What material is best? Depends on your preference. Sometimes outwardly they differ little, because they look at the fence from a distance of several meters. So you won’t see the difference. Therefore, they usually choose for reliability, but aesthetics also play a significant role. The most popular are concrete covers on fence posts, but they are not placed on metal or wood. They don’t put on metal poles because cement destroys metal, but on wooden poles, because wood and concrete have different thermal expansion. There will be mounting issues.
Caps for wooden or metal poles are made of the same material or put plastic caps. Moreover, there are even backlit ones. At the same time, the problem of perimeter lighting can be solved.
It should be noted that plastic caps are usually small in size. In addition, plastic is not always durable.
Most Reliable
The most reliable are stone caps for fence posts. Nothing happens to them for decades. Unless centuries can cause some changes. And the changes are minor. Minus – the price. She is very tall.
The second most reliable are, perhaps, concrete covers. Provided that the technology was observed, they will retain an unchanged appearance for decades. Unless they can darken or turn green from moisture. High-quality polymer concrete products also serve for a long time.
Approximately the same reliability metal caps on poles. But not tin, but welded from metal. But longevity and appearance here depend on the quality of welding, processing and painting. And if the previous types do not require any maintenance, then metal tops must be periodically painted.
Concrete, polymer concrete, polymer sand
The most common are concrete caps for poles. They are usually the cheapest. But the low price is not worth chasing. You can get to the “garage” production, where they save on everything. After a couple of years, such products turn into a pile of dust and crumbs. There is usually no one to present claims, because the “enterprise” has collapsed. High-quality vibrocompressed concrete will stand for decades without any changes. But it can’t be cheap.
What else is good concrete caps for fence posts? The fact that you can add pigment to concrete and get any (almost) color. And he (color) will not go away with time. And you don’t have to paint. Well, a huge plus is that the form can be any. Literally anyone. And you can also make them yourself.
Polymer-cement concrete is a new type of concrete in which cement is completely or partially replaced by polymers. The material acquires other properties: it almost does not absorb moisture, has high wear resistance, resistance to shock, temperature extremes. Just what fence covers need.
There is also a concrete polymer. This is when the finished product is impregnated with a polymer. The properties are unique: very low hygroscopicity, high frost resistance and wear resistance.
Polymer sand is made from polymer sand – a combination of sand and plastic in one mixture.
Polymer sand products are durable, economical, reliable, environmentally friendly and available in a wide range of colors. Do not fade under the influence of ultraviolet rays and precipitation.
Of metal
Around the same price range are black steel metal lids. If the option is low-budget, but there can be many problems. Metal requires maintenance, that is, painting. In case of corrosion, you will have to remove the old paint, remove rust to bare metal, cover with a primer, then paint. Long and expensive. Saving when buying, you will invest in the process of operation.
Lids can be aluminum. This is a more expensive, but also better option. They are painted with powder paints under pressure. That’s why they don’t look cheap. This coloring lasts a long time, so it is unlikely that you will need to tint.
Copper and stainless steel products are also an excellent solution.
For metal forged fences, finials / plugs with forging elements are made on poles. And the caps themselves are welded from metal. There is still the same problem – the need to periodically paint.
The cheapest option is covers made of galvanized sheet steel with a polymer coating. From this material I make metal tiles and profiled sheets, i.e. the material is durable.
And all metal fence covers (sometimes they say nakryvki) have one common drawback – they make noise in heavy rain or hail.
How to make concrete caps on poles with your own hands
To make a finial on concrete fence posts, you need a form. The simplest one – in the form of a square or rectangle – you can twist yourself from construction plywood with a thickness of at least 16 mm or knock it down from a board. But it is better from plywood, and from laminated: there will be a smoother surface that can not be sanded.
Another material for making molds for casting concrete products is metal. If you know how to cook, you can make not only a simple form, but also something more complicated – from classics or modern.
In any case, the form must have at least one removable side part. This is necessary to make it easier to remove the cover. If you are making a plywood shape, you will unscrew one of the sidewalls. For metal molds, you can make a folding part on hinges or completely removable on puffs or bolted connections.
If you want to make a figured cap, but do not know how to weld metal, buy molds for casting concrete caps. They are made of plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fiberglass, polystyrene. For the manufacture of a dozen or two products, the cheapest ones will go – from ABC plastic, but only the wall thickness should not be less than 2-3 mm.
In order for concrete caps to have smooth walls and a dense, uniform structure, the concrete must be compacted (“vibrated”) after pouring into the mold. There is special equipment for this. In production, these are vibrating tables, but there is also a portable tool, which is called a vibrator for concrete. If the work with concrete is only one-time, it makes no sense to buy. If you plan to do something else, then you can buy it. The quality of concrete is increased many times, the performance properties and appearance of finished products are improved. As a replacement for a vibrator, you can use a perforator that will “punch” a form in shock mode.
An example of self-production using a puncher as a vibrator, see the video below.
How and from what to make a solution
It is possible to make concrete caps from sand concrete or concrete with fine granite aggregate (3-5 mm). In any case, Portland cement of a brand of at least M 400, and preferably M 500, will be needed. If you want to make concrete colored, you will need a pigment that is compatible with cement. You can get a pure color without a gray tint only if the cement is white. It is, of course, expensive, but you do not need production scale.
Sand is also required to prepare the sand-cement mixture. And it must be dry and clean, without clay impurities. Sift it before kneading. What brand of sand-cement mix to do? According to the characteristics of the M300, more than enough. And to improve the properties, use additives (additives). It makes sense to add any plasticizer. Add according to the norm, no more. If you want to further increase the strength, you can use fiberglass. Frost resistance is enough.
The proportions for the manufacture of sand concrete M 300 depend on the brand of cement:
- For 1 part of M 400 cement, 1,8 parts of sand are taken (for 1 kg of cement, 1.8 kg of sand).
- For a part of cement brand M 500 2,1 parts of sand (for 1 kg of cement 2,1 kg of sand).
Take 0,45-0,55 parts of water per 1 part of binder. The procedure for mixing the solution is to first mix the dry ingredients well until a uniform color is obtained, then pour in water and stir. Faster and more convenient – with a construction mixer or a drill with a nozzle for mixing gypsum and cement-sand mixtures.
It is easier, but more expensive, to use a ready-made cement-sand mixture (sand concrete) of the same brand – the components are already mixed there. All that is required is to pour the indicated amount of water and mix thoroughly.
Filling and finishing
A metal mold for the manufacture of concrete caps for poles must be well lubricated with oil. Any pure oil. If there is a machine – excellent, but you can also vegetable. Processing cannot be used. You can grease a plastic or plywood mold, but this is optional. A metal one is a must.
The solution is poured into the mold, after which the vibrator is turned on, if necessary, the solution is added. After reaching the required volume, the surface is smoothed with a spatula or trowel and left for a while. At temperatures around +20°C, formwork can be removed after 18-24 hours. If it’s colder, increase the time.
Immediately after the formwork has been removed, on the underside of the cap, make diagonal grooves at the corners – droppers. Water will drain through them and will not linger near the masonry. After that, leave the products to gain strength. They are brought under a canopy or covered so that the direct sun does not fall and the moisture does not dry out. After two weeks, you can install on the fence, but it is better to wait 28 days, as required by the technology.
How to install a concrete head on a brick pillar
Install concrete “hats” on brick pillars on a standard masonry mortar. On the same one that is used when laying pillars. The solution is laid out on a pole, in the center making the layer a little larger.
On the underside of the cover mark the dimensions of the overhangs. They depend on how much the concrete cap per pole is larger. Usually they make an equal distance on all sides, but there are exceptions. They put a cap on the pole, aligning the marks. When the indents are observed, we tap the cap a couple of times with a rubber mallet so that the seam is even. We remove the excess solution, check whether it “sits” evenly. We finish by jointing the seams and removing the remnants of the masonry mixture.