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Almost everyone wants to fence their site, but not everyone likes blind fences. They not only close you from prying eyes, but they also do not allow you to see what is happening behind the fence. One of the options for an almost “transparent” fence is a gitter mesh fence. Its advantage is a sectional structure, long service life and simple installation. And “transparency” and apparent lightness do not interfere with strength and reliability. Such fences are even placed on protected and secure facilities. So they are really reliable.
What is a gitter mesh, its types
Gitter mesh is a welded steel wire mesh. Steel bars have a diameter of 3 mm (there are 4 mm and 5 mm), laid out in the form of a grid with different cell sizes and welded at the intersection. Cells can be square or rectangular. The cell size is 50 * 200 mm, but can be made with other sizes.
Produced in the form of sections with stiffeners. So another name is a sectional fence. The stiffening ribs are made in the form of bends that run along the long side of the section. The number of stiffeners is from 3 to 8. The more stiffeners, the more stable the fence is. For a mesh fence section 2,5 meters long, 3-4 ribs are enough. The longer and taller the section, the more bends are required.
Так как ребра жесткости выступают из плоскости забора, это дало еще одно название подобных оград — объемные или 3Д (3D).
Gitter fence sections may vary in size. Height 1,5: 1,7 and 2,0 meters. The span/section length is 2,5 meters. If you wish, you can order longer or shorter, higher ones.
The rods can be galvanized or painted with polymer compositions that are baked in an oven (thermal painting or powder painting). The best option is galvanized, on top of which powder paint is applied. Color – any of the RAL palette, but most choose green.
That’s what the sections were about. Sections are attached to poles. The same firms supply poles and fasteners. All galvanized and covered with the same paint. They also offer installation. You will also need a gate and a gate, but they go separately and are made according to the required dimensions. It is also desirable to order them from the same manufacturer. The reason is coloring, you yourself cannot paint like that.
Why Choose a Gitter Mesh Fence
If you need to fence off the site, it is too expensive to put a solid fence. Previously, a chain-link was used to install barriers at the boundaries of plots, but it has too many disadvantages. A modern alternative is a gitter mesh fence. It is also not subject to wind loads, but is more reliable and stable.
It has a sectional structure, which is convenient for planning and installation. Separate sections are easy to remove if necessary, which was impossible with a chain-link without cutting it. The polymer coating does not fade for a long time. Manufacturers claim that the operation is 25-45 years. But so far there is no evidence in practice: welded mesh fence appeared on the market not so long ago.
Please note that the sections are attached in 3-4 places to the posts. No bars or crossbars are required, the sections are stable without them. To bend, even from 3 mm wire, is not so easy. And from a thicker one, it’s almost impossible.
The disadvantage of this type of fence is that it is completely transparent and does not hide anything. For privacy, plants are planted along the fence. But it will take time for them to grow up. For an instant effect, hang a camouflage, shading net or attach polycarbonate. The mesh option is cheaper, but less aesthetically pleasing. Polycarbonate, on the other hand, can become a problem with high wind loads. So take that into account too. Usually, under polycarbonate, transverse carriers are screwed to the pillars (a profile pipe of small section).
Installing a gitter fence: how to do it yourself
Как уже говорили, гиттер имеет секционную конструкцию. К размерам секции и надо привязываться при планировании ограды. Длина стандартной секции — 2,5 метра. Это значит, что через каждые два с половиной метра требуется установить опору.
Gitter mesh supports are supplied by the same organizations. They are square posts with a metal thickness of 1,5 mm or more, powder coated in the same color as the mesh. In some cases, this is not just a profile pipe, but with grooves for installing fasteners.
Gitter mesh fence base
To fix the 3d sections, you need to put poles. There are several ways to install them:
- Drill holes in the ground and block or concrete the posts.
- Install screw posts.
- To make a continuous tape shallow foundation, in which to concrete the supports.
Fastening to concrete blocks and fastening options for sections - Place a prefabricated concrete block foundation. In this case, the poles are attached to concrete using special anchor fasteners.
For almost all methods of mounting poles, their height must be greater than the height of the fence section. An exception is installation on a prefabricated concrete foundation. In this case, the height of the post is equal to (or slightly lower than) the height of the section.
In all other cases, the post must be buried in the ground. How deep to dig? Slightly lower (15-20 cm) freezing depth. This is different for each region. And, therefore, the height of the pillars will be different.
Features of concreting
Actually, as under any other fence, the pillars must be installed evenly and firmly. And so that in the spring heaving does not push them out. Therefore, it is important to do everything right. Here is the sequence of actions:
- Mark the installation locations, taking into account that the sections will be joined in the middle of the column. That is, the distance should not be 250 cm, but less by the width of the post. And this distance must be strictly maintained. Otherwise, you simply will not be able to fix the sections. This is the main “secret” of installing a sectional fence. The fastening of sections does not provide for a large error. The maximum is a centimeter. Therein lies the difficulty.
It is important to correctly mark the distance between the posts. And just put them at the right distance - Drill holes / dig holes of the required depth in the designated places. The depth of the pit for installing the pole is determined as the freezing depth for the region, plus 15-20 cm for backfilling. The holes for the supports can be ordinary, cylindrical (after using the drill) or “with a heel” (Foucault supports).
- About a bucket of crushed stone and a bucket of sand are poured at the bottom, they are well tamped.
- On heaving soils, a roofing material sleeve is inserted into the hole. It will not allow concrete to freeze to the ground. During spring movements, the poles stand in the sleeve and almost do not “float”.
- Insert the pole, align it vertically, install props. Check the distance to the next/previous and correct the position.
Для установки калитки и ворот нужна более надежная опора - Crushed stone is poured around, rammed, poured with concrete (M200 is enough). Once again, check the correct installation and leave the solution to gain strength.
Do not start installing 3D mesh sections until the concrete reaches 50% strength. At +20°C, this will take approximately 24 hours. At a lower level, it will take several days.
Pay special attention to the corner posts and those to which the gate and gate will be attached. Here, additional stops may also be required – to ensure stability. It may be necessary to put two pillars or use a larger section. In general, it is necessary to ensure stability and reliability.
Fasteners: conventional and anti-vandal
The fastening of the welded mesh sections is different for each manufacturer. “Standard” options – on the bracket and clamp. There are clamps for intermediate and corner supports. The bracket is simply attracted by a bolt through a through hole. Both methods are understandable, but have one common drawback – they are easy to remove, even with only wrenches. And with a power tool, dismantling will take a matter of minutes.
To solve this problem, manufacturers are developing anti-vandal or anti-removal mounts. A fence made of gitter mesh with such fasteners is much more difficult to remove.
The designs are slightly different, but the general idea is this: on the outside, we do not leave detachable fastener parts. An example is in the photo above. Nothing can be removed without a grinder – only from the inside or by sticking your hand inside. But in this position, you can’t unscrew much.
If you have a welding machine at hand, you can make a 100% secure mount. All you need is metal cut into strips. These strips will need to be bent in the form of a bracket and welded to the sidewalls of the pillars – it is difficult to come up with a more reliable fastening.