Design features of metal fence

Initially, the protective structures were only a means of protecting the territory - the fences clearly determined the boundaries of private ownership, and therefore were simple and clumsy. Today, the functional of the fence has acquired a more aesthetic character - the owners want not only to define their territory, but also claim to refinement and even aristocracy when choosing the appearance of the fence. It is because of this that metal fences have gained popularity in the modern world, and a wide selection of materials allows you to bring to life the most bizarre and original solutions.

Fences have a number of advantages, thanks to which they are relevant and very common in the modern world. Any fencing systems, whether they are sectional or individual, are distinguished by reliability and durability, which is achieved through the use of metal in the construction.And with proper care, iron structures become more durable, which causes less trouble during their operation.

Another feature of steel fencing is versatility. It manifests itself both in the purpose (defining the boundaries of the backyard plot, the territory of industrial buildings, construction sites), and in the forms (openwork weaves, lightweight mesh options or heavier monolithic varieties). All these forms are in perfect harmony with other elements - wood, brick, stone, which allows you to design the appearance more individually, functionally and in accordance with the established budget.

The modern market offers a huge number of options for fencing territory. They are divided into the following categories:

• Forged. Wrought fence is considered elite due to the elements of decorative artistic forging, made of steel and cast iron, manually or by industrial stamping. It is the curly details that give the fence a unique, attractive look and raise it to the rank of a work of art.

The main advantage of this fence is incredible strength. Forged structures are quite resistant to mechanical damage and various deformations, which increases the service life of the product. However, due to the complexity of manufacturing are one of the costly pleasures. Most often, art forging does not present a fence as a restriction of space, but on the contrary, favorably emphasizes the architecture and style of the building.

• With monolithic spans. This type of fence is a rack or pillar, between which are mounted monolithic shields of the span. Vertical supports are made of various materials, such as steel pipe, brick, wood. The most common type of panel is profiled flooring, which is a perforated sheet of metal of various profiles. The corrugated sheet is covered with zinc and other polymeric substances, due to which there is a huge choice of colors of this material, as well as the anti-corrosion properties of the metal.

Another option for the span shield is metal siding, a solid panel of steel or aluminum.The siding surface is performed not only in various color palettes, but also with all sorts of drawings and textures, for example, wood or stone. Thanks to this, the fence acquires a more expensive and presentable appearance.

Since fences with monolithic openings are solid fences up to 3 meters high, they have good sound insulation and protect the area from excessive dust and dirt. Such structures are easy to install and operate, they are easy to repair, and you can wash the surface with a hose.

• Metal shtaketnik. Fence - this is a finished vertical strips of steel profile, which are fixed on the longitudinal crossbars. Initially, the shtaketnik was made of wood, but its modern metal counterpart has become a more popular means for landscaping homestead plots, garden and park areas, flower beds and front gardens. The market represents a wide range of this type of fencing, which allows you to choose interesting and original solutions or to make an individual order on your own sketches.

• Lattice fence. There are two types of such fences: a chain-link and welded fences from the grid. The latter can be made of finished factory construction or self-made welded wire mesh.

• Grid - a great option to protect the site, as it is an inexpensive way to protect the territory from street animals and intruders. It has good light transmittance and does not deprive the site of additional sunlight and heat. It is also effective to use mesh fencing in public areas: parks, schools, kindergartens and administrative buildings.

• Gaining popularity sectional lattice designs from a bar. They are separate sections of rods, which are welded together in a grid. The surface of such fencing is not only treated with a zinc layer, but also coated with a special polymer composition, which provides additional protection against metal corrosion and gives the color of the structure.Such fences are easy to install and operate, resistant and decorative.

Advantages of metal products:

• Resistance - metal structures are highly resistant to damage and almost do not deform, especially if there are forged or welded elements in the structure;
• Durability - metal products are invulnerable to precipitation, temperature changes, ultraviolet radiation, which makes it possible to operate them for more than 10 years;
• Unpretentiousness - iron constructions are practical and not polluted, and if necessary they are easy to wash;

• Accessibility - in most cases, the cost of a metal fence is acceptable and justifies its quality. On the basis of the established budget, you can choose an inexpensive solution (fence from the grid) or a more expensive option (artistic forging);
• A wide range - the market offers the buyer a huge choice: from monolithic panels to lighter versions of the fence of strips, tapes and even blinds. It is possible to buy products both in specialized places, and to make the individual order according to own sketches;

• Easy installation - the construction of the fence can be carried out by the buyer on their own. Due to the small massiveness of the installation of the fence does not require special education, skills and tools. Otherwise, there are many special services that will help in this difficult matter;
• Decorative effect - due to the variety of forms that can be made of metal, such fences are quite popular in modern society. They can be used on the ranch, and for the design of garden and park areas, and for the improvement of the territories of administrative buildings; both vertical and horizontal design. At the same time there will be no interference with the review and consideration of green spaces.

Corrosion is the main enemy of metal structures. This process is unavoidable, as frequent contact with precipitation, temperature drops, minor scratches or damage during installation can disrupt the protective coating layer and trigger corrosive processes. However, this minus is easy to fix: you need timely surface treatment with special anti-corrosion substances, and if necessary, the elimination of rusty areas.It is important for owners of metal structures to remember that the service life of a fence depends on how it is cared for.

For the construction of the fence will need the following set of tools and equipment:

• Roulette;
• Bar or wooden pegs;
• Measuring cord;
• Hydro level;
• Shovel or bur;
• Angle Grinder;

• Welding machine;
• Perforator;
• Screwdriver;
• Spray gun and brush;
• Hacksaw and scissors for metal.

The installation of any fence begins with the installation of vertical support posts that are well fixed in the ground. The most versatile material for support pillars are round or rectangular welded pipes of various profiles. However, when choosing racks it is necessary to consider the mass of the future fencing. This is necessary in order for the supports to withstand the mechanical load of the fence itself, wind and other damage.

The installation of the fence involves the phased implementation of the following actions:

1. Before starting work on the installation of pillars, it is necessary to clean the area from debris and vegetation, and also to plan the area. If possible, level the ground.
2. Marking territory.With the help of a measuring cord around the perimeter of the territory, it is important to determine the places of the vertical supports and put a peg or rod. The optimal pitch between the pillars is 2.5-3 meters.
3. Development of soil for the rack. The dimensions of the pits can be completely different: diameter - from 20 centimeters, depth - from 100 to 130 centimeters. The size is selected individually for each type of support, depending on the diameter or perimeter of the metal support. The depth of drilling of the pit is selected depending on the area of ​​residence, the depth of soil freezing and the height of the support column.
4. Installing the pillars with careful leveling. In each pit it is necessary to pour crushed stone or gravel with a thickness of 20 centimeters and pour cement or concrete composition with layer-by-layer compaction. The optimal drying time of the composition is 3-6 days. This type of fixing support column in the pit should be used when installing massive metal fences.

The second version of the installation of steel poles - hammering them into the ground. This method is most often used in soft soil, where rock is almost absent or when installing light fences that do not require a large mechanical load on vertical supports.

Another way of attaching pillars for light fences is bunting. With this method, the pit is filled with rubble or gravel with a tamper or just the soil developed earlier.

Due to the massiveness of forged products, additional lags are welded to the support posts for additional stability of the fence to the supporting posts. If the height of the fence does not exceed 180 centimeters, then two bars will suffice. The hedge pattern itself is usually formed separately and mounted on a metal frame in finished form. If the fence is of small height, then forged sections are most often used, which are welded to pre-installed steel racks or other supporting structures. After the installation of structures it is important to clean the joints well and treat them with anti-corrosion primer and tint these places with paint.

As with the installation of a wrought fence, when installing a fence of profiled flooring, horizontal crossbars must be welded to the supporting posts. In connection with the sail of the corrugated board, for greater stability of the metal frame, it is necessary to install three transverse parts with a fence height of more than 160 centimeters.The cross bars, like the racks themselves, must be treated with an anti-corrosion compound to protect the frame from rust.

Sheets of profiled flooring are mounted vertically with an overlap in one wave. From the horizontal surface of the earth should move back up to 10-15 centimeters, so that in the spring the material does not come into contact with water. The sheets are fastened with screws for metal with a length of at least 35 millimeters, which can be matched to the color of the professional flooring. Therefore, holes should not be drilled in advance in metal sheets.

For cutting sheets it is better to use a hacksaw or scissors for metal. When using grinders spraying of zinc on the surface of the material can be broken and lead to corrosion. Also during the installation process, scratches may form on the corrugated sheet, which can be easily removed with paint in the color of the material. Such paint can be purchased at any specialty store.

When mounting a fence made of a shtaketnik to fix the slats, the cross member of the pipe is 40x20 millimeters welded. The surface of the steel supports and crossbars should be painted in the color of the fence.This will improve the performance properties of the metal and give an aesthetic look to the fence as a whole.

The slats are fixed to the transverse bridges in four places: two self-tapping screws in the upper and lower parts. In order for the material not to burst during the installation process and not to become unusable, you need to pre-drill the holes at the top and bottom of each strip of a smaller diameter than the diameter of the mount. Instead of screws, you can use special galvanized mounts, which will extend the life of the fence and simplify its operation.

For a more presentable type of fencing, before installation you need to calculate the distance between the slats. For this, the length of the fence between the posts is measured and divided by the width of the picket fence. The pins should be fixed at the same level in height and with the same distance in width, unless otherwise provided by the project.

The metal fence for the fence can be presented in the form of sectional parts, which are welded to the support posts by welding.

When mounting the fence of the grid-chain-link between the vertical posts at the top and bottom, on each span of the fence, two steel strands of steel wire rod are welded and welded. This is necessary in order to prevent the grid from sagging.After the mesh is stretched, the web of which is fixed with the help of a wire with a diameter of 6.5 millimeters. The wire is passed through the cells and welded to support posts. At the end of the work, the supports and the grid should be painted.

The installation of the sectional fence of the welded grille is surprisingly simple. When installing such a fence, the main factor is the good depth of the supporting posts. Otherwise, the fence will be deformed when exposed to strong wind.

The surface of the sections of the lattice and supports are treated at the factory with special zinc phosphate with subsequent polymer coating, which gives not only protection from atmospheric phenomena, but also gives the fence a saturated color. All components of the fence can be purchased in the finished form in a specialized store.

Sections of the fence are attached to the support posts with bolts, special brackets and nuts. The most necessary tool for installation is a socket wrench. No additional materials during installation will be necessary. At the end of the mounting holes are closed with special plugs.

If desired, you can make these sections yourself. For this purpose, steel wire with a diameter of 5 millimeters is used. It should be cut from wire rods of the required length, lay perpendicular to each other and weld at the intersection point. The result is a welded lattice with square or rectangular cells. In case of individual production, the width and height of sections depend only on their own sketch.

• When constructing a netting fence, do not mount the material with an overlap on the ground; an air gap must be left. This will protect the material from corrosive damage and remove the load from the grid;
• Metal structures made of galvanized material do not need additional treatment with special compositions or painting. If the surface of the grid or grating without galvanized polymer coating, subsequent painting is needed. Painting is best done with a brush, because the spray gun will waste a lot of paint, and the roller will not paint over the interweaving of the net;

• When building a fence of profiled flooring with your own hands, it is not necessary to take up combined solutions if you do not have experience in laying bricks and pouring concrete foundations;
• Before you make an individual order for the artistic forging of fencing, you need to decide not only with the dimensions and material of the fence, but also with the patterns. Together with the designer, you should view the albums with examples of works and select elements that are appropriate to the building style. You need to decide whether the design of the team or sectional. In order to make the process of making a forged fence faster, pre-sketch the sketches and submit them to the masters;

• During the operation, do not use powder coating when caring for forged fences. It will be difficult to distribute the coating evenly to shaped fragments; there may be a danger of corrosion in some areas due to a thin layer of staining or its absence;
• On private plots, metal fence can be combined with polycarbonate. Due to its transparent structure, this material has good light transmission ability, which gives the site additional light and heat.

If we talk about artistic beauty, then decorative wrought iron fences will be the undisputed leader in this. But because of the high price of this type of product, few can afford to install a fence of artistic forging. However, you can consider ready-made versions of fences that can harmoniously fit into the overall style and emphasize the beauty of the territory.

A modern fence serves not only to determine the boundaries of the site and protect private property, but also as a certain element of home decoration that emphasizes the owner’s personality. For the original decor of the fence designers recommend not only to combine different materials, but also to apply different paints and compositions that will refresh the buildings and give a more well-groomed appearance.

The main elements of the decor are:

• The main decoration is color and texture. The fence can be made of metal siding with a textured coating or from a profiled sheet, the surface of which is covered with a colored polymer composition;
• Carved forged items. Traditional figures - flowers, balusters, peaks, curls, rings, monograms.Such details made of iron on fences will not only look decorative on any fence, but also very individually;

• Picture. It is made with special paints that are resistant to fading and precipitation. On any panel surface of the fence you can put the plot drawings, ornaments, patterns and even reproductions of paintings;
• Combinatorial forms and materials. One of the most common decors in the world. It can be a combination of brick and shtaketnik, openwork forging and stone, iron rod and polycarbonate, wooden elements and steel rods. There is a great variety of options and nothing can limit the author's imagination.

Different variations of the decoration of fences not only emphasize the individuality of the idea, but can also reduce the cost of the product, especially if you used your own hands in the embodiment of the plan.

To learn how to make a fence from a metal picket fence, see the following video.