If a homeowner wants the fencing of his property to not require repairs for many years due to skewed pillars or subsidence of the soil, he should choose a concrete strip as the base for his fence. Its construction will take no more time than the installation of poles, but in terms of durability and reliability it is many times better than supports made of timber or metal pipes installed in the ground. A fence made of corrugated sheets on a strip foundation looks more presentable and will last for decades.

Selection of corrugated sheets

There is no need to talk about the color scheme; each owner chooses the color that is most suitable for decorating a residential building and site. But the thickness of the sheets, and therefore their grade, are of great importance for the further operation of the fence. There are three types of corrugated sheets: roofing, wall and load-bearing. Each of them differs in the thickness of the metal base and the protective coating layer.

A fence made of corrugated sheets will have optimal strength for this structure if it is made of wall material.

This is the most suitable choice of profiled sheet for fencing construction. The optimal thickness of the protective coating is from 0.6 mm. The height of the wave in the case of building a fence has a purely aesthetic purpose.

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What to make pillars from

• timber 100/100 mm or 150/150 mm (made of hard wood and well dried);
• iron pipes with a wall thickness of at least 2 mm and a cross-section of at least 50 mm;
• supports made of brick or concrete blocks;
• pillars made independently by pouring concrete into hollow asbestos-cement pipes or formwork made from roofing felt rolled into a tube.

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Fasteners

As components for the corrugated sheets, there are self-tapping screws with a sealing washer and a head painted in the same color as the base material. But you can choose other fasteners and independently select a rubber ring for them, which will prevent moisture from penetrating the metal and, as a result, corrosion. On average, 5-6 screws are required per 1 m² of span. Screw the components to the corrugated sheet using a screwdriver with a special bit that matches the size and shape of the fastener head.

To cut profiled sheets, you will need a grinder with a 1.5 mm thick metal disc, scissors or a hacksaw. To mask the chips and scratches that inevitably occur during cutting, an anti-corrosion primer and paint sprayed from a spray can are used. In this case, the corrugated fence will be neat.

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Installation of a strip foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets

• first of all, markings are made: a straight line is drawn on the ground, which should be drawn relative to some landmark: a road, a residential building or other building;
• for a tape, a width of 20-25 cm will be sufficient. The depth of the sole must comply with the rules for installing such a foundation. The choice of depth is carried out taking into account the type of soil at the construction site of the fence, groundwater level (level groundwater) and TPG (soil freezing point);
• Regarding the depth of laying the concrete strip, they are guided by the following recommendations: if the soil is clayey and wet (very heaving), then, regardless of the level of ground water level and TPG, the base is buried 20-30 cm below the freezing point of the soil. If the soil on the site is mobile (dry sand and sandy loam), the recommendations are similar. For dense soil (loams, dry clay, rocky, coarse wet sand) it will be enough to make an MZL (shallow strip foundation). In this case, the base of the strip is buried by 20-40 cm. If the soil is heaving and the groundwater level is high, it is recommended to make a “floating” strip foundation;
• for backfilling and concreting you will need: sand brought from a quarry (not river), cement grade M300 or M400, gravel or crushed stone of medium fraction, water;
• To construct the formwork, you will need lumber with smooth, strong walls: edged boards, sheets of thick plywood or OSB boards. For reinforcement - A3 ribbed reinforcement with a cross section of 10-12 mm and smooth metal rods with a thickness of 6-8 mm.

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Stages of work on constructing a concrete strip

• According to the markings on both sides of it, measure the distance required for the width of the tape, add 10 cm to it on the left and right. In this case, it will be possible to fit formwork into the ditch;
• form a trench along the entire perimeter of the future fence;
• The bottom of the ditch must be leveled horizontally. To do this, use a hydraulic level. The soil is then compacted using a vibrating plate;
• waterproofing is laid in the form of roofing felt sheets folded in 2-3 layers;
• pour quarry sand. If it is dry, you will need to moisten it with water from a hose. When it seeps into the ground, leveling and compaction are performed. Sand layer - 5-7 cm;
• a gravel “pillow” 10-15 cm high is formed in the same way;
• Pre-assembled formwork panels are installed in the trench. To ensure that the walls are positioned strictly vertically, they are reinforced on the outside with supports made of wooden blocks;
• start manufacturing the reinforcing mesh. Corrugated reinforcement acts as horizontal rods; crossbars and vertical rods are cut from smooth reinforcement. All mesh parts are connected to each other either by welding or knitting wire.

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Installation of corrugated fence posts on a strip foundation

If it is decided to use pipes, timber or home-made concrete supports, the installation of supports begins at the stage of manufacturing the armored belt. Before laying the reinforcement mesh into the formwork, mark the location of the pillars. But first they calculate the length of the spans, taking into account the thickness of the supports. The standard height of the profiled sheet is 113-120 cm, the length can be different: from 30 cm to 12 m. Depending on the dimensions of the purchased material, the width of the spans is calculated, taking into account that it should not exceed 2-2.5 m.

The places where the pillars should be located are marked with wooden or metal pegs. The supports (or formwork for pouring concrete) are installed vertically and fixed in this position using spacers. A reinforcing mesh is installed around each pillar, which should contain 2-3 horizontal layers of corrugated reinforcement bars.

If required, concrete is poured into the formwork. If wood is used as pillars, it should be coated with several layers of antiseptic or fire-retardant compound. For metal pipes, buy an anti-corrosion primer. Concrete pillars are coated with a waterproof primer for cement and plastering work. A reinforcing mesh is placed in the formwork and connected to an armored belt around the pillars.

It is important not only to choose the right material for the fence itself, but also to build a strong and reliable foundation for it. This is the key to the durability, strength and reliability of the fence. Behind such a wall you can hide from prying eyes and noisy dusty roads.

In our article we will look at what types of foundations for fences exist, how to choose the right foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets, and how you can make it yourself without involving expensive specialists to carry out the work.

Choose the appropriate option: from massive to tape

Today, several different designs are used as foundations for fences, including:

1. Pillar foundation for a fence. With this option, holes are dug for support pillars into which the pillars are installed. After which all this is filled with concrete or sand-concrete mixture. Such foundations, which are easy to make with your own hands, are distinguished by their simplicity of construction and low price. This type of foundation is used, as a rule, for lightweight fences: made of metal mesh or wood. It is also permissible to install a pillar foundation for fencing made of corrugated sheets when strengthening concrete slabs. The installation depth of the support posts depends directly on the type of soil, height and total weight of the fence.
2. A strip-and-pillar foundation is a strip of concrete that has separate pads for installing support pillars. The diameter of such posts and the width of the tape depend on the type of fence and its height. To ensure stability and reliability, the foundation strip and support pads are mandatory reinforced. This ensures an even load on the entire structure. Such a foundation for a fence is excellent for the construction of wooden and brick structures of various heights; it is often used in construction. To build such a foundation, holes are first dug for the support pillars, then a trench for the strip foundation. A sand and gravel cushion is poured onto the bottom, pillars are installed, after which the formwork is installed. The most common concrete solution is used; its drying time depends on the parameters of the tape.
3. For massive and heavy fences it is used monolithic type foundation - on a gravel bed. The concrete solution is laid in layers, each layer is compacted. Do-it-yourself fence supports are installed on the foundation itself. This option is not used for fences made of corrugated sheets.
4. A stone foundation is made from stones various shapes: it is considered one of the most reliable, but is used mainly for stone fences or forged metal fences. The cost of such a foundation is quite high; specialists must be involved in its construction.

As we can see, several types of foundations are used for a fence made of corrugated sheets, including pillar and strip-pillar (or simply strip).

As reinforcement for very high fences, a special metal rod is used, the diameter of which can range from six to thirty-two millimeters, but for corrugated fences, small reinforcement is usually used.

What influences the choice of foundation?

The foundation for a fence made of profiled sheets is selected taking into account the following factors:

• when planning the foundation, it is imperative to take into account the type of soil and the level of its possible subsidence due to seasonal changes in temperature and humidity;
• the possibility of washing away the future structure with waste or groundwater;
• When constructing a fence from corrugated sheets, despite its relatively low weight, it should be taken into account that weak soil can sag under the total weight. Therefore, when building fences with your own hands, you still need to get expert advice on construction work on a specific site;
• when using metal sheets, choosing a foundation and the height of the fence itself, one must take into account the likelihood of torsion and bending effects from sailing (therefore, solid fences made of corrugated sheets are recommended to be made with all responsibility);
• When installing a fence near busy roads, highways, railway tracks, you must remember that the foundation for the fence must withstand vibration loads, loads from soil deformation, etc.

Marking the area for installing a fence

Before you begin to build a structure under, it is necessary to mark the territory on the site. This work is very simple, it consists of the following: along the entire perimeter, small wooden pegs are driven into the ground in the place where the fence is planned to pass through. A very ordinary rope is stretched between the pegs.

The hole for pouring pillars is usually made 1.5 meters deep.

Further work will depend on the chosen design. So, for the simplest pole option, holes of the required depth are simply dug along the designated perimeter (usually a depth of eighty to one hundred and fifty centimeters): the depth depends on the type of soil and the weight of the fence.

You can easily do this with your own hands using a shovel; there is no point in using expensive equipment. The distance between such pits can reach up to three meters (which also depends on the dimensions of the corrugated sheet).

For a strip foundation, such preparatory work is slightly different. Along the marked perimeter of the future fence, a trench is first dug with a width equal to the future tape and a depth of up to half a meter. After this, holes are made for the support pillars in the manner described above. Do-it-yourself prep work like this may take a little longer; It’s very convenient to do them with two or three people.

To prevent the collapse of the ground, it is recommended to install formwork with a height of up to fifteen centimeters; Additionally, reinforcing bars with a diameter of eight millimeters can be strengthened. Thus, marking and preparing the perimeter for the foundation is completed.

Design selection

Let's return to choosing a foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets with your own hands. As we have already said, this largely depends on the type of soil, the weight of the structure and its height.

Typically, the pillar option, as the simplest one, is made for a low fence made of corrugated sheets, which has a simple design without additional reinforcement. Such fences do not create heavy loads; they are quite stable on their own.

In the case when the height of the fence is significant (up to 6 meters), in addition to the corrugated sheet itself, other materials will be used for the work: reinforced support pipes, additional profiles, etc. It is best to install a foundation for a fence using the strip-and-pillar type. In this case, the depth of such a foundation will be at least forty to sixty centimeters, and the support pillars will have to be placed much more often than three meters.

Stages of constructing a strip structure

Let's take a closer look at how you can make a foundation for a strip-and-post fence. First, we do the preparatory work with our own hands, as stated earlier. The distance between the pits for the support pillars should be two to two and a half meters.

The recommended depth of such pits is sixty to eighty centimeters, but it can be greater depending on the height of the fence itself. After this, we make a pillow with our own hands from rolled up roofing felt at the bottom of the holes, lower the pillars into them, which must be driven in to a depth of up to twenty centimeters. After this, we tie the supports ten centimeters below ground level using reinforcing rods, and we also place reinforcement along the entire tape.

Using wooden boards, we make our own formwork, which should be fifteen centimeters higher than the planned height of the base. We prepare the concrete solution and fill the trench. Filling must be done in layers so that no voids are formed that affect the strength.

It will take up to two weeks to dry: during this time, the position of the supports must be periodically monitored. On hot days, the base should be watered.

The formwork is disassembled no earlier than after a week - it is better to wait until the concrete has completely dried.

Such a foundation will be very strong - it will last for decades even under very heavy loads.

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A fence made of corrugated sheets has its own characteristic features, which require its installation on a strong and reliable foundation.

The higher the fence, the higher its windage. Frost heaving forces act on the corrugated fence from below.

And if you limit yourself to only the foundation of the supports, then there is a risk of sooner or later finding the entire structure torn out along with pieces of concrete.

Therefore, the construction of a foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets must be taken seriously.

Types of foundations

Several types of structures can be used as foundations for a corrugated fence.

For installation of a low fence made of corrugated sheets on non-heaving soil, especially if the installation is planned for a certain period of time with its subsequent replacement.

For the construction period, for example, you can simply drive the support pillars into the ground to a depth of 1.5-2 meters with an ordinary piledriver, sledgehammer or hammer.

To make the work easier, you can lightly drill holes into the ground with a small diameter auger. As an advantage of this type of installation of supports, it can be noted that if, as a result of seasonal movements of the soil, the supports are pushed to the surface in the spring, then they can be straightened again and driven in with a sledgehammer.

Pillar foundation

1. For support pillars, holes are dug (deeper for corner ones), into which they are installed level and leveled.
2. Then the pits are either filled with crushed stone or gravel of large fractions and shallowly concreted on top (butting) or completely filled with concrete mixture (concreting).
3. Then all pillars must stand on spacers for 28 days until the concrete gains full strength.
4. A strip foundation is made under the entrance group.

This foundation is easy to install and low in price. Used for low fences made of corrugated board. Much attention should be paid to the installation depth of the support pillars: they must be buried below the freezing point of the soil.

Strip and pillar foundations

The best option for corrugated board fencing is to install a corrugated board fence on a strip foundation. The pillar foundation holds the supports in place, and the tape holds the entire structure together into a rigid system.

The diameter of the pillars is selected depending on the height of the fence, the depth of burial depends on the type of soil and the level of its freezing.

To ensure the reliability and durability of the foundation, the tape must be reinforced. This allows you to distribute the load evenly across all structural units.

Traditional construction technology:

• The area is marked, and pegs are placed in the places where the pillars are installed.
• They dig holes for supports and a foundation strip.
• The bottom of the holes and tape is sprinkled with sand to a depth of 5 cm. The sand is moistened and compacted to create a sand cushion.
• The supports are installed on spacers and leveled.
• The formwork is laid in the tape.
• Pawned reinforcement cage in such a way that it does not reach 2-3 cm from the edges of the foundation on all sides. This will avoid metal corrosion.
• Concrete is poured in layers of 15 cm and bayoneted with reinforcement or worked with an in-depth vibrator to expel all air bubbles from it.
• After 12 hours, the concrete is moistened and covered with film. Thus, you should wait for the concrete to gain strength in accordance with its brand, periodically watering the concrete with water to prevent cracking.
• After a week you can remove the formwork.

To strengthen a heavier gate group, it is possible to provide for the creation of deeper holes for support pillars and a wider belt.

A fence made of corrugated board with a strip foundation is also used for a combined fence made of brick and corrugated board.

The brick-lined support contains a core - the same metal pipe. Therefore, the foundation for the support pillars is made as described above.

But for brick fences filled with corrugated sheets, it is typical to use a base, which:

• Protects the corrugated sheet from contact with the ground and, as a result, from corrosion.
• Protects the internal space of the site from the penetration of rodents and wild animals.
• Improves the aesthetic appeal of the fence.

Therefore, on an already solidified strip foundation, a brick base is made using reinforcing elements and the core is lined with brick to create an aesthetic support.

Strip-column foundation

Both of the above types of foundations are excellent for traditional corrugated fences with pipe supports.

But you can often find a do-it-yourself combined fence made from corrugated sheets with a foundation: the supports are stacked europoles, and the filling is made of corrugated sheets.

Typically, combined fences are made with a base. These are more durable, aesthetic fencing that can be installed in cottage village, For example.

They look quite civilized and perfectly perform their function of ensuring safety on the site. In this case, a fence is also made from corrugated sheets on a strip foundation with some characteristic features.

Its main difference from the foundation, in which pipes were used as supports, is that here the base for the supports is reinforced and filled with concrete.

That is, first, holes are dug into which a sand cushion is also poured, roofing felt is compacted and rolled into a roll, which will serve as formwork and waterproofing.

A reinforcement cage is inserted inside to the entire height of the future pillar. The formwork for the tape is made taking into account the height of the base. After concreting the foundation and plinth, the stacked pillars are poured.

Some features of the foundation structure

If you are making a foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets with your own hands , some features need to be taken into account.

• The distance between corrugated sheet posts should be from 2 to 3 meters, which depends on the type of soil and the height of the fence. It is better to choose such a distance so that you do not have to once again cut off the profile pipe that is used for installing horizontal logs. It is produced in a length of 6 meters. The higher the corrugated sheet fence, the closer the supports should be to each other.
• Corner and turning pillars, pillars for the gate group need to be chosen thicker and stronger, since they will bear a large load. The depth of the pits for supports is determined by the ratio 1 to 3. If the height of the support is 3 meters, then the hole must be dug to a depth of 1 meter. The usual burial depth for the middle strip corresponds to 1.2-1.5 meters. If you buy a ready-made concrete pillar, then the length of the lower buried section usually corresponds to 1.2 meters. The diameter of the hole for the pillars should be 10 cm larger than the diameter of the support.
• The average tape depth is 30-40 cm for a standard two-meter fence. If you plan to have a significant height of the fence - from 2 to 5 meters, then you need to deepen the tape to 60 cm. In this case, the reinforcement frame will include not 2 horizontal levels, but 4.

Correct installation of the foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets is the key to its durability and strength. A well-designed and installed fence will delight your eye for at least 10 years, and a combined fence for several decades.

Even if the profiled sheet itself begins to rust or is subjected to mechanical stress and becomes deformed: it can always be changed without much hassle. And the foundation will not require any restoration measures.

Therefore, you need to make the foundation for the fence slowly, carefully and carefully, and it will last for decades.

Since a corrugated fence is a rather heavy structure, the base for it must be reliable and durable. The most suitable is a strip foundation. It is a continuous strip formed from reinforced concrete. Such a tape is constructed along the entire perimeter of the fence. The advantage of such a foundation is the ability to evenly distribute the weight of the fence on the ground, which protects the corrugated board and posts from distortion.

The strip foundation can be poured solid or assembled using blocks.

Prefabricated foundation

A prefabricated foundation consists of the installation of factory-made reinforced concrete blocks. This base has become very popular in our country due to its ease of installation. Even if you have never thought about how to make a strip foundation, you can always install a prefabricated foundation without any construction skills.

Advantages of a prefabricated foundation

Flaws

The prefabricated foundation can withstand a sufficient amount of stress and can be used for at least 65 years. By using reinforced steel bars and mortar to strengthen the foundation, concrete blocks are a reliable choice when building a fence.

Prefabricated strip foundations can be installed on soils that are characterized by high throughput, for example, loamy or bulk soil.

Monolithic foundation

Monolithic foundations are widely used for the construction of fences made of corrugated sheets. Depending on the load size, it can be:

• buried to a shallow depth;
• buried on the ground surface;
• surface.

For the construction of a fence made of corrugated sheets, a surface monolithic foundation is suitable.

Advantages

Flaws

• the need for outside assistance during installation;
• longer costs for preparatory work;
• unstable during floods;
• prone to splitting on loose soils;
• may become deformed in unfavorable weather conditions.

Pouring a monolithic foundation for a fence

The main stages of building a foundation for a fence consist of:

1. Preparatory work;
2. Land works;
3. Bookmarks for the foundation;
4. Pouring the foundation;
5. Final works.

Required Tools

Preparatory stage

Before you pour the foundation for the fence yourself, you need to determine:

• Place of construction of a corrugated fence.

All work begins from the moment you determine the installation location of the fence.

• Foundation depth.

Each fence needs a certain depth of foundation, which must be built on support layer soil (dry clay, compacted gravel or compacted sand) below the frost zone. In Russia, the freezing depth ranges from 1.35 m in Moscow to 1.50 m in Vologda. In case of sandy soil, the foundation base can be placed at a depth of 1 m.

• Width of the base.

The width of the base is made the same as the width of the wall or baseboard of the fence. In case of stone fence it is assumed that the width should correspond to 1/5 of its height, but not less than 30 cm.

• Concrete for pouring the foundation.

Reinforced concrete, grade B15 (M200), is usually used for pouring the foundation for a fence. However, for heavy fences, which is corrugated board, you can use reinforced mortar.

Land works

During the preparation process you need:

• from the ground freezing line (each region of Russia has its own meaning);
• depending on the type of soil.

Make sure you dig the hole below the ground's frost line. Otherwise, the ground may freeze and affect the fence support. If you live in an area that experiences really cold winters, you will need to dig down to 1 meter.

Also, the depth of the trench will depend on the composition of the soil. For sandstones, bulk soils and gravel, it is enough to dig a hole 0.5-0.6 cm deep. For loam and sandstones - up to 0.75-0.8 cm. Where the soil is clayey and particularly dense, the depth can reach 1 meter .

Laying the foundation

• Pillow bookmark.

In order for the foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets to be reliable and stable, you first need to prepare an appropriate cushion. It serves as shock absorption and helps reduce the stress load on the foundation itself and bearing structures fence The pillow can be:

1. gravel-sand;
2. sandy, made of fine and medium fraction material.

A depression of up to 30 cm is made on the site (depending on the soil), into which sand and gravel are poured. To compact it, water it and tamp it down.

• Construction of formwork.

In order to pour the foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets with your own hands, you need to build an appropriate form, the so-called. formwork For this, a flat edged board of 1.5 * 2.5 cm is used, which will provide an attractive side to the foundation.

First, shields are prepared for each straight side of the trench. The boards are fastened at the ends with self-tapping screws. This will prevent holes from appearing in the joints and further leakage of the concrete composition. Next, the formwork is installed in the trench and expanded using pegs to strengthen the shields.

Remember that the board panel should be installed a little higher (30 centimeters) than the level of the planned concrete solution.

• Installation of pillars.

Since each profiled sheet has a certain length, the installation locations of the pillars are determined along the entire length of the trench. The foundation for the fence posts must be monolithic with the rest of the fence base. Otherwise, when climatic conditions change, the foundation may settle, which will lead to the gate being skewed. The posts should be installed 20 cm below the ground freezing mark.

• Foundation reinforcement.

To strengthen the base, longitudinally located rods of 12 mm in diameter are used every 25 cm. Such reinforcement should be located in the lower part of the base.

• Waterproofing.

The base of each fence must be horizontally insulated, for example with tar or bitumen. This will prevent the capillary action of water from the ground and the occurrence of salt stains on the foundation.

• Pouring formwork.

The final stage of constructing the base for the fence is filling the prepared trench with mortar. To prepare a suitable concrete composition, you need to use:

1. clean sand of medium fraction (from 1.1 to 3.4 mm);
2. clean gravel with particle size 1-8 cm;
3. crushed stone can be used instead of gravel;
4. cement.

You can choose cement for the foundation:

• Portland cement (universal, used for any structures);
• slag Portland cement (the advantage is increased resistance to moisture);
• pozzolanic cement (suitable for use in high humidity conditions);
• fast-hardening cement (matures quite quickly).

During pouring, it is necessary to align the installed pillars. Theoretically, pouring a foundation for a fence yourself is quite possible if you have construction skills. However, to speed up the filling process it is better to have an assistant.

Final works

The next step is the waiting time during which the solution must harden. This may take several weeks. All this time it is necessary to monitor the condition of the fill. On hot days, to prevent drying out, it is necessary to moisten the surface of the foundation. During rains, the poured formwork should be covered with plastic film.

To increase the density of the pour, after 5-10 days you can lay bricks on the surface of the concrete, which will give maximum compression and displace air voids.

After the concrete has hardened, you need to remove the formwork and continue building the fence.

If you decide to build a corrugated fence, you must take steps to create a suitable base for it. It is quite possible to build the correct foundation for a fence made of corrugated sheets with your own hands. It will allow the fence to function in different situations and will serve as a guarantee of its durability.