Thread: advice on building a fence from blueboard

OK, cant tell you from experience, because after having looked at about a dozen blueboard fences I went witha timber screen fence, coz i always saw cracks or deformities in the wall.

Firstly timber will move way too much, so steel is the option for both uprights and horizontal rails, I was going to use 90/90 pots with 90/50 top plate, bottom and middle rail and 1200 centres between posts. The alternate is to build much like CSR recomend for their compressed sheet decking, and put a sikaflex pro movement joint between each sheet, and live with the view of the joint.

If its only a short length I think the jobs acceptable, but doing it for a long distance is going to take a huge effort to stop it cracking and a lot of uprights (sheets should be vertical so limits you to 1200).

Drive around looking for an example and when you find one thats been there for a year and looks straight and no cracks do a close inspection for method, coz all the ones I've seen havent been done well enough to look like a masonary wall.

I have done some blueboard into my deck though, but have used aluminium cover strips for the joints - so joints are a feature and not hidden.

I am currently doing exactly what you are proposing. Suggest you look at the site for blueboard fixing - do a search here and you will find others have referenced it.

But as for the frame supporting the the board I am using steel stud section by Stramit - it is the same stuff they make a steel framed house from. The posts I am using are the same size as the studs and such 75x75mm hot dipped galvanised.

I was originally going to concrete the posts into the ground then put the steel frame between them then attach the board but this lends itself to things not fitting as they should. So I thought build the frame attach the sheet ot one side and stand this up with post at end (note large heavy panel) then prop in place and concrete into ground. Best way to be sure it all fits. BUT as i am also building a glass fence with aluminium posts that give me a tolerance only a few mm for the glass I have use of a concrete coring machine so I will do like this.

1 pour slab with thickenings at post base

2 stand the fence with frame/post/one blueboard attached on the slab and mark up where the post goes exactly. I will actualy make the panel and measure the post centres then core the hole - to be sure to be sure

3 core a hole into the concrete slab

4 install post (still attached to fence panel) and grout up hole.

I suspect you will not have a continuous slab under the fence or access to a coring machine - so in similar vain I would put the fence together panel by panel with board and post attached and concrete each post in as I work along the fence.

Other experts may have their own way of doing it with space between the posts allowing for the frame to go in with packers at bolt locations - but I think my method required a bit more muscle but less likely to go wrong. Bit slow too but better than trying to move a concreted in post etc.

The steel frame is your best option. Steel posts are also your best option. Make the footing above ground with the top sloping away from the post to avoid ponding and corrosion.

Good luck - should look good if you do it right. Do it bodgey and you will see every mistake.

Guys what shell i use metal post or treated pine

which is the better option.


If metal where to buy it and what do i need to get.

You should use a steel post concreted securely into the ground.

You can look up "steel merchant" or "steel fabricator" or "fence supplier" in your telephone book.

Recommend you get square hollow section or rectangular hollow section - hot dipped galvanised.

They should be able to sell you caps for this as well if you wish. I had steel plate welded to the top flush around the perimeter for mine as the steel frame fits flush to the face of the post and if a cap sits over the top and outside then it is in the way of the steel frame bolted flush to the outside face.

Check out what csr wants for the buckets of texture base first....We did it for a customer and the cost was exxy and you have to have a good hand with a trowel cause you cant mess around with the stuff for long...
For a fence your better off to do panels and not a large run cause you'll see your imperfections and it will be more likely to flex and crack

www.dialadeck.com.au

cheer utemad