Slipfence | Wood + Aluminum | Traditional (2024)

Style

Gate Height

When planning your Traditional SLIPFENCE installation, make sure to map out your fence posts exactly 8 feet apart from the inside of each post to the inside of the next post.

Dig 8" diameter post holes 36” to 48” deep and fill the bottom with a few inches gravel if required… (colder climates may require a deeper post-hole).

Insert the Square Aluminum post into the hole and ensure that the post is at least 76” from the ground to the top of the post for a 6 foot fence.

Then pour concrete into the hole around the post to set, …and while the concrete is still wet, lay an 8’ft. 2 x 4 rail on the ground to make sure you have the proper spacing between your posts. Hold Post level on both X and Y Axis and make sure there is at least, (76” for a 6’ high fence), from ground to the top of post while concrete is drying. This helps eliminate trimming posts after fence is complete.

Repeat this same procedure for all posts in your fence project.

When the concrete has dried, fasten your first bottom Rail bracket with the self-drilling screws provided, through the top screw hole in the bracket onto the first post making sure the bottom rail seat of the bracket for the 2 x 4 will rest approximately 12” up from the ground.

If your project is following the Grade of the property and not stepping it is at this point where you would set up your string-line for bottom brackets and stringers to align all approximately 12” from ground.

STEPPING:

If you are stepping sections along a slope make sure to keep the bottom Rails level on each panel and 12” up from the ground.

Once you have fastened the first bracket 12" from ground levelto the first post, slip the wood rail or 2x4 into the first bracket and also slip the other end of the rail into another bracket and bring that bracket up to level on the next post. Once this rail is perfectly level drill one self-drilling screw into the top hole on the bracket to hold the bracket and rail level on the post. Then remove the rail and drill the remaining self-drilling screws through the bracket into the post to hold it secure. Then replace the rail back into both brackets and check level again. If rail is level, fasten the rail to the bracket with the wood screws provided in the Rail bracket kit.

Once the bottom stringer is secured, (for a 6’ high fence), measure approximately 48” from the bottom Rail up the post and this is the position for the bottom of your top bracket where the rail will sit. Fasten the first top rail bracket to the post and repeat the same steps as the bottom rail to achieve a nice level top rail to fasten pickets to.

Repeat these steps to secure and align all of your wood Rails to your fence posts in your fence project, and once all Rails are level and in line, make sure they are all secure with wood screws to the brackets for a nice sturdy fence frame.

Then, before inserting boards, either Lay a 2” x 6” board on the ground between two fence posts to ensure the proper lift of your fence-boards off of the ground. Measure and mark 8” down from the top of the board, this will mark the top of the top rail and is a good final board height if your Rails are 48” apart and the bottom one is 12” off the ground.

Next, either nail, automatic nail, or screw in fence boards to the top and bottom rails in your fence panel as you would with any regular or traditional wood fence.
LEVEL AND PLUMB each board- Fasten top and then bottom on each board before moving to the next board. DO NOT fasten all top screws and then all bottom screws in the panel or the weight of the boards will tend to sag the top Rail.

Fasten the first board against the post into the top and bottom rail place the second board approximately 2-1/2" apart from the first. Make sure the board tops are level and in line not to mention plumb. Secure this board. Repeat previous steps to create a spaced panel on one side of the fence panel. Move to the other side of the fence, follow the same procedure. Depending on your spacing you may need to rip/cut a few boards to complete the panel.

Make sure that these boards are fairly level at the top with each other or the Fence will not look as level as it should.

Repeat this same procedure for all fence sections in the fence project.

Once all of your Fence-boards have been secured to Rails, this is when you would install the Optional Aluminum Cap Rail. Slip on the cap rail to the top of the boards in the finished fence panel and fasten with 2 wood screws on each end on one side of the panel and one screw on the opposite side right in the middle making sure that you are drilling into a fence board with screws. Simply drill a 3/16” hole with a metal drill bit through the cap rail, (one on both ends on one side and one in the center on the other side), and then use wood screws to fasten the cap rail to the top of the fence boards.

Tap on the “self-tightening” Aluminum Post cap with rubber mallet to all Posts.

Post caps should sit approximately 2” above the top of the fence boards for a nice clean look. Posts can be easily cut down with a metal blade on your saw if necessary.

If posts need to be cut down, a metal blade on a circular saw can be used on one side of the post and then finish with a metal blade on reciprocating saw to finish. OR if only a reciprocating saw is available, the first few cuts should be done with a hacksaw to provide a blade guide and help eliminate the reciprocating blade from jumping and chopping at the initial cut of the post.

Gates can be added anywhere in the fence line by customer building your gate on site with the Slipfence Gate kit, (SF2-GK100), Instructions for the Slipfence Gate kit are enclosed in each kit and fasten easily to a Square Aluminum Fencepost.

What you have now is a warm and private wooden fence with the strength and endurance of an aluminum Fence.