Technical > Home Improvement > New fence - kick/bottom plate question

New fence - kick/bottom plate question

New fence

What's your main reasoning for considering some sort of edging on the bottom? Esthetics or dog retention?

reply to Camelot One
I don't know if this is of any use to you. We have a couple of Dachshunds who are notorious diggers. We had a 4' chain link fence put around our back yard and I put 4x4 landscape timbers (they might be 6x6, it was a long time ago) at the bottom between the posts. I drilled a hole on each end and used 2' sections of 3/8 or 1/2 rebar driven into the ground. They don't try to dig under them.
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The more people I meet, the better I like my dogs.

reply to VioletVenom
The purpose would be dog retention. They don't seem interested in digging much, but in the places where there is a noticeable gap, such as behind the rock, they take notice.

But I would prefer to find a way to address the problem without it looking hideous, since I just spent a year and a half landscaping and building the screen room back there.
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reply to dosdoxies
I'm not too concerned about them digging under, its more to fill the gaps that tease them into trying. Though that may change as they get more comfortable here.

I see. I think your original idea would be best suited then, in terms of esthetics and cost wise. Landscaping with stone, or something similar, against the fence would run quite a bit I'd surmise from your picture as it appears to be a fairly large backyard. Yeah, not coming up with anything else at the moment.

Sadly, not nearly as big as it looks. 154 linear feet total on the fence. And the "puppies" are already about 35lb each, so it would take a decent size hole for them to get out.
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Intel i7-2600k /ASRock P67 Extreme4 /4x 4Gb G.Skill /2x Intel 510 series 250Gb SSD /3x WD20EADS 2TB /2x PNY GTX 260 /Silverstone 850W /Custom water cooler /Antec Twelve-Hundred

reply to Camelot One
I had planned on spraying the cedar with a clear sealer, can anyone recommend a locally available stain for the TP kickboard that would somewhat match?

reply to Camelot One
2x4 or 2x6 treated depending on the gap.

Don't bury, just dig a little where it needs to get a nice transition into the next board.

Don't worry about the water if you have any slope at all it will find it's way out.

If I was in dallas I would shoot you some pic of mine and my neighbors but I'm suffering through the holidays in miserable Phoenix

Cute dogs.

reply to Camelot One
Hehe, not so puppyish in size, gotcha. Perhaps someone else in here can come up with some other ideas for you. At 154 LF stone might not be too cost prohibitive, considering what your budget is and how you want it to look.

reply to Camelot One
Hard to do now, but this product would have been nice to put under the slats. »easytrimfenceguard.com/pictures/

Other options:
Aluminum sheet metal 6 inches or less attached to the bottom and into the dirt.

Border or other landscape rocks.

Dog guards »digdefence.com/

Drive wooden stakes into the ground every 8-10 inches.

reply to Camelot One
Why not just build up the mulch bed a little higher all around the fencing. That way you still get your drainage.
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Good judgement comes with experience...Experience comes after bad judgements

reply to Camelot One
You could try some plastic chicken wire or mesh, just dig down a foot or so, lay it in and staple it on.

Also make sure to check you can in fact have the fence with the "presentation" side facing in. It varies from place to place, but some places don't allow it and they will cite you for it.

reply to Camelot One
To update this...... after letting the wife take a look at each of the options, I think I have a plan.

Going to start by cutting some 2x4 spacer blocks out of TP, to go between the bottom of each post and the picket in front of it. (runners are screwed to the front of the posts, so there is a gap) Then screw 5/4 x 6" decking boards (TP) in front of the pickets, so that each end is sharing a 4x4. And for extra support, probably cut some TP stakes and put those behind pickets at 2' intervals.

Anyone see any flaws to this plan?
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reply to Camelot One
OTish - having owned those two wonderful Terriers the can be notorious diggers. By nature they are ratters I do believe.

One is a White West Highland Terrier and the other a Scottish Terrier or possibly a Carrin Terrier? Correct me if I am wrong.

Any sort of dyed mulch and possibly even natural cedar mulch can bleed color and would look horrendous on the pups.
It looks horrendous on hands, clothing and shoes.

Whatever solution you do come up with make sure it cannot snag onto the dogs' collars. Even if the dog gets snagged and you are right there with it they can panic making it very difficult to rescue them.
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Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.

reply to Camelot One

Re: New fence - kick/bottom plate question