TEMPORARY OPENINGS                               Back  

Often it is necessary to provide a temporary opening through a brush fence for the purposes of access for swimming pool installation or other building or landscaping activity.  Usually either one panel (between two posts) or two panels are sufficient width for access purposes. With machine made modular panel fencing, this is as easy as taking a panel or two down and refixing and is straightforward and not considered further here.  With hand packed fencing it is a more difficult.

Done in the right way it can be cheaply done, in the wrong way it can be quite expensive.

Firstly the capping or roll top must be removed over the affected section and the wiring must be cut at the posts and reconnected around the panel to temporarily hold the brushwork together.  The fencing wires on either side of the opening must then be tied around the posts and re-tensioned.  The internal fence rail is dislodged (if wired in place) or cut if welded or spigotted. Then the panel(s) is removed using two poles in stretcher fashion and stored either vertically or laid flat, leaving the internal rail inside the panel.

Next the concrete base should be protected by placing a sleeper on either side to prevent vehicle damage.

If a two panel width is required, then the mid-post must be cut at the top of the base.

After work has been completed the panel and internal rail is refitted and then re-wired completely.  The old wiring is removed and the brushwork re-arranged or repaired as necessary.  The panel is then re-pinned (wire clips) and post rolls fitted to cover the posts and wiring (which now returns around each post).  The capping or roll-top is then refitted/repaired.

Note: If two panels were removed the cut mid-post must first be replaced by welding or sleeving.

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