# Anchoring Cemetery Fence?



## Hawks Hill Haunter (Apr 1, 2007)

So many of us have been discussing the different ways to build fences. Lots of folks have great ideas and pictures to show...but one thing that either is not being discussed much - or I'm just missing it - is how people are anchoring their fence sections to the ground. 

A lot of people have to deal with heavy winds that time of year and for those of us living in colder climates, we often have to struggle with the ground being frozen. 

So how in the heck are folks staking or anchoring their fence sections?????

Help please? Thanks!


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## Hawks Hill Haunter (Apr 1, 2007)

Uh...ooops. I just noticed I posted this in the wrong section.

Would a Moderator please move it to General Prop Discussion for me, please? Thanks and sorry about that!


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## MotelSixx (Sep 27, 2008)

I personally built pillars out of osb, and drilled small holes in the sides, just big enough to slide the horizontal parts of fence inside. so basically the pillar supports the fence. then i stake the pillars to the ground using 1x2 board driven into the ground and screw them into pillars


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## Fitch (Sep 28, 2008)

There are three main ways that I have anchored my pvc cemetary fences. The first and easiest way is to make the two pvc ends about 6" longer than the rest of the bars in the middle. I then take a hack saw and cut at an angle on the bottom so as to make a stake. I then simply use a sledge hammer to drive the ends into the ground. The second alternative would be to get rebar or large gauge metal pole less than 1/2" thick and drive it where the end of the pvc is going over it. It takes a little more work to align the metal rod and you run the risk of bending it, but it is another option. The third option would work if you had pillars as the above reply. I would use "L" brackets and run them the same height as your cross spars and simply bolt them in place. This would give you flexibility with the fence as well. Good luck with your haunt!


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## Hawks Hill Haunter (Apr 1, 2007)

Either of you have pics of these ideas?


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## Kurt (Sep 23, 2006)

I use 12" of rebar, use a sledge hammer to drive it in about halfway and slide the pvc post onto the rebar.

I have 8' lengths and use rebar at either ends; never in the middle.

The only problem is make sure that the end of the bar you are going to stick into the PVC is very straight. Often, as a result of the cutting, the end can be sheared. This shearing can act like a wood planer. In the worst case, a piece of rebar may prove to be very difficult to remove. I just check the rebar and pound a bad end back straight.

Kurt


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## Spookie (Aug 26, 2008)

I had a problem last year when I tried to pound some stakes into the ground to anchor my spooky tree, same type of problem at Xmas time with securing trees. Ours isn't so much from a frozen ground but a rock hard clay ground that hasn't had water since early spring. I ended up tethering my Xmas trees to the fence with a line which at least kept them from falling over completely. So I have the same problem to deal with this year. I bought a rubber mallet but man that ground is hard. Do you think you could use a really large drill bit and drill into the ground so at least you can get a start on a hole?? I don't want to go out and buy a sledge hammer.


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## CraigInPA (Sep 28, 2007)

My fence is pvc pipe and wood cross rails. When I build the fence, the next to last vertical post on each end of each section is just slipped into the rails, not screwed in as the others are. When I assemble the fence, I remove the finials from those two posts, drop in a 4' length of rebar (fence is 36" tall), and pound it into the ground until it's even with the height of the rest of the fence. Replace the finial and it's done. When I de-install the fence, I only have to lift the fence a few inches, grab the rebar from underneath and yank it from the ground. When it's out of the ground, it'll fall out of the post.

Last night it held up to 40mph winds and a soaking rain.

Craig


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## CraigInPA (Sep 28, 2007)

Spookie said:


> I had a problem last year when I tried to pound some stakes into the ground to anchor my spooky tree, same type of problem at Xmas time with securing trees. Ours isn't so much from a frozen ground but a rock hard clay ground that hasn't had water since early spring. I ended up tethering my Xmas trees to the fence with a line which at least kept them from falling over completely. So I have the same problem to deal with this year. I bought a rubber mallet but man that ground is hard. Do you think you could use a really large drill bit and drill into the ground so at least you can get a start on a hole?? I don't want to go out and buy a sledge hammer.


Use rebar instead of wooden stakes. The smaller diameter stuff, 3/8", goes into even the hardest ground with an ordinary hammer. You can buy rebar in pieces as short as 2' at most home centers. When I used to use wooden stakes, I had a big auger bit to drill holes. That was *not* fun, especially considering the damage done to the lawn by placing 30 tombstones and half a dozen other props.

Craig


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## kciaccio (Jul 27, 2007)

Definitely rebar!


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## Fester (Sep 17, 2006)

Metal electrical conduit cut into sections and smashed down flat on one end. Last year I was in a hurry and just used cable ties to attach the fence to the stakes.


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## Texan78 (Sep 25, 2008)

I use 2' rebar as well and then just slide the ends of the fence over it.


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## michael myers (Sep 3, 2007)

Rebar here as well. I found tomato stakes 3/8 in with the flat flanges on one end at the hardware store. By all means, get rid of those flanges, or it will be hell on earth getting them up. Those stakes cost me about a buck a piece, and with a small sledge hammer, they go right on in the ground, especially my yard...I dont have to deal with frozen ground or heavy winds, but I have that unseen backbreaker...ROOTS! And bad ones at that.
With the fence design that I built, I have a smaller piece of pvc attached to the inside of my larger end pieces on each section of fence that the rebar slides up into and it really makes the whole fence very sturdy once it is all screwed together (just use short screws if you do this, or the rebar isn't going to go but so far in).
Removal is not the easiest thing in the world though...after a month or so of being in the ground, it does take some effort to pull these stakes up. I have found that the easiest way for me is to get a large pair of locking vise grip pliers, clamp them on the rebar close to the ground, take a piece of scrap 2 x 2, and using the 2 x 2 as a fulcrum, step on the other end of the vise grips. This usually gets the rebar up in one or two tries, and it will then come right on out by hand.

This is the link to the design that I built if it will help you to understand visually what I was talking about. I didn't stagger-step my fence posts, but kept them all level, with the ends being just a little taller.

http://members.aol.com/Smessin983/Halloween/Fence.html

Here is a pic of my first year of using this fence (have built it much larger since then!)

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff174/themichaelmyers/Halloween%202006/DSC00087.jpg


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

I use U-Post ..right into the ground


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