Thread: Where to get (or how do I make) a cemetary fence?

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Hi,

I would like to put a small fence around my cemetary this year. I keep looking online & in local stores but it looks to be close to $20 for a 3 foot piece. I would like to do a 10x10 area but I am looking for a bargain.

Any suggestions on how to make one or where to get one cheap?

Thanks,
Rich

There are several threads on how to make a PVC & wood fence...its very cheap & easy if you have the tools to drill holes into the wood. I believe ( for each section)we used 2 - 1 X 2's (One for the top brace and one for the bottom)and drilled holes equal distances apart for the PVC to slide through both holes. The holes should match whatever sized PVC you use, I believe we used 1/2 " pvc. Our sections are about 7 or 8 ft each. Affter inserting the pvc through the holes you can hot glue or liquid nail them so they dont slide around. We painted them all black( couldnt tell you how many cans of spray paint we used...A LOT but at 97 cents a can it doesnt hurt much) then we went an extra step and added plastic finials but using a heat gun to soften up the tip of the pvc and jam the finial on there. When we set them up we use rebar pieces hammered into the ground to slide right over the pvc so thay stay standing through wind, rain, etc I attatched a pic of the fencing. If you need more pics let me know and I can post more. This is a great fence we have used for several years now and it will last a long time. We do have to do some touch up with paint each year but thats pretty much it!. You can cut the PVC length to any height you wish and still use the 1 X 2's if you want a short grave fence. We use it to surround the entire yard so we have many sections.If you don't want to go this route you can scour the area for pallets and take the boards off and use them as fencing too( not the easiest task to get the boards off of pallets, but not impossible). Hope this helps!

I am using old wood fence panels that I replaced for my cemetary fence. Maybe you could put a wanted add in craigslist for old wood fence panels.

What baboomgirl said.

When you buy your wood rails, buy them in 10 foot lengths. For a standard 10x10, you'd normally have 3 sides (because the fourth side is the house or walkway parallel to the front of the house), so you'll need 6 of those. Buy the straighest ones you can find.

If you buy grey 1/2" conduit in 10' lengths, you'll want to cut each piece in 3' lengths. While it may sound like you're going to waste a foot, you're not, because one end has a bell shape to it that allows it to be connected to the next section. You won't be using the bells, so they'll be the waste. At a standard 6" spacing, you'll need 19 stiles for each 10' section, or 57 for 30' of fence. That's 19 pieces of 1/2" plastic conduit to buy.

You'll need to drill the rails. Attach two together and drill the holes through both pieces at the same time. Start 3" from one end in order to keep the spacing to exactly 6" when you attach the ends of the fence together.

Paint the rails. I used the 97 cent a can flat black spray cans from wal-mart. You'll need 2 cans to do the rails.

Clean the stiles. I used a clear solvent, but anything that dulls the shine and removes the oil will work. Paint the stiles. I laid mine down on a tarp, each touching the next, and sprayed them lightly. After they were dry, I rolled them 1/2 turn and repeated the process. Then, I separted them slightly and have them a second, wetter coat, one side at a time. Assume you'll need about 5 cans of spray paint for the stiles.

Assemble the fence using 1" fine drywall screws. You should pre-drill the holes with a countersink bit through the side of the rails to prevent splitting. Leave the bottom screw out of the last stile at either end.

Buy 6 pieces of the thin rebar. Position the fence where you want it, and drive a piece of rebar in place at the last stile on each end. Slip the fence over the rebar.

To hold the fence sections together, you can buy 4" long straight mending plates (basically a metal plate with 4 screw holes in a line 4" long). Alternatively, you could use L shaped ones if you have a corner. Many people make a column for each corner, or use a 2" diameter piece of plastic pipe (also painted black) with a skull or other topper on it.

You can finish your pvc fence off with finials bought from the usual suppliers (search the forum and you'll find them), plastic skulls from the dollar store (adapted whistles), or just cap them with pvc caps.

Good luck, and remember to post pics of your completed fence.

Craig

Originally Posted by baboomgirl

and drilled holes equal distances apart for the PVC to slide through both holes. The holes should match whatever sized PVC you use, I believe we used 1/2 " pvc.

Im a little confused, the two 1 x 2 pieces of wood are drilled into the PVC.

For example, if I decided to have the wood frame at 4 inches from the bottom & 4 inches from the top (for consistency) & I keep the PVC 6" apart, is that it?

Im not understanding the pvc sliding through the holes?


Is there more to it than drilling 2 screws into the PVC per piece of wood (upper & lower)?

Thanks for your help & photo!

Craig,

Thanks! To clarify, a stile is the PVC plastic (the 3 foot cut piece)?

Does the 1x2 wood go on both sides of the PVC (sandwiching the PVC in the middle)?

So two for the top, two for the bottom?

Does rebar fit in a 1/2 piece of PVC or is it a little loose (or tight)?


I think I get the basic concept (at the moment I wasnt thinking of adding the decorative toping (yet).

I am a little fuzzy on attaching the wood to the pvc (wont it just loosen over time)?

Originally Posted by RichTJ99

Craig,

Thanks! To clarify, a stile is the PVC plastic (the 3 foot cut piece)?

Does the 1x2 wood go on both sides of the PVC (sandwiching the PVC in the middle)?

So two for the top, two for the bottom?

Does rebar fit in a 1/2 piece of PVC or is it a little loose (or tight)?


I think I get the basic concept (at the moment I wasnt thinking of adding the decorative toping (yet).

I am a little fuzzy on attaching the wood to the pvc (wont it just loosen over time)?

The 1/2 " PVC should fit over the rebar just fine Think of a ladder and how the rungs are spaced in between the sides...now imagine the rung sticking out of each side of the ladder... thats the basic shape. The 1 X 2's will get drilled with a 1/2" drill bit 2 at a time. After you do a complete section of drilling your holes for both the top and bottom piece then you can slide the PVC bars into the holes you just made. You can use the Liquid nails or whatever adhesive to secure the pvc to the wood...put some around the top of the holes and the bottom of the holes...rinse & repeat. You can always add more adhesive over the years to keep them strong and secure but we havent needed to. There are some places that the wood has split and it can be fixed easily if it happens but I like the split wood in some spots as it makes it look even more aged and decrepid. I don't think we used any screws at all.I am going to take a few more pics for you...maybe that may help. Be back asap...

I actually left the PVC fence I build empty on the ends and I left the pieces of PVC longer. I take them in and out and they go into my lawn easy with a rubber mallet hitting them. I didn't need to use rebar. They stand up better this way also not so crooked.

OK here are some more pics and also I think the drill bit needs to be 3/4" not 1/2 because PVC is usually measured from the INSIDE diameter of the hole so this bit I took a pic of looks like it would be too small ...I will have to ask hubby when he gets home. BUT I hope this gives you more of an idea.

OK, now I get it. Now I also get why you would want a glue gun. Could you use a screw (going into the wood through the PVC? Or I guess that might stop the rebar.