Recycled plastic fence posts - Fencing

KAMIKAZEE DIY · Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:00 pm

Thanks for replies to my fencing query. Your replies made food for thought and I'm thinking recycled plastic fence posts sound good for my garden.

Was wondering if anyone has used them and how did it work out in the end?

Had a look online and there's quite a few sites selling them, obviously they don't mention any bad points - is there any negative points to take into consideration?

They are a bit dearer, although to be fair it's not mega bucks. Can anyone recommend a tried and tested supplier?

THANK-YOU

Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:36 pm

I know DDD has used them and they are very tough
dont really know why they havent taken off as they are much lighter than concrete
cheers LLL

dig dug dan · Post: # 96517Post **dig dug dan** Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:03 am

I have done loads, and will be installing some today. I will see what photos I have.
its easy to work with, easy to cut, looks nice and has a range of colours. The downside is that it's dearer concrete as you said. No bad points other than that to be honest

Post: # 96526Post **Tony McC** Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:49 am

Some of the cheaper placky posts, and it really is the cheap placky posts only, are prone to twisting and/or becoming brittle once exposed to sunlight for a couple of years.

Not 100% sure why the twisting occurs, but a plastics guy told me it's caused by only one or two sides of the post getting direct exposure to sunlight/UV which then causes the long-chain polymers to distort on the exposed faces (just pretend you understand all this!). The brittleness is caused by budget manufacturers skimping on the UV retarders which they really ought to add to the plastic mix before moulding it.

dig dug dan · Post: # 96540Post **dig dug dan** Tue Mar 25, 2014 6:27 pm

luckily, mine have been in since 2008 and not a twist in sight. They were about Â£15 a pop, so not cheap

Tue Mar 25, 2014 6:45 pm

on the subject of fencing
had to do a gate and panel today to finish the patio

no 6 foot panels for love nor money in luton,till end april
concrete posts with holes for bolts?
not a chance

so had to use 4 " treated posts and timber gravel board
looks fine but shocked how the merchants got caught out again
LLL

KLS · Post: # 96553Post **KLS** Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:19 pm

You Should have came to MK Bodleys have a fair amount in atm, but apparently if it caries on the way it is they will be sort again by the end of april.

Apparently and I have heard this from 3 suppliers its the wet weather and the forestry commision that have caused a lot of the issues, wet weather as the cutters couldn't get into the woods and the forestry commision as they have a certain quota for the year and they don't want to release too much timber this early in the year.

dig dug dan · Post: # 96559Post **dig dug dan** Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:50 pm

my supplier its a three month wait, and you have to get your name down. They are short of the battens to make the 6' panels. I did hear butterfields had loads tony??

This happens every time we get a storm. its just an excuse to bump the price up

Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:47 pm

butterfields have plenty of 5ft closeboard panels but no 6 foot
TBH Kieran if I had to drive to MK it would knock the bollox out of a 4 hour job
i saw some of our european competitors erecting a fence yesterday,will get a shot and post it soon
make your eyes bleed DDD
haha
LLL

Post: # 96595Post **Tony McC** Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:20 pm

The shocking fence panel shortage has even made the pages of today's Grauniad

michaelthegardener · Wed Mar 26, 2014 7:55 pm

same here been told anything from 2 weeks to 3 months ???

Forestboy1978 · Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:35 am

Yeah having a nightmare here too.

Ordered 5k worth of materials over a month ago. A batch was supposed to arrive this monday. All arrived but the feathers. Did a 50 meter morticed fence bar the feathers. Was told on monday, it would be wedndesday, was told on Wed, it would be next monday at any time. Had to phone up customers and reschedule all jobs but couldn't tell them for how long. Feathers arrived yesterday on site out of the blue.

Really screwed my scheduling beyond belief.

Forestboy1978 · Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:38 am

Apparently the suppliers suppliers, they suspect, are dicking them around while they find the highest bidder on the materials cos obviously they can do that right now with this massive demand.

Typical that I could work 7 days a week now for months if I wanted but can't get the materials.

Post: # 96762Post **Tony McC** Mon Mar 31, 2014 10:19 am

What's the answer? Hold a large stock for the winter months when you know there will always be at least one fence-wrecker of a storm?

I'm not sure there's sufficient profit margin in the everyday fencing trade to warrant such investment. Even the bigger regional suppliers only hold about a week's stock as they don;t like to see their capital piled up on pallets in the yard.

Forestboy1978 · Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:54 pm

Tony McC wrote:What's the answer? Hold a large stock for the winter months when you know there will always be at least one fence-wrecker of a storm?

I'm not sure there's sufficient profit margin in the everyday fencing trade to warrant such investment. Even the bigger regional suppliers only hold about a week's stock as they don;t like to see their capital piled up on pallets in the yard.

Not possible for me, I don't have the space even if I could afford to max out a couple of credit cards for an unknown period. Too risky. We'd have a mild winter and I'd be screwed.

I'm thinking of adding 10% to all materials and slowly stock piling through the year as I organise a little. If I get a van then I can free up a little space, maybe a single garage size.