I want to lay cement all along the bottom of the whole fence , keeping the fence from touching the grass and also keeping my dogs from digging out ?? I just dont know how thick the footer should be or how wide .. Anyone ??
This Site Might Help You. RE: How wide and deep does a cement footer for a wooden ceder fence have to be? I want to lay cement all along the bottom of the whole fence , keeping the fence from touching the grass and also keeping my dogs from digging out ? I just dont know how thick the footer should be or how wide .. Anyone ?
You haven't gotten any good advice yet, other then people quoting building codes. There are two things you're trying to accomplish. Try to handle them separately. The concrete (not cement) you want to run to keep the pets in, does not and should not be part of the concrete holding the posts. You don't have a footing with a fence, so the depth the others are referring to is irrelevant. Here's what to do. Lay out for your 4x4x8' posts to be evenly spaced. Dig those holes for the posts about 24 deep and about 10 diameter. The posts can sit directly on the ground in holes when you pour concrete around them. Again it's not a footing. A footing is designed to carry a structural load on it. That does not apply to a fence. The concrete is to keep it from moving side to side. Set your corner posts and pour concrete and level those posts in both direction. You may need to temporary brace them until the concrete sets. The next day use a string line to set the other posts so your fence is straight. Don't worry about the height of the posts, you can cut the tops to exact length later in the process. Once you have your posts set, dig out about 4 deep and 3 1/2 wide (a 4x4 is actually 3 1/2x 3 1/2) for the bottom concrete to keep the pets in. Nail 2x4's as form boards to the both sides of the 4x4's. Keep the top of the form boards about 1 above the ground. Pour that concrete, and after it sets (the next day) set your 2x4 horizontal rails and nail your face boards on and clean up and your done. The concrete between the posts is to keep the pets in, so don't get lead into footings and all the other nonsense you're being told by others. I hate to trash the others, but you didn't get much helpful info. I hope this helps. Good luck
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since what you are doing is not for structural support, the idea of code doesn't apply. Your choices are completely based on your needs and the building materials chosen. SO, you say cement, I believe you mean concrete (water + cement + gravel = concrete), Concrete needs to be at least 2 thick (check the bag) usually 4 for slabs . Since your depth concern is based on how deep your dogs dig, check out some of their work, it needs to be deep enough to at least dissuade them from digging. so let say....10 deep x 4 wide, and lets say you want to come about two inches above the ground so, as you said, your fence doesn't touch the grass. Next you will be amazed at how much concrete you will need for a fenceline. Say 50 feet of fenceline (not much), 50 feet long x 12 inches (1 foot) deep (10down/2up) x 4 inches wide (1/3 foot), 50 x 1 x .33 = just under 17 cubic feet of concrete @ just under 1/2 cubic foot / 60 lb. bag, means you will need approx 35, 60 lb bags (mixing it is alot of work) BTW, what you want to do (for the above example) is dig down 10 deep x 4 wide, then place a 2 x 3 (or 4) flat on the ground on each side of the ditch, put spikes in so the wood doesn't move, fill to the top of the wood with concrete, smmoth (screed) a board acroos the top to level and remove excess. wait 24 hrs, remove wood. you now have a 1 1/2 inch rise above the ground. my 2 cents
