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Can I put vinyl fence posts over a chain fence post? (self.diy)

submitted 4 months ago by ericbomb to c/diy

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One side of my back yard is 6 foot vinyl fence post, then the other side and back are chest high chain link fence that are older than me and have concrete blocks under the ground, so would be a giant pain to remove.

Also I looked up and wires were laid right next to the concrete bases. So I "really" do not want to have to remove them.

The fence was installed before I was born, and the wires laid when I was in elementary school. So don't blame me for the silliness of it please.

Would it work if I just removed the panels from between the chain link posts, then slipped the hollow vinyl posts over them, and connected them with the vinyl panels? I would have to buy different distance panels to make it work, but that seems easier than tearing them out, then digging new holes for the new posts.

Or any other suggestions to make it look nice and not have to try and dig large concrete bases that are next to wires out of the ground?

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[–] jeffw 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Assuming the spacing between the posts is the same, I guess it would work?

[–] ericbomb 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Yeah I'll need to measure and might have to do some fenagling, also there were some... other weird choices made. Like a tree that has since been removed was at one point part of the fence, like it just ended where this tree started, so now there is a hole where it was.

Also the chain link fence goes past the vinyl fence post and ends after it.

There were about 4 different "Not my job, not my house, not my problem" choices made at the very least with the back yard.

Figured I would ask here in case someone with more experience had thoughts on any potential pit falls!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

There were about 4 different "Not my job, not my house, not my problem" choices made at the very least with the back yard.

Can relate so hard. Our neighborhood is laid out so that the lots are offset on the back ends, meaning that each lot borders four others. A couple of years ago the folks behind us wanted to go splits on a new fence: I inherited cheap Home Depot wood panels on two sides that were pretty well falling apart, one neighbor behind had a waist high chain link, other neighbor behind had no fence, and neighbor next door had similar wood (the other next door neighbor already had vinyl up and wasn't involved). When trying to get a permit, I found that my fence had been installed about 6" from the back property line on one side, to a foot and a half inward on the other... and the corner was about 6" into the next door neighbor's yard. Yay trapezoids. Then the next door neighbor sold. Then I lost my job. Then my dad died. Then my basement flooded.

The fence can wait.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Leave the concrete in the ground, cut the metal (Line posts & Terminal posts) off flush with the concrete/ground, install matching vinyl fence with standard panel spacing.
The metal posts are typically 16 gauge (~1.3 mm) tubing... walls are thinner than the fencing itself, which is usually somewhere between 11 gauge (~3 mm) and 12 gauge (~2 mm). Depending on how many posts you have, you could easily do this with an angle grinder (cutoff wheel) or reciprocating saw (metal or multi-material blade)