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Hi All,
I want to do a DIY project to cover my house side fence and retaining wall with screens. I need to put up post to make the frame to put up the screens and I am not sure where I can buy steel 3 m high post. I am planning to install it in ground as the first step OR can I use wooden one as well ?
Looks like a great screening project @HassanKhan28. Let me tag some of our most helpful members in @ProjectPete, @Brad and @Adam_W to see if they might like to share their thoughts on how they would tackle it.
Welcome to the Workshop community. It's great to have you join us. Feel free to post anytime you need assistance or have something to share.
Jason
If you use the rule of thirds those posts become 4m long with 1m in the ground. If you are going against the retaining wall then brackets and dynabolts may be an easier option.
Wooden posts in H4 which is suitable for inground use are up to 3.6m long off the shelf.
Steel posts are 3m long in stock lengths.
Aluminium posts up to 2.4m stock.
Screens/lattice max 2410 x 1210mm max size or 2400 x 1200 with more options.
Whites Slat 16 or 19mm gap 1.1 or 2m lengths.
If it was a short area I would use slats on aluminium posts concreted in ( not recommended to use quickset ) I have used Ekodeck in between 2 Protector screens as the gap was not right for 3 screens. As you have a longer and a higher area to cover just slats would perhaps look a bit boring so I would use a mix of slats and screens, Protector do show screens joined together in between posts giving a 2400 x 2400mm panel and Whites Screen Up Extender ( 880mm is supposed to be available but I can only find 440mm on web page ) which fits on top of the post and has gap for 16mm slats. To use that method you can get away with base plates if you have a surface that can mount them, 2400 posts, 2400 x 1200 screens if using Protector brand or Matrix 2425 x 1220 using the framing kit ( unframed screens being plastic lack support to stay straight ) Whites Fence Extender 880mm ( can be cut to size and painted to match the posts ), 16mm slats or be able to thin the ends on thicker material and brackets, bracing and screws. Timber slats v Ekodeck can be a long argument of cost upfront v no ongoing maintenance v heat issues. I choose Ekodeck for the no maintenance and live with needing to route them down to size on the ends, for a span that wide I would use bracing screwed into the back of the slats Whites do sell a strip to do that or you could just paint some aluminium strip and drill through for the screws, I would use 600mm spacing. Optional is solar lights from Protector, I have used them in place of the end cap on the posts but they have a useful life in my experience of 12-18 months. To manage the width you may choose to do the same as me and have a slat only panel or two.
