It’s time to start working on the backyard. We plan on replacing our deck and adding a lot of landscaping/relaxing elements to the backyard, but first we had to tackle something… the fence.
Let’s get this out of the way. We never did like our fence. The vertical, dog-eared cedar planked standard suburbia fence just isn’t something that compliments our house. Not only that, it was truly just a facade. The side fences and back fence are run-of-the-mill hurricane (or cyclone) fencing. Nothing inherently wrong with that… it’s just ho-hum boring. So, when the tree guys needed room to get their equipment in the backyard, it was all the excuse we needed to tear it down… with a chainsaw.
While we were tearing out fencing, we attacked a section where the previous owners had the back corner penned in for their dogs which ate up a lot of usable space (about a 27′ x 45′ area). We stored our yearly branch pile and yard clippings (a makeshift compost pile) there. With the workshop starting construction some time soon and fresh from the destruction of having heavy equipment tearing down trees, we figured it was a good time to go back and starting tearing the fence down with the Super Duty.
Take the time to remove the fencing before you yank the poles out. It’ll save you the trouble of having to deal with a mangled mess of metal.
Most people suggested I dig the poles up and that it was going to take all day to get a few removed. Those people obviously don’t know what 700 lb-ft of torque and some chain will do. After loosening the posts, I hooked the Ford up to the concrete footings and started pulling. It didn’t take long until they were all gone.
Work tip: If you’re using a truck to yank posts, be careful. keep the chain or straps as short as possible and try to get the truck as close to over the post footing as you can. Do not yank the slack out! People are killed and injured every year from improper towing and pulling techniques involving chains and straps. They act like giant slingshots when they break. Also, if you have a spotter, make sure they are no where near the reach of the chain/strap when it is under load.
See this little guy? It’s a green wood gnawing beetle. It has a metallic green, iridescent shell and it packs a punch if it bites you. How do I know? It got under my shirt and bit me on the side of my stomach while I was driving the truck and pulling out posts… it felt like someone had just poked me with a hot iron.
Off to the big box store for some wood and cement. Helpful hint: See that bag of Quikrete on top of the 4×4? Do not put bags hanging over an edge like that. When you get home and try to unload it, the bag will split in half. Ask me how I know.
Wiley tried to help unload. Turns out he can’t lift 80 pound bags of cement.
With the truck unloaded, it was time to do some relaxing. Follow along as we build a new fence over the next week or so.
