Building a Fence using 10ft corral panels and 4X4 posts

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Brian F

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Acampo, CA
Looking for input on building a 40ish ft fence using 10ft Belen corral panels along with 4X4 wood posts. The plan is to have the middle two 10 ft gates to swing open to allow trucks to drive through. Basically need recommendations for attaching the following corral panels to 4X4 wood posts. Thanks in advanceIMG_2494.png
 
I agree with @Brute 23. 4x4 posts are too small.

As far as fastening the panels to posts, you could use pipe clamps (the metal straps plumbers use to secure pipe to walls).
 
Do you mean attach the panels or the gates? The gates just hang on gate hangers. I've had zero issues using light weight gates in non pressure areas. But definitely don't use 4x4s for posts, they won't make it 3 years.
 
We are in the process of replacing part of our feeding/holding lot, we use 9 gauge woven wire on 6-7 inch posts set fairly close.
 
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Is this a pressure area or just an opening in a fence? For a pressure area the 4x4 are too light. If you are in the dry areas of CA a pressure treated 4x4 will last a lot longer than if you are in the wet climate parts of the state.
 
GoWyo said:
I have seen very few 4x4 posts that didn't corkscrew or warp badly within a year or two and they rot off in a couple years. Use a round post. If this is for aesthetics, use pipe.
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Same, I buy some 4x4 and cut them into short lengths for cribbing. Even cut into 2' lengths half of them twist 90° in the length and split over time.
 
Behlen (Tractor Supply) gates and panels are lightweight/low cost objects of extreme dislike.
4x4s are for construction around the house and won't last as a post in the ground. Drive a nail into the North side of one and in a few years it might be pointing ENE.... & DON'T even think about landscape timbers..
 
We just pulled up yard fence around 2ac at the ranch that was 4x4 with 3 boards. They were probably 3-4' above ground and probably 3' in the ground. The 4x4s were twisting, and splitting, and all kinds of stuff. It was just supposed to be kind of decorative but the posts wouldn't stay together enough to hold the boards up. Those are regular lumber yard 4x4s. You can go get marine grafe ones and every thing that are a better caliber but at that point you were beter off buying a post.
 
Are you planning to use pin-together corral panels? If so, you only need a post on each end. For the mid-run, just pin each panel to its neighbor.

I wouldn't use 4x4 lumber for a post. I mostly use 2-7/8" oilfield tubing (usually in an H-brace configuration) for hanging gates and holding tension on barbed wire. For a standalone (unbraced) post, I would want 3-1/2" or larger steel.

If you do go with a double gate, I would recommend letting the gates overlap each other where they meet. A foot or two of overlap in the middle will add strength and stand up better if/when an animal tests the gate.

There are many ways to skin the fencing/corral cat. More details on what you're trying to accomplish would likely yield better feedback. It's not clear (to me) how you'll be using this piece of fence (i.e., what animals, how much pressure).
 
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Used electric poles are sometimes available free from the co-op, they’ll last a long time and are stout. Only use the heavily treated butt end. Waste of time to stick rhe top in the ground.
 
The corral panels, even the economy ones, last fine for fencing but I would recommend treated fence posts or pipe. There is definitely more economical ways to build fence, and some probably sturdier. But for corrals and short fences I really like the panels. They are plenty durable especially when using posts to hold them tight. And if they get damaged you just replace a panel, easy as that. And when I need to move a corral to another place, or just change it up, the panels are a breeze.
I’ve had just as many cattle tear up a pipe fence or barbed wire fence as I have tear up a panel. I have all kinds and the panels are the easiest to put back.
 
kdchex said:
Railroad ties last for years.
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Yes they do. Not far from here is the remains of a corral. It was RR tie posts with lodge pole pine rails. The last of the pine rails fell off a couple years ago but the RR ties are all still standing. When they put in the freeway they cut off a few acres and this corral from the thousands of acres of this ranch. They built the freeway in 1962. So those RR ties were put in the ground long before that. Now I realize that things last longer here in the desert. But I had RR ties which I put in over on the coast (60+ inches of rain) in 1996 which were still solid when I sold the place in 2017.
 
Belen has a plant in Baker City where they make this stuff. I have one of those Belen heavy duty bull gates out in the corral that didn't survive a single cow jumping it. Just a few feet from it is an old Powder River Classic which I have seen big cows on top of it two times. Not a dent in it. I don't buy Belen anymore.
 

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