Why Aluminum

Aluminum fences provide the elegance and beauty of classic wrought iron. Wrought iron fences, however, are susceptible to rust problems and are relatively high maintenance. Aluminum, with our powder-coated colors, are maintenance-free and rust proof. This makes them particularly well suited for swimming pools and salt water areas!

Vinyl fences are also maintenance-free, but they look like, well, plastic and lack the sophistication and elegance of aluminum. However, if you need a privacy fence, vinyl is definitely the way to go. Unlike wood, it needs no maintenance and won't rot.

Aluminum fences are also very strong and can take a lot of punishment. Depending on your specific application, you can choose increasing strengths from Residential to Commercial to Industrial and, for the most demanding situations, Heavy Industrial.

All of our fences are 100% aluminum with welded gate construction and all stainless steel fasteners connecting pickets to the rails and rails to posts. The finish is a powder-coat surface with a lifetime warranty. All styles are available in black, white, designer beige, forest green or bronze.

White

Pearl Black

Designer Beige

Bronze

Forest Green

Aluminum fence is simple to install. The post holes only need be 6" diameter x 36"-42" deep, so a relatively small amount of concrete is required (gate posts should be 9-12" diameter). The panels are pre-assembled and posts are pre-routed for the rails.

If your area to be fenced is not level, the fence can be "raked" 12" over a 72 1/2" section to run on slopes. Slopes greater than 12" over 6' can still be raked with rakeable or heavy rakeable sections (must specify when ordering) or can be "stair-stepped" to follow the slope (see How do I install fence on slopes and rises?)). Since the line and corner posts are pre-routed with holes on two sides of the posts, the holes will be in the wrong place on one side for "stair-stepping". In this case, we can pre-punch holes at different levels, again this must be specified at time of order.

Why is Powder Coating superior?

Polyester TGIC technology advanced powder coating coating system produces a high quality, long lasting finish which is also environmentally friendly. When applied to an Ultra fence, polyester TGIC is twice the thickness and hardness of a typical acrylic, baked enamel or "wet paint" finish, making it far more durable, fade resistant and scratch resistant than other coatings. Powdered coated aluminum parts won't rust!!

How are the fences constructed and how strong are they?

All Ultra components are extruded from 6005-T5 alloy with a minimum ultimate strength of 35,000 psi. Every fence system is assembled with stainless steel, corrosion resistant screws with heads painted to match the finish of the fence. Posts come in a variety of wall thicknesses and are pre-punched to accept the rails of the fence panels. Accessories are of zinc die cast or cast aluminum. All accessories are fully powder coated.

All rails are now UltraRails with internal ribbing to provide the maximum in strength and rigidity. This is an Ultra exclusive in the industry.

All Ultra gates are welded and then powder coated so that unsightly braces are not required.

General Installation Concepts

Attaching Panels to Posts.

As shown in this illustration, posts are pre-punched with holes to accept the ends of the rails of a fence section which are then held in place by a set screw in each rail end. The screws are painted the same color as the fence.

This dictates that the overall steps are: dig a hole; install the post; insert rail ends into post; dig next hole; install next post; etc.

Because the spacing between gate posts is critical, you should always install the End/Gate posts first (more about posts types follows). When you order a 48” gate for example, the 48” refers to the size of the opening, not to the gate itself. The manufacturer always makes the gate a bit smaller than the opening to allow for hinges and latches. Thus, for a 48” gate, the opening from inside of Gate post to inside of the other Gate post must be exactly 48”. You then follow the steps of fence panel, post, etc. from each Gate Post away from the gate. You don’t install the actual gate until the cement holding the post is hardened.

Descriptions of Types of Posts

End/Gate-Corners-Line-Blank

End / Gate Post: any post that ends a line of fence. A gate terminates a line for this purpose. The fence may continue on the other side of a gate and that post would also be an end post. An end post has holes on one side of the post only for rails to slide into. Only one section of fence is connected to that post. An end post can also be a gate post.

Line Post: any intermediate post that has fence connected to two opposite sides forming a straight line (180 degrees). These posts have holes on two sides of the post, opposite each other. An easy way to figure the quantity of line posts required on a line of fence is to figure the total sections in the line and subtract one. That is why it is necessary to know measurements on both sides of a gate. the gate breaks the total line into two distinctly different lines for these purposes. In some styles of fence, such as split rail, a line post may have holes bored completely through the post so rails can butt to each other, or overlap. Angles close to 180 degrees require the use of line posts. The holes may need widened to allow the rails to slide in, depending on the style of fence.

Corner Posts: any post that is to be used on a 90 degree corner to join two lines of fence. The holes are on two sides adjacent to each other. Corner posts can be used for odd angles where the angle is closer is between 45 and 90 degrees. An angle of 45 degrees may require a corner or line post, depending on style and preference.

Blank Post: a post with no holes. Commonly these are used as a gate post where no fence is to be attached to the post. Therefore a gate post can be a blank post. Your mail box post is a blank post (most likely). Avoid using blank posts as hinge posts. The fact that a fence is attached to the gate post makes it stronger and a lot of sagging gate problems can be traced to leaning blank posts.

This may not be the final word on definitions of these types of posts, because every manufacturer and installer may have a different description or different terminology, but it may help to clarify the differences. It will increase your odds of getting the correct response by asking for the proper type, instead of asking, "How much are your posts?". Also you will understand that you do not want holes in your gate post that goes next to the garage (that one should be a blank post).

How do I install fence on slopes and rises?

Raking and Stair Stepping Panels

When the grade of the property follows a slope a decision must be made on the method of installation. It will affect the type of posts that need to be ordered, if they are pre-routed to accept rails.

A line post has pre-routed holes on two sides opposite each other and the holes line up with each other so panels can be installed level to each other. On level ground this is fine. If panels are to be "raked", these posts will work also. "Raking" is shifting the panel out of square as in the following illustration.

There is a limit that some panels can be raked. With ornamental aluminum the limit is 12" over a 6' wide "Raked" panel. ""Heavy Raked" panels can reach 18"-24" over 6'. These must be specified when ordering. This may be the preferred method in order to keep a uniform small space under the fence, so the family pet can't get out. If the grade is steeper than that, "Stair Stepping" is necessary.

In this case, the second set of routed holes must be higher or lower than the first set in each post. We can punch the appropriate holes one one side higher or lower based on your specifications when ordering. Each panel could be slightly different for a custom fit. A "safer" method may be to use Rail Ends on one or both sides of a Blank post (no punched holes). Rail Ends can be attached to the posts after they are in place, eliminating the concern about exact measurements as to how far down the punched holes need to be.

The same principle may apply to a corner post, if a "stair step" must be made at the corner.

The same techniques can be used for stairs. Note: This product is not designed nor warranted for use as a Railing which is an entirely different type of product. It can be used for a few steps up and down from a deck to pool or for a multi-level pool area. Under no circumstances should it ever be used for balconies.

Raked panels can possibly be used for stair angles of about 30° or less as shown here:

For steeper angles, the "Walking the Stairs" method provides a very attractive alternative as shown here:

Click this photo for an actual example:

then click your Back button to return here.

Can I attach fence panels to columns / walls?

To attach fence panels to existing walls, columns or posts, you need to use rail end flanges (rail ends). These are screwed to the mounting surface and the rail end is inserted.

If you are installing a UAB-200 pool fence, you must cut the top "ear" off the Rail End for the mid-rail as the spacing between the top rail and mid-rail (2") is too small to accommodate two full flanges.

How do I mount posts on concrete / decks?

When you want to mount the fence atop your concrete pool apron, for example, you can use floor flanges on the posts.

These are bolted down using lag bolts and anchors which are available at any hardware store. You’ll need four 3/8" x 2" bolts per post.

Odd Angles, Curves, Ovals, Etc?

It is not unusual to have an angle other than a 90 degree corner. You can use a corner post or a line post, depending on the angle. Basically, anything wider than 90 degrees, use a line post. Less than 90 degrees, use a corner post.

To better understand the use of a line post versus a corner post, study the drawing below. If in doubt, you can always order a blank post (one with no holes) or an end post with the intention of cutting the other holes on the job, when you can better assess which is best.

Using lines and corners in this way will allow you to create essentially any contour you want including ovals and near circles!!

What tools will I need?

Specific steps

1. To begin installation, hammer stakes into place of actual fence placement. Use 72 1/2" on center measurements for Residential and 72 3/8" for Industrial.

3. Mark the location of holes. (See Digging Holes for an Aluminum Gate? for more on holes for the gates). Mark the holes on center. The key to running a nice fence is for the holes to line up with the string!

4. Dig your holes 36" to 42" deep (depending on your part of the country, the heavier the frost, the deeper the hole) and 6" wide.

5. Start by attaching one section of fence to the post, slide the panel into the notched end of the post and put 1" self-tapping screw into the pre-drilled pilot hole.

6. Level the post and pour your mixed concrete into the hole. The post should always be leveled off your string line. Never jump ahead, always one panel and one post at a time. Leave the concrete 3" short at the top of the hole. Now kick dirt on top of hole and pack it tight. This will help hold the fence level. Keep a 2" block under the fence to hold the grade heights.

7. Now that you've completed the line, go back and level; in and out, up and down. If you are following the grade, stand back along the fence and adjust the fence up or down to match the grade.

8. If you line ended with a corner, the next panel must be notched to fit the post, Like this:

9. After installing all the fence and leveling your gate posts, and making sure the gate post cement is hardened, its time to hang the gates. How do I Hang an Aluminum Gate?

Digging Holes for Your Aluminum Gate

First, make sure you determine which way the gate will swing and that it has the necessary clearance!

The "opening size" of your gate is the distance between the inside of the gate posts. The gate finish size will be smaller to allow for the hinges and latch. Since the hinges and latch types may vary the space allowed for them will vary. The only measurement you can trust is what we call the "opening size". Use this measurement to space the two gate posts. Measure across your opening on the ground and mark the ground indicating the edge of each post. A 16' opening gate would have two marks 16' apart. Now to better visualize where the post must go, draw the post on the ground. A 2" sq. post would require that you draw a 2" square with the edge of the post on your opening size mark. See the sketch below.

The size of the circle, which represents the area to be excavated, should be larger than the post to allow for the proper amount of concrete. Multiply the diameter of the post at its widest point (diagonal on a square) by three and draw a circle with the post as the center using that calculation. If you are going to drill with an auger, simply mark the center of the drawn post marks to indicate the center of your auger. Now you have located the position of the holes to be dug.

Dig your posts holes straight down to a depth of 18" minimum to 48" maximum. The depth required depends on the frost line depth in your area. For gates, you normally want deeper holes to avoid leaning posts and sagging gates. Use the 48" depth for wide gates over 96" wide or heavy gates over 100 lbs. A 42" depth works for nearly any gate in most areas. If you are not sure, dig deeper. You only have to dig the holes one time--if you do it right.

The diameter of the hole should be about 2-3 times the diagonal width of a post. For example, a 2” post is 3” across the diagonal, so your hole should be between 6” and 9” in diameter.

On small diameter holes, 6" - 9", you could be limited to a depth of 36", because you can't get tools into the hole to clean it out. That is fine, if you followed the guidelines set forth thus far. The post will be shorter than the depth of the hole, i.e. 36" deep hole with 24" of the post in it. This is not unusual since the post does not need to extend the full depth of the hole. A common error is to assume the hole only needs to extend the length of the post. Make the shape of the hole so that the diameter at the bottom of the hole is wider than the top diameter. This is called "belling" since it resembles the shape of a bell. This will anchor the post and help to avoid post heaving due to frost. Under no circumstances should your hole resemble a carrot shape where the top of the hole is larger in diameter than the bottom.

Post Hole Depth Guidelines – These are guidelines only, be sure that the concrete extends below your local frost line to prevent post heaving.
Fence Height	Post Depth
36”, 42” or 48”	18” - 24”
54” or 60”	24” - 28”
72”	30” - 36”

Why Aluminum?