Trimming Nails on Wooden Privacy Fence

[mojo84]

Is the "ugly side" facing you or her? Ugly side should face her house. Sounds like you got the ugly side facing you.

What's your reasoning for this?

Sounds like some really long nails were used or the fence wasn't constructed properly.

[Boxerrider]

That is poor-quality work at best, and I would consider it negligent. Call them back to make it right.
If I was going to deal with it myself I would either bend them over with a hammer or cut them off with a cutting disk on an angle grinder. If the wood is stained or painted you will scrape though that with the grinder. Bending them over will help to keep them from backing out as the wood moves.

[NotRPB]

ok I read the entire thread and restrained myself as long as I could but

I usually sit on the front porch when trimming my nails so they don't get lost in my carpeting. I tried it once on a wooden bench and got splinters, but never tried it on a wooden fence, I'd be afraid I'd lose my balance and fall off.


GMTA

At first I thought you were planning on trimming your finger nails or toe nails while sitting on a wooden fence.

I could only think how uncomfortable that would be.

[G26ster]

Is the "ugly side" facing you or her? Ugly side should face her house. Sounds like you got the ugly side facing you.

What's your reasoning for this?

Sounds like some really long nails were used or the fence wasn't constructed properly.

Wouldn't the nails be hammered in from the pretty side to the posts?

[Acronym Esq]

Sounds like you need to contact the contractor. It certainly could be considered a liability if someone were to fall into it.

Yea, I agree. Crumby workmanship. He knew or should have known that those nails would be a problem. Which is why I can't be sure it he didn't do it on purpose.

The lady that backs up to me said she didn't like my dogs and insisted that the bigger fence be put up because of them. My dogs have never done anything to anyone certainly not her. Doesn't matter really. She wanted a big fence, so I split the cost with her. I don't know the contractor or if it even was a contractor. Just seemed like the right thing to do sharing the cost for a property line fence.

Harbor Freight 4-1/2" Angle grinder coupon $11.99. Comes with at least one disk which should be enough.
http://www.harborfreight.com/#

So I watched a youtube video on angle grinders. This is exactly the tool that I want, but they are surprisingly dangerous. Good call on the Harbor Freight hobby grinder. I got one and a couple disks.

Document thru photographs/video (walk down the fence line to show the extent of the exposed tips) the unsafe condition created.

Great suggestion. Knocking the tips off won't do any damage to the fence. I can't imagine how there will be an argument about this later on, but having some good documentation is a good idea.

Technically, who owns the fence? If it is on her property even if you split expenses you need to talk to her before "destroying" her fence. I personally think the contractor should repair this.

So I did a little research project on this a couple years ago. In residential areas, these shared property line privacy fences are kind of a no-mans-land. The disagreements usually arise after there is some damage to the fence, and someone has to repair it. The courts go unpredictable ways.

A better way to look at a fence dispute is by the costs involved. Figure a 100' of fence is $1-2k. Paying a cheap attorney to go to trial could be $10-30k. Having a friendly relationship with a neighbor costs a couple beers and a friendly wave. Having a hostile relationship with a neighbor could have untold emotional and monetary costs with all the unproveabe damages. Getting lost in the legal technicalities ignores the realities. Life is much easier with a friendly neighbor. I was trying to illustrate that point with the absurdity of the round-up revenge.

I agree that the contractor should make it right, but it's been a year or so now. Maybe I should have noticed earlier, but I didn't until my dog recently got a stab wound from jumping on the fence to get that tasty possum. I don't want the lady to think I'm accusing her of anything. I'll talk to her, help her understand the problem, inform her of the solution, and let her know it won't affect her. I'll sell it as an easy fix that helps me and won't even bother her. Provided I don't hurt the fence, there won't be a problem. She really doesn't get a vote tho. The iron maiden hurt my dog so...

If I was going to deal with it myself I would either bend them over with a hammer or cut them off with a cutting disk on an angle grinder. If the wood is stained or painted you will scrape though that with the grinder. Bending them over will help to keep them from backing out as the wood moves.

I thought about giving them a whack with the hammer. Most of the tips are pretty short, and I don't want to back them out. I'm looking forward to using the grinder. I got a face mask and big leather gloves. Gonna be fun! Thank goodness it's just a cedar fence. Repainting would make this task even worse.

Acronym 2/12/2017 9:56 AM

[TreyHouston]

Technically, who owns the fence? If it is on her property even if you split expenses you need to talk to her before "destroying" her fence. I personally think the contractor should repair this.

Can you explain how breaking or grinding the exposed end of a nail compromises the integrity of the project? The exposed end should have no impact on the holding or compression of the wood. Not being rude, i have been wrong many times before!

Does there have to be logic here? If it is her fence you have no business making any changes without her OK. You just don't start chopping away at someone's property. I am not saying that cutting the nails would harm the fence but the "owner" of the fence is the one the OP needs to deal with. The other issue is that even though the OP went in on the fence unless it is exactly on the property line one of them owns that fence. If the OP owns it then go cut those nails but since the spikes are on his side most likely he does not own the fence. Get the OK from the owner to cut those nails or get the contractor out to fix the job.

Agreed. I have never really considered the side of the fence facing my house someone elses. I have always considered a fence to "override" a property line and thus the fence becomes, your side is there and my side is here! But ya. Changes to a project with A joint venture, he should tell the other party if changes are being made.

[JustSomeOldGuy]

If it's already been a year, most of the ships I suggested have already sailed........take the video in case this comes back to haunt you later, then grind down all the tips. If you ever find out who the contractor/builder was, I'd still badmouth him on Google Reviews and to BBB and/or Attorney General for creating an unsafe condition.

[NotRPB]

A bit of wire, some solder, solder wire to nails, and you have a trellis partly provided by the neighbor.

[bigtek]

I agree that the contractor should make it right, but it's been a year or so now. Maybe I should have noticed earlier, but I didn't until my dog recently got a stab wound from jumping on the fence to get that tasty possum.

I would count myself lucky if that was the least of my dog's injuries from chasing possum.

[mojo84]

Is the "ugly side" facing you or her? Ugly side should face her house. Sounds like you got the ugly side facing you.

What's your reasoning for this?

Sounds like some really long nails were used or the fence wasn't constructed properly.

Wouldn't the nails be hammered in from the pretty side to the posts?

To answer your question, yes, the nails should be nailed into the pretty side.

My question is about your comment the pretty side should be facing the OP. Why do you come to that conclusion?

Regardless, the work was poorly done from the sounds of the op.

[G26ster]

Is the "ugly side" facing you or her? Ugly side should face her house. Sounds like you got the ugly side facing you.

What's your reasoning for this?

Sounds like some really long nails were used or the fence wasn't constructed properly.

Wouldn't the nails be hammered in from the pretty side to the posts?

To answer your question, yes, the nails should be nailed into the pretty side.

My question is about your comment the pretty side should be facing the OP. Why do you come to that conclusion?

Regardless, the work was poorly done from the sounds of the op.

There is no law as to who gets the "ugly side." However, as a rule of etiquette, the ugly side should face in. Some cities also have it in their code. Here's a quote from this site:

http://blog.fenceauthority.com/fence-et ... good-side/

"Face the finished side of the fence toward your neighbor

Certain kinds of fences have a finished side or a “good” side that looks smoother and more polished than the side with the rails and posts showing. In particular, the solid panel fences often used for privacy are generally constructed like this. The finished side should face toward your neighbor. Not only is this more polite, but it’s the standard. Your property will look a lot nicer with the “good” side facing the outside world. Otherwise, your fence will look like it was installed backwards."

Here also is my city's code. If there's a utility easement between the two properties in this thread (like I have in my backyard), then the fence in this thread is not built to code.

"Fences adjacent to and facing a thoroughfare, public property or any utility easement in excess of 50 feet shall be constructed with the smooth finished surface facing outward from the property and facing the thoroughfare, public property or utility easement. Any posts or support beams shall be inside the finished surface or designed to be an integral part of the finished surface."

[mojo84]

Thanks for citing the source on which you formed your opinion. I agree If the fence is exposed to the public, the smooth finished side should face the public.

As far as this case goes, the fence is between two private residences that both paid for the fence. Why should the OP get the smooth finished side and the neighbor the bad side?

There are ways to handle this so they both get a good attractive side but that takes a little communication and cooperation to achieve. It doesn't sound like much of either happened in this instance.

[WildBill]

Robert Frost - Mending Wall "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors"

[CrimsonSoul]

You know. When I first read the title I was thinking someone putting there feet up on your fence and trimming their toe nails

[G26ster]

As far as this case goes, the fence is between two private residences that both paid for the fence. Why should the OP get the smooth finished side and the neighbor the bad side?

There are ways to handle this so they both get a good attractive side but that takes a little communication and cooperation to achieve. It doesn't sound like much of either happened in this instance.

Since they both paid for it, I guess it's a toss up.