Your top questions about concrete posts and our U-channel system

Transforming the look and feel of your outdoor space can be quite a demanding task, so we like to make things easier for you here at North Valley Composites. That’s why we developed our very own U-channel concrete post adaptor, which facilitates the easy installation of your composite fence panels into concrete posts. We’ve designed them to essentially address a number of questions that we regularly get from our customers about concrete fence posts and composite panels.

And in case it gives you a head start on your own project, we’ve collated some of the most common questions and answers below!

Can you use composite fencing with concrete fence posts?

Yes. Our customers do this all the time! If you already have concrete fence posts in your garden, you’ll probably find that it actually makes the entire installation job a little bit easier, as you don’t have to source and install one of the most crucial components from scratch. (It’s also worth noting that handling concrete fence posts is often a two-man job, for safety reasons.)

Depending on how much time you’re able to commit to the task in one go, you might even be able to get your composite fencing panels installed in as little as a day. That’s where our U-channel concrete post adaptors come in handy, allowing you to slot your panels right in. If you need a more detailed explanation, it’s worth checking out our full post on: can I use my existing concrete posts with composite fence panels?

Should fence panels move in concrete posts?

No. And if you’re using our concrete fence panels with our U-channel adaptors, you can rest assured they won’t. They’re designed to fit the panels and concrete posts very snugly, so you can have peace of mind that they’re exceptionally secure, and that they won’t rattle noisily in any strong winds.

Besides the concern over noise, the only other main reason why people often ask about the potential for movement in composite fence panels is to do with the fear that the entire fence might blow down in strong winds. Again, that’s not something you’ll need to worry about – provided that you’ve installed the concrete fence posts down to the proper depth, the entire structure will be more than capable of withstanding all but the very strongest of gales. (And to be honest if things get to that stage, you’ll have more to worry about than the condition of your fencing anyway!)

How do you stop fence panels being lifted out of concrete posts?

Easy. Our U-channel fencing system prevents that from happening by design. Essentially, they’re fitted at two ends of your fence panels – on the base rail at ground level, and over the top rail; their highest edge off the ground. That top rail is screwed into each concrete post at either side, so you can be dead certain that your composite fence panels won’t be lifted out of their grooves – not unless you’re willing to spend a considerable amount of time and effort doing it yourself. And as we’ve covered above, the secure nature of the fit means that they’re not going to move around within their grooves either.

Can you drill into concrete fence posts?

Yes. But you won’t have to drill too far in order to install your composite fence panels, and you’ll probably find that you won’t be able to anyway. Concrete fence posts are almost universally fitted with a reinforcing steel bar (or ‘rebar’) within their structure. That rebar is exactly as solid as it sounds. You don’t have to concern yourself with the possibility that you might accidentally damage it – you’re at far more risk of accidentally damaging your drill instead.

We’ve made sure that our U-channel concrete post adapters account for this though; we’ve designed them to ensure that you only need to drill to a shallow depth to install them, so you don’t have to worry about the risk of damage to anything; not the post, not the rebar, not your drill and not the panels.

That’s all the basics covered! If you’ve got a question that’s not been answered by any of the above though, rest assured we’re here to provide the answers in as much or as little detail as you need. We’ve got more than 30 years of experience supplying composite fence boards, fence panels and accessories, and even composite gate boards, so you can always count on our experts to be able to help. Don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01282 677300 to talk to a friendly member of our team!