Replace your old proch step fence with a new wrought iron fence.
A wrought iron fence railing placed on a set of porch steps provides a touch of class to the look of the steps, as well as a safety feature to help prevent falls. As time passes, however, the fence may loosen in its mountings and become a hazard. The fence also may begin to rust, becoming an eyesore rather than an attractive addition. Replacing a wrought iron fence often is necessary in these cases. Removing the old fence and installing a new one can prove difficult depending on the nature of the damage and on how the existing fence is mounted. With the correct tools and procedure you can quickly replace the fence with a new one that again adds to the décor of your porch steps. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Inspect the bottom of the wrought iron fence to determine in which manner the fence connects with the porch steps. There are two primary mounting processes. Either the fence is screwed to the steps with masonry screws or embedded directly into the concrete.
2. Remove the existing fence. For a fence mounted with screws, remove the screws securing the fence to the house using a cordless screwdriver, and then remove the screws placed through the base of the legs of the fence into the steps. Cut a fence embedded directly into the concrete free. Use a reciprocating saw fitted with a metal-cutting blade to cut through the legs of the fence. Make the cut flush with the surface of the concrete so that the supports for the legs are level with the surface of the concrete. Remove the railing once you have removed the supports.
3. Examine the concrete for damage around the mounting holes. Fill in any cracks in the concrete with epoxy resin and allow the resin to dry for two hours.
4. Clean the steps where the fence was located. Use a wire brush combined with a pH-neutral concrete cleanser to remove any staining from the steps. Rinse the steps with water to remove cleanser residue.
5. Measure the steps for the new fencing, making sure to note the rise and depth of each step. Purchase the new fence from a home improvement store or a metal fabricator. Buy a fence that installs into the concrete using lag bolts through a welded plate on the fence legs for secure installation.
6. Place the new fence onto the steps where you intend to mount them, check that the new fence holes will not overlap the old ones, so that you get a freshly secure anchor point for the bolts. Mark the fence mounting locations through the mounting holes both on the side of the house and on the steps using a pencil.
7. Use a hammer drill equipped with a concrete drill bit the same size as your lag bolts to drill holes into the steps at the marked areas.
8. Mount the wall brackets for the fence to the wall of your home using wood screws.
9. Place the fence back onto the steps, aligned with the newly drilled holes. Slip the end of the fence into the mounted wall brackets. Secure the fence to the steps by placing a lag bolt through each fence-mounting hole in the base of the fence. Use a socket wrench to screw the bolts into place, slipping a washer between the bolt and the mounting hole.
Tags: iron fence, wrought iron, into concrete, porch steps, concrete Remove, directly into, directly into concrete
