Thoughts on fencing around my septic....

[TheJenners]

Looking for easy but not unattractive fencing around my septic mound, which is within view of my house but not the barn. The ultimate plan is to let the 22 year old ramble around loose on the property, so I need to fence it off. He is sane and sensible, but he can also be a little mischievous as well. I don’t want to sink posts due to the concerns of hitting something and/or needing to pull it back up in the far future if the septic needs work. But I do want it steady enough and tall enough that in case any of my other critters get loose, it’s still protected.

I can always fence and then plant something on the house-side of the fence too :yes:.

[Jarpur]

Is this the septic tank, rather than the drainfield (asking because, in my area, some places have mounded drainfields). If the former, perhaps you could do what I’ve done to protect a couple heritage trees, which is use portable panels. Three make a pretty stable triangle, IME, and they don’t look bad.

If you aren’t comfortable with the acute angles of the 3-panel triangle, you could always use four to make a square. The ones I’ve used are older, smaller, shorter panels originally meant for overnight trail rides, so not particularly dominating in the landscape.

[Bluey]

How fancy do you want the fence to look?

Home Depot and Lowes have fence railing they sell for yards, some that could possibly work for what you want and be very nice looking:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/EZ-Handrail-6-ft-x-54-in-Bronze-Aluminum-Fence-Panel-Kit-with-1-in-Square-Balusters-EZF7254BZ/202033346

That one is very expensive, but if you go to fencing companies that build town house fences, they may have pieces that they sell to you cheaper that would make a nice square.

You can add a couple planters on the front part if you want to dress that up.

[Frog_Pond]

I ended up fencing my leach field off with green corral panels from Tractor Supply. I did put a t-post in at each corner, and measured very carefully, several times, to ensure that I was outside the perimeter. It was still a little unnerving though! I have a fragile system and decided that I needed a very secure fence.

I like Bluey’s idea and would add that Home Depot also sells nice picket fence panels for about $35/8’ section. I used them to create a play area for my dogs – they’re nicely made, about 42" high. Not sure what you’d do for posts . . . I just wired them to t-posts. I’ve always been intrigued by gabion fenceposts for spots where you can’t use posts at all, but have never found the time to try it.

Speaking of time & effort, there’s always buck fencing . . . looks great, but, I think most horses could disassemble them unless they’re very well constructed.

[TheJenners]

It’s the mound, so the drainfield only above ground.

Right I don’t want to damage anything with posts, I’m even worried about t-posts… I was thinking maybe t-posts, super far apart on the side where I know stuff runs underground, with tensioned wire or even just more no-climb, and then plant something viney like evergreen clematis where the t-posts are to hide those. Should I install a gate somewhere?? Ya think??

[Brave_Mucker]

What about a cavaletti type barrier built a little higher…it looks horsey…attractive and may be enough of a barrier…

[mroades]

we fenced ours with two strands of horseguard tape. It looks good and they arent going to try to go through that!

[amymoyer]

You could try a very traditional fence. This pic is from a colonial historic site.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Yv7VODpIbh4YbRt63

[mmeqcenter]

If you google “free standing fence” there’s lots of options.

https://www.epiccrowdcontrol.com/steel-barricade-8-ft-flat-bases.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQiAs9zSBRC5ARIsAFMtUXEVDzQWnCIeNrN57u3_YZbihrS7vRTCkwl_HFs2pxlrL1NHZydlqooaAjytEALw_wcB

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/storage/wire-mesh-partitions/wire-mesh/ez-wire-mesh-partition-component-panel-1-wx10-h?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=Cj0KCQiAs9zSBRC5ARIsAFMtUXEzoDGXzqOo30aO5mE5a0X3nelr_CeVVwjXfx8clmbsHcY1Ks2LGSkaAvjREALw_wcB

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/safety/crowd-control/security-fence-panels/galvanized-construction-barrier-starter-unit-436650?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=Cj0KCQiAs9zSBRC5ARIsAFMtUXHEQL0ByInekwXvwvKmhPHR5fD4ZBANWli-DF337DPz7bqC4pIojKAaAtWmEALw_wcB

https://beaconathletics.com/store/for-facilities/sportpanel-temporary-fence/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAs9zSBRC5ARIsAFMtUXG9SvYjuBWp8cFPNqN3GaZHwG8nACVAj1eL4zCdCiQGkOajsONkRkwaAoVyEALw_wcB

Or as amymoyer, split rail fence without posts:
http://www.dbauger.com/split-cedar-fencing/

http://www.hooverfence.com/wood/stack-battlefield-cedar-fence.htm

[TheJenners]

Oh I should add… It is really windy, so the freestandings will fall :lol:

[Bluey]

Those railings they sell at Home Depot and any other kind of panels, tied to each other, should be self standing, especially if you provide them with one post somewhere.

For a septic tank mound, you can’t be talking about much more than a few feet on each side.

[GoodTimes]

I was going to recommend a split rail without posts as well. If it’s done properly it shouldn’t fall.

[TheJenners]

A few panels? How small are the mounds where you are? Mine is like… 16’ x10’…???

[TheJenners]

Yeah mine is above ground. Ground doesn’ t perc.

[fanfayre]

Hey, Jenners, since it’s a mound, there is no piping at natural/native grade. You can sink posts around the base of the mound safely without jeopardizing your field, just don’t put posts into the sloping part nor, of course, on the flat top (that is where the pipes/field actually is).

[TheJenners]

Oh truly? So I don’t need to worry about hitting the pipes that lead from the holding tanks to the drain field?

[tazycat]

I wouldn’t be putting post in near the mound. You better ask a septic installer, before you go pounding in post near base of mound.
In order for stuff to get out to mound got to have pipe running out there. And there is piping with in the mound itself. We have a mound system and there is pipe within the mound pipe has holes in it so liquid gets all dispersed. Septic guy told us DO NOT LET HORSES BE TROMPING OVER TOP OF MOUND… Said they will ruin the system.

[Frog_Pond]

The Home Depot metal fence panels are supported by a lawn-dart sort of thing you drive into the ground – less than 12" long. I put t-posts in only 18". The septic plan shows that my pipes are at 48" down . . . so, that helped give me confidence.

The brown fiberglass posts from HorseGuard are about 3/4" in diameter and only need to be driven in 18", too. Zip tie a small solar charger on a t-post and slap up a few strands, and that’s a simple, inexpensive, decent looking fence – if you use the bipolar green & brown tape. Most horses would leave it alone, permanently. I’d do a gate – someone has to get in there to mow or maintain stuff, right?

[HungarianHippo]

How about plant some bitter-tasting ground cover that the horses will not be inclined to eat. Then surround that with a stacked stone wall. I don’t think you’d need to make the wall “fence height” if there’s nothing tasty inside it. If they lean over to nibble and it tastes bad, I can’t picture my horses stepping over a 2’6" wall, for example, just for the heck of it.

Or, just regularly spray the foliage inside your wall with deer repellent. The putrid clove scent makes ANYthing taste nasty.

[fanfayre]

@TheJenners

Oh truly? So I don’t need to worry about hitting the pipes that lead from the holding tanks to the drain field?

Well, yes, it would be best to find out where the force main is before pounding the posts, but it’s likely 1 of 3 places.

It could run directly from the middle of the pump tank to the middle of the sand mound if it’s a center feed (how I generally design them). Or, it will run from the middle of the pump tank to either end of the mound if it’s end fed. In each case, the pipe is likely to be 18 to 24" deep until it reaches the sand mound.

Your paperwork should show the exact location of the pipe, if not necessarily the depth. This is something required for the authorizations you would have received for building it and then operating it with your home occupancy permit. If you don’t have that paperwork contact your installer/planner immediately and request/demand a copy for your records. This is something you are going to be referring to time and time again,and you don’t want to have to keep asking these questions. Plus, it’s a good thing to have IF you ever need to put the place for sale. Knowing the location of the system, having the paperwork to hand, and having maintenance records on file all help give buyers peace of mind thinking they won’t be buying a problem!