Wood Privacy Screen to Attach to Colourbond Fence

This will help you attach a 500mm privacy screen extension to a colourbond fence. I searched the Internet for months for anything at all and found very little of help so I'm posting this to help anyone else so they don't fork out hundreds of dollars for colourbond extensions or try and make mistakes and the end result not be worth the trouble. This is the final plan with all my trial and errors removed, doing it this exact way will give you
Secure fixing no buckling or warping of the fence in high wind
Aesthetically pleasing result with option to incorporate further modification later on
The exact colour and size you want or need
Do it all from your side of the fence
Very cost efficient
If I leave anything out or don't explain properly pls let me know as this is my first instruct able

Step 1: Materials

This is for 4x screens that measure
2355mm long
500mm high
To fit to fence panels that are 2360mm long which I think is standard
If not adjust what ever the length of your fence panels are and minus 50 mm
Eg if your panels only measure 1680mm
Then your screens will be 1675mm long
It's important to get this accurate.

Materials to purchase

16 x 2.4m lengths of 15mm x 100 mm treated pine, have cut down to 2355mm
$2each per 2.4m

13 x 1m lengths of 20mm x 100mm of treated pine
I used 8 old bed slates I had lying around to start with and as design changed purchased the additional 5 needed for the posts in 2.4 m lengths and had cut to 1 m
$4 each per 2.4m

20 x M6 x 40mm bolts with the nuts attached plus washers
DO NOT USE GALVANISED FIXINGS ONLY STAINLESS OR TREATED BOLTS SAFE FOR EXTERIOR METAL USE
49c each

Box or 2 of treated pine self drill countersunk screws
sz 8-10 x40mm
$9 per box of 100

Paint and primer
I already had these lying around
VERY IMPORTANT TO PRIME AND PAINT TO PROTECT THE TIMBER OR YOU MAY BE DOING IT ALL AGAIN IN A YR OR SO
Also being rough sawed timber it will soak up the primer and paint like a sponge to allow for double that you would normally use
Also make sure your primer and paint are either both water based or oil based don't mix the 2. I used water based ext acrylic.

Tools you will need
Rasp file
Tape measure and rule or trisquare
Paint brush
14 or 18v cordless drill
Lg clamps (8 is optimum)
Ladder
Drop sheets
2 x 10 mm spanners
2 x 6mm HSS drill bits good quality capable of drilling into metal or you will be there for days and go through 100 bits that keep blunting or snapping
Machine oil ( for lubricating while drilling)
Pack of driver bits that match your screw head either phillipshead or square head

Time approx 3-4 days for painting and install by myself doing a few hours a day
The painting is time consuming but must be done properly

Step 2: Prep and Paint

Lay out all your timber on saw horses or pallet ends
Using the rasp and file go over the edges of each piece and smooth any loose or sharp splinters that protrude and then sweep them down with a hard bristle broom
Your not sanding them smooth this is just to avoid injury and to help the paint go on easier

Then put down your drop sheets and relay all timber out to prime and paint
I found it fastest and less fiddly to clamp the board in lots of 4 and do each side edge first all together rather than individually
Then lay them edge to edge and do the front and back as if they were 1 solid piece it saves time and a lot of paint and you can sort of slop it all on then just spread to dry
This also reduces the warping of the timber as it dries
Do 1 prime and at leas 1 good coat of painting did 2

Step 3: Attaching Rails to Backing Posts

Each screen panel will have
4 x 2355 rails
2 x 1 m backing posts

On your backing posts measure half way 500mm
And rule line a cross this is the line that will be level with top of fence line
The bottom half stays blank
The top half starting from the top measure 100mm draw line. Measure 25 mm draw line. Measure 100mm draw line measure 25 mm draw line. Do this 4 times on each until you get to half way line
Each 100ml shows where the rail should sit and 25 mm is the spacer in between each rail

Then on you rail lengths measure 600 mm from each end and mark on each this is the line your backing post should be aligned to
Lay rails flat on the ground and line one edge against a wall or something straight in lots of 4 one above the other approximating the right distance between with the marked lines facing upward
Take your 2 backing rails and sit them on top where the lines are marked with the marked lines facing upward in line with each rail beneath it
If like mine your boards have warped slightly and won't conform straight lines a clamp can be used or your own weight standing on them will also work
Take your drill and drive 4 screws into each joining part first through the backing post into the rail making sure you are in alignment as best as possible at the marked areas
You should end up with 4 panels that when turned over the front should look like these pictures
As you can see mine are warped but don't worry about that lay them flat on the ground and weight them down with pot plants or bricks while you do the next step I left mine overnight

Step 4: Attaching Support Posts to Fence Posts

You should have your 5 x 1 m posts left
Measure half way 500mm on each and draw line across this line will be level with the top of the colourbond fence line.
Take each post and line it up where the colourbond panels join and clamp firmly to the fence
There should be half above the colourbond fence line and half below like the pictures

Take your drill with the 6mm bit and drill 4 holes ,2 just under the colourbond fence top rail and 2 closer to the bottom of the post as in pictures, try to keep the holes as close to the metal edge of the colourbond posts as you will need to be able to fit 2 fingers behind the wood post and into the space between the metal fence panel and the inside of the metal post rail to blindly screw the nut on to the bolt see pictures
drill through the wood and through the metal putting some oil on the bit while drilling through the metal will help
After the first 2 are drilled push the 2 bolts through just to hold the wood in place so the next 2 line up accurately
Once all holes are drilled put washers on bolts( don't skip this step), pushed them through the holes with the other hand hold the nut between 2 fingers against the hole you should be able to feel roughly where it is and slowly turn until the thread has caught, then use your 2 spanners 1 to hold the nut and the other to turn the bolt until its tight
They should look like they do in pictures

Step 5: Attached Completed Panels to Support Rails

Back to your completed panels
Saw the 500mm posts sticking out like legs level with the base timber rail ( they were only required to help support and straighten the panel during assembly)
Now turn your panels so the backing post is facing your neighbours side and the rails are facing you
You now need your ladder , clamps, drill and screws, putting them in a basket attached to the top of the ladder keeps them all handy as you won't be able to move until the panel is up and clamped
If your super lucky and none of your panels warped this next final step will be easy if not like me you will need all your clamps
Lift a panel up to the fence and slide it in behind the support posts so there is roughly 5 cm of panel and post that over lap at each end
Get up the ladder and lift the top rail level with the top of the support post and clamp, do the same at the other side. And then do the 3 bottom panels
Now you want to screw at least 3 screws to secure each post and. Rail together more if the panel is badly warped and won't sit straight
One of mine was very bad and as I tightened the clamp it splintered at the corner, to fix this I applied a metal strip brace over the top of the panel and down the back of that rail and secured it to th next one down and continued to screw in from behind then and a few through the top so nothing could move and it worked well
Once you complete your first one then move onto the next making sure they have enough overlap at each end and are level at the top
The end result should look like the pictures