Fencing question

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Building a fence.   The fence is 110 feet long it will be mounted atop a wall. The wall is pitched at 0.8 degrees or  Approx 1 inch per 6 feet.  A difference of approximately 1.5 ft drop over the run. It this pitch significant and visible in fencing.  The panels are 6 ft built square.  Question:  Should I stagger them an inch or run the panels even across the top. The pitch in not visible when looking at the wall.
Reply:I see sound barrier fences along freeways and to me they look stupid because they will have maybe 20ft. at one height and then the next 20ft. at a lower height to follow the ground. It's personal preference but I think the top following the ground and being smooth would look better. On your fence, if it isn't noticeable looking at the wall, maybe you could make the fence so it corrects the drop/pitch and is horizontal across the entire length?
Reply:Make it straight, nobody will notice an inch and a half in 110 feet.
Reply:1.5 foot over 110 ft.  Or .62 inch gap between the plumb vertical post and a horizontal top rail connection. This decision dictate the number / length of finished panel I install.   I will get to experimenting.  This is a recreation if some existing fencing.  The existing fencing is old and ratty.  May also get replaced.
Reply:i think it would be noticable if its a typical fence of vert pickets spaced about 4".      if top rail was 1.5 sq tube, i wouldnt bring every panel up 1" every 6'/panel, cuz i wouldnt like the .5" of horiz overlap look at all.    if u brought up every other panel, a .5" alignment gap between horiz rails - that would look better i think.  might even go more than two panels..  i wouldnt want to hang my own fence outa plumb/level, and have to look at it every day knowing, and have done it on purpose .    even if i couldnt see, it, it'd bother meLast edited by 123weld; 06-14-2021 at 11:22 PM.
Reply:You cannot put a pipe clamp on a diagonal and make them into a parallelogram? That would fix everything. Sincerely, William McCormickIf I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
Reply:I was wondering if it would form a natural parallelogram when it sags.  I will set it up in my shop soon and see the difference.
Reply:??? ???
Reply:Originally Posted by tapwelderI was wondering if it would form a natural parallelogram when it sags.  I will set it up in my shop soon and see the difference.
Reply:In the shop,  no decernable visual difference.  The bubble does touch the line when the rail is offset.  Ultimately in was trying to determine the length panel I could preassemble and how/where to connect them without welding.Ironically this fence is around the corner from a gate I replaced years ago.  Where some drunk took the gate danced with and laid out in the street with it, then disappeared with the gate.  The gate was found about 3 yrs later in a neighbors tree.I guess next question is security bolts for concrete?
Reply:Security bolts.... nah.... just use a stainless epoxy all thread in 1 hole and gall the nut. Best security you can get.Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Reply:I use a level, then stand back & look at it. In some cases it looks awful! I mounted a meter socket, & service riser on an old house 6" out of plumb in 10'. I first mounted it plumb, it looked terrible! I then mounted it parallel to the building corner, that was better but wrong! I settled for splitting the difference, It was best in that situation. A fence near level but straight wants to parallel the ground. If it traverses steep or a mixture of pitches, mount panels level, correct for grade at each post.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:Thanks.  Should have results within the next week or two.
Reply:Sounds like project 👍.You have fun keep the work and photos. Dave  Originally Posted by tapwelderBuilding a fence.   The fence is 110 feet long it will be mounted atop a wall. The wall is pitched at 0.8 degrees or  Approx 1 inch per 6 feet.  A difference of approximately 1.5 ft drop over the run. It this pitch significant and visible in fencing.  The panels are 6 ft built square.  Question:  Should I stagger them an inch or run the panels even across the top. The pitch in not visible when looking at the wall.
Reply:I have avoided this install long enough.  Here it is.  The wall was friendly and consistent.  Only one dip.  Otherwise,  the pitch and offedness was as expected.  Will finish another day. I am waiting on 2 handrails to be powder coated to closeout this job.Definitely not noticeable.  I aligned the rails.  I could see pitching them in some application but probably not a fence. Especially if the top rail was to be smooth and unbroken then pitch-built would be a better approach. Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by Willie BI use a level, then stand back & look at it. In some cases it looks awful! I mounted a meter socket, & service riser on an old house 6" out of plumb in 10'. I first mounted it plumb, it looked terrible! I then mounted it parallel to the building corner, that was better but wrong! I settled for splitting the difference, It was best in that situation.
Reply:Basically it comes down to preference. Me personally I like a straight level fence no stepping. I usually ask the owner what he prefers when planning the build.
Reply:That came out great.  Usually the "old work" is off here and there, but is not so bad to be noticeable in the finished product.  In construction, it is generally accepted that after being built nothing is really square, level and plumb.  You usually have to find the visually appealing balance between being level and the old work baseline - and sometimes you make the wrong choice.A little late on the response but stepping or pitched it really does depend on the fence type, landscape, and surroundings.  Against a backdrop of mostly plumb trees, or buildings a pitched fence can look out of place completely.On a nice, open rolling hill a leveled fence (to me) will look out of place on the landscape.