CSLB C-13 Fencing (Trade Exam) — All Questions

Why are gates built or ordered before their posts are set in a vinyl system?

• a.The gate tells the 811 center where to place marks
• b.The gate sets the property line for the whole fence
• c.The gate fixes the hinge-to-latch spacing and fence height✓
• d.The gate fixes the frost line used for the hole depth

The manufacturer says gates must be assembled before the fence so that the hinge-to-latch spacing and the height are established. A gate does not set the property line, the frost line or the 811 marks.Vinyl fence maker installation manual, Gates

Where does the vinyl manufacturer say to start the layout?

• a.At the longest straight run, working to the ends
• b.At the lowest corner of the yard, working uphill
• c.At the gate end post, working outward along the line✓
• d.At the post nearest the street, working inward

The manual starts at the gate end post and works outward to determine fence height relative to the ground. The lowest corner, the street post and the longest run are not the stated starting point.Vinyl fence maker installation manual, Getting Started

On Caltrans details, how is the bottom tension wire of a chain-link fence installed across uneven ground?

• a.Following the dips in the ground, with fill added to the low points
• b.On a straight grade: excavate high spots, never fill low ones✓
• c.Stretched in the air above the high points of the ground
• d.Buried at one constant depth along the whole run

The specification installs the bottom tension wire on a straight grade between posts by excavating high points and does not fill low points. Following every dip, bridging the high points or burying the wire are not the stated method.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.03

A new fence meets an existing fence at a junction. What does the Caltrans specification require?

• a.A gate installed at the junction so the fences stay separate
• b.A tie wire connecting the two fabrics at the junction
• c.A corner post with a brace for each direction of strain✓
• d.Two line posts set 2 feet apart with fabric between them

The specification says to connect new fences to existing fences and to place a corner post with a brace for each direction of strain at each junction. A tie wire, a gate or two close line posts do not resist the pull.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-1.03

Aluminum panels in one system are laid out at what center-to-center post spacing?

• a.84 inches
• b.72-1/2 inches✓
• c.72 inches
• d.96 inches

The instruction lays out the aluminum panels at 72-1/2 inches center to center for line posts. Sixty inches, 96 inches and 84 inches are not the figure in that guide, and 96 inches is a composite maker's section width.Aluminum fence maker installation instructions, Step 3

Before the first auger is started, which marking is done in white?

• a.Marking the swing path of the gate
• b.Delineating the proposed excavation area✓
• c.Locating the underground utility lines
• d.Marking the property line of the lot

The excavator delineates the area to be excavated in white before the call, while the utility operators mark their own lines. The property line and gate swing are not part of the delineation.Cal. Gov. Code 4216(d), 4216.2(a)

A crew will dig only after what two conditions in Title 8 section 1541 are met?

• a.The area is marked, and operators have responded to the ticket✓
• b.The permit is posted, and the whole crew has been trained on augers
• c.The ticket is 14 days old, and the neighbor has signed off
• d.The holes are drawn on the plan, and the soil is dry

Excavation does not begin until the area is marked as the Government Code specifies and positive responses are received from all known owner/operators of subsurface installations. A ticket age, a neighbor's signature, a plan sketch, dry soil and a posted permit are not those conditions.8 CCR 1541(b)(1)(A)

A gate post is set a certain distance from the hinge post according to a vinyl manual. What gap does the manual allow at the hinge side and the latch side of a picket-style gate?

• a.2 inches at the hinge and none at the latch
• b.1/8 inch at both sides
• c.1 inch at the hinge and 3/4 inch at the latch✓
• d.3 inches at the hinge and 3 inches at the latch

The manual allows a 1-inch gap for the hinge and 3/4 inch for the latch and gate swing. Three inches, 1/8 inch and 2 inches with none are not the figures given.Vinyl fence maker installation manual, Hang Gate

Per Caltrans A85, what is the line-post footing for a 5-foot plain chain-link fence?

• a.12 inches wide and 3'-0" deep
• b.8 inches wide and 2'-6" deep✓
• c.8 inches wide and 3'-6" deep
• d.10 inches wide and 3'-0" deep

The 5-foot plain line-post row is 8 inches by 2 feet 6 inches. Twelve by 3'-0" is the slatted 5-foot row, and the other two combine numbers from different rows.Caltrans 2024 Standard Plan A85

What footing does Caltrans A85 show for a 10-foot slatted line post?

• a.18 inches wide and 3'-6" deep
• b.20 inches wide and 4'-0" deep✓
• c.20 inches wide and 3'-6" deep
• d.14 inches wide and 3'-6" deep

The slatted 10-foot row is 20 inches wide and 4 feet deep. Fourteen by 3'-6" is the plain 10-foot or slatted 6-foot row, 18 by 3'-6" is the slatted 8-foot row, and 20 by 3'-6" mixes widths and depths.Caltrans 2024 Standard Plan A85

What is the minimum footing width B for the gate post of a 10-foot slatted fence if the post is 6.63 inches in diameter, using the plan's 3-times rule?

• a.13.3 inches, which is twice the post diameter
• b.8 inches, which is the plan's minimum
• c.6.63 inches, the post diameter
• d.20 inches, because 3 × 6.63 is about 19.9✓

The plan requires B at least three times the post cross section, so 3 × 6.63 = 19.89, and the table value is 20 inches. Eight inches is only the absolute minimum, the diameter alone is too narrow, and twice the diameter is not the rule.Caltrans 2024 Standard Plan A85, note on footing width B

What is the minimum length of a Caltrans chain-link line post for 8-foot plain fabric with a 3'-0" footing?

• a.140 inches
• b.96 inches
• c.132 inches
• d.128 inches✓

The length is the footing depth plus the fabric height less 4 inches: 36 + 96 − 4 = 128 inches. Adding instead of subtracting the 4 gives 136, 132 is not from the formula, 96 ignores the footing, and 140 adds 12 inches.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.02B

One chain-link manual generally digs terminal post holes how wide and how deep?

• a.4 inches wide and 12 inches deep
• b.6 inches wide and 18 to 24 inches deep
• c.8 inches wide and 18 to 30 inches deep✓
• d.12 inches wide and 48 inches deep

The manual gives about 8 inches wide and 18 to 30 inches deep for terminal posts. The 6-inch hole is the line-post size in the same manual, and the other two sizes do not appear.Chain-link maker installation guide, Steps 2 and 3

A vinyl 4 × 4 post uses what hole size in the manufacturer's manual?

• a.About 10 inches in diameter✓
• b.About 6 inches in diameter
• c.About 16 inches in diameter
• d.About 12 inches in diameter

The manual's table is based on a 10-inch hole for 4 x 4 posts, and 12 inches for 5 x 5. Six and sixteen inches are not the figures.Vinyl fence maker installation manual, Concrete Usage for Posts

A composite-fence maker recommends what hole for a 6-foot-high fence using its 9-foot posts?

• a.About 6 inches in diameter and at least 12 inches deep
• b.About 12 inches in diameter and at least 30 inches deep✓
• c.About 12 inches in diameter and at least 18 inches deep
• d.About 18 inches in diameter and at least 12 inches deep

The maker says to dig holes about 12 inches in diameter and at least 30 inches deep, burying the 9-foot posts at least 30 inches. The other combinations pair one correct number with an incorrect one.Composite maker knowledge base, installing a fence post

How much of a 9-foot composite post stands above grade if it is buried 30 inches?

• a.72 inches
• b.108 inches
• c.138 inches
• d.78 inches✓

The post is 108 inches long, so 108 − 30 = 78 inches stand above grade. One hundred eight inches ignores the buried part, 138 adds it, and 72 inches is the fence height.Composite maker knowledge base

One maker's table gives a minimum hole for a 30-foot ground-sleeve flagpole. What are the diameter and depth?

• a.30 inches in diameter and 54 inches deep
• b.20 inches in diameter and 36 inches deep
• c.26 inches in diameter and 48 inches deep
• d.26 inches in diameter and 42 inches deep✓

For a 30-foot pole the table gives 26 inches by 42 inches. Twenty by 36 is the 25-foot pole, 30 by 54 is the 40-foot pole, and 26 by 48 is the 33-foot pole.Flagpole maker installation instructions, Installation Instructions for Ground Sleeve Flagpoles

A flagpole maker says the hole should be dug how deep relative to the ground sleeve?

• a.3 feet deeper than the sleeve, for frost
• b.The same depth as the sleeve itself
• c.About 6 inches deeper than the sleeve tube✓
• d.1 inch shallower than the sleeve, for drainage

One maker says to dig approximately 6 inches deeper than the supplied sleeve tube, and another says sleeve depth plus 3 inches. Equal depth leaves no drainage base, and 3 feet deeper or shallower than the sleeve are not stated.Flagpole maker installation instructions (two makers)

What does one chain-link manual say a terminal post should be above ground, compared with the fabric height?

• a.The height of the fabric less 4 inches
• b.The same height as the fabric
• c.The height of the fabric plus 2 inches✓
• d.Twice the height of the fabric

The manual sets terminal posts at the fabric height plus 2 inches above ground. Less 4 inches is the Caltrans post-length formula, which is a length rule, and a post at the same height as the fabric or at twice the height is not what the manual says.Chain-link maker installation guide, Step 2

What is the shape the chain-link manual wants for a post hole?

• a.Funnel shaped, widest at the top
• b.Bell shaped, widest at the bottom
• c.Any shape, as long as the hole is deep enough
• d.Straight from top to bottom, not sloping✓

The manual says the hole should not slope but be perfectly straight top to bottom, and the vinyl manual says to check for straight walls. A bell or funnel shape and an indifferent shape are not the stated method.Chain-link maker installation guide, Step 2; Vinyl fence maker installation manual

Why is a larger hole diameter recommended for a flagpole in soft or sandy soil?

• a.To keep the concrete from curing too fast
• b.To give the pole a stable foundation in soft ground✓
• c.To avoid the need to call 811 first
• d.To make the pole lighter in the wind

The maker says to increase the diameter in soft or sandy soil to ensure a stable foundation, because a wider footing spreads the load over more soil. A hole does not change the pole's weight or the concrete cure, and 811 is required regardless.Flagpole maker installation instructions, Preparation of the Foundation

What is the concrete volume of one Caltrans footing for an 8-foot plain gate post (B = 12 inches, D = 3'-0")? Use the footing as a cylinder and ignore the post.

• a.About 9.42 cubic feet
• b.About 2.36 cubic feet✓
• c.About 1.18 cubic feet
• d.About 0.79 cubic foot

The radius is 0.5 foot and the depth is 3 feet, so π × 0.25 × 3 = 2.36 cubic feet. Nine point four two uses the diameter as the radius, 0.79 divides by three again, and 1.18 is half of the correct volume.Caltrans 2024 Standard Plan A85; volume of a cylinder

What is the concrete volume of one 10-foot slatted line-post footing (B = 20 inches, D = 4'-0")? Use a cylinder and ignore the post.

• a.About 4.36 cubic feet
• b.About 34.9 cubic feet
• c.About 6.98 cubic feet
• d.About 8.73 cubic feet✓

The radius is 10/12 foot and the depth is 4 feet, so π × 0.6944 × 4 = 8.73 cubic feet. Thirty-four point nine uses the diameter as the radius, 4.36 is half of the answer, and 6.98 uses a depth of 3.2 feet.Caltrans 2024 Standard Plan A85; volume of a cylinder

What is the first step in setting posts for most chain-link jobs after the layout is marked and cleared?

• a.Stretch the fabric along the ground beside the line
• b.Install the top rail between the line posts
• c.Dig and set the terminal posts in concrete first✓
• d.Hang the gates before the posts are set

The terminals are set first in concrete, the footings harden, and then line posts, rail and fabric follow. Fabric, gates and rail all depend on posts that are already in.Chain-link maker installation guide, Steps 2 through 7

Why does a chain-link manual say to avoid mixing concrete with too much water?

• a.Too much water weakens it and may cause cracking✓
• b.It makes the concrete set too fast to finish
• c.It makes the mix much harder to pour into the post hole
• d.It makes the concrete too heavy to place

The manual says too much water weakens concrete and may cause cracking, and recommends a fairly heavy mix. Excess water slows the set rather than speeding it and makes the mix thinner, not heavier.Chain-link maker installation guide, Step 2

What mix proportion by parts is given in one chain-link manual for post footings?

• a.4 cement, 2 sand and 1 gravel
• b.2 cement, 2 sand and 1 gravel
• c.1 cement, 1 sand and 1 gravel
• d.1 cement, 2 sand and 4 gravel✓

The manual specifies 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 4 parts gravel. The other ratios are too rich in cement or in the wrong proportions.Chain-link maker installation guide, Step 2

How is the top of a chain-link concrete footing shaped?

• a.Crowned, sloping away from the post✓
• b.Raised in a ring around the base of the post
• c.Flat and level with the top of the post
• d.Concave, so water collects at the post

The manual and the Caltrans specification crown the footing so water runs away from the post. A concave or ringed top holds water against the post, and a flat top does not shed it.Chain-link maker installation guide, Step 2; Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-1.03

What does Caltrans require of the concrete for a metal post or brace footing?

• a.At least 470 pounds of cementitious material per cubic yard✓
• b.A slump limit in place of a cement content minimum
• c.At least 94 pounds of cementitious material per cubic yard
• d.At least 940 pounds of cementitious material per cubic yard

The specification calls for concrete with at least 470 pounds of cementitious material per cubic yard. Ninety-four and 940 pounds are not the number, and the specification does state a minimum.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-1.02

A diagonal brace and horizontal brace with truss rods are two ways of bracing a chain-link terminal. How must the brace act?

• a.As a post cap, with truss rods holding the fabric
• b.As a decorative trim, with truss rods carrying the pull
• c.As a compression member, with truss rods in tension✓
• d.As a tension member, with truss rods in compression

The specification calls for a diagonal or horizontal brace used as a compression member, and truss rods used as tension members. Reversing the roles or treating the brace as trim does not describe the load path.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.03

How far apart may braced line posts be on Caltrans chain link?

• a.At most 2,000 feet
• b.At most 100 feet
• c.At most 660 feet
• d.At most 1,000 feet✓

Caltrans shows braced line posts at intervals not exceeding 1,000 feet. Six hundred sixty feet is the wire-mesh pull-post interval, and the other numbers are not stated.Caltrans 2024 Standard Plan A85; Standard Specifications 80-3.03

Which posts in a Caltrans wire fence may be driven rather than set in a concrete footing?

• a.Metal line posts✓
• b.Metal corner posts
• c.Metal gate posts
• d.Metal pull posts

The specification says each metal diagonal brace and each metal corner, end, latch, gate and pull post is set in concrete, and metal line posts may be driven.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-2.03

How must a round wood post be set in a Caltrans wire fence?

• a.Laid flat in a trench and backfilled
• b.In a drilled hole, small end down
• c.In a drilled hole, butt end down✓
• d.Driven with the bark left on

The specification installs each round post in a drilled hole butt end down. Small end down, flat in a trench and driving with bark on are not the method; bark is peeled from round treated posts.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-2.03

Which use category does the Caltrans specification name for pressure-treated fence posts?

• a.AWPA UC2
• b.AWPA UC3B
• c.AWPA UC4A✓
• d.AWPA UC1

The specification pressure treats each post under AWPA U1, Use Category UC4A, which is a ground-contact category. The other categories are lower-exposure categories for protected or above-ground use.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-2.02C(3)

A treated post is stamped "for above ground use only." Can it be set in the ground?

• a.Yes, if it is set in a concrete footing
• b.Yes, if it is 4 x 4 or larger in size
• c.Yes, if it is painted with a water repellent
• d.No, because it carries less preservative✓

The Forest Products Laboratory says such material should not be used in the ground because it contains less preservative. Concrete, paint and size do not change the treatment level.USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Protecting Wood Fences for Yard and Garden

When an aluminum fence is dry-packed rather than mixed wet, when can the line be leveled?

• a.After the concrete has cured 30 days
• b.After installation, by adjusting the posts✓
• c.It is leveled by re-digging the packed holes
• d.Before the posts are set in the holes

The instruction says dry packing lets you level the entire line after installation by adjusting the posts, while wet mixing means you must level as you go. Leveling before the posts are set cannot be done by the line, a 30-day cure locks the posts in place, and re-digging packed holes is not the method. Step 7 of the same sheet puts the leveling of a dry-packed fence on the same day.Aluminum fence maker installation instructions, Step 3 and Step 7

A fast-setting mix is poured dry around a steel post. When is water added?

• a.After the post spacing is accurate✓
• b.After the panels or slats are hung
• c.Before the post is placed in the hole
• d.At once, as the dry mix is poured in

The post maker says not to add water until the post spacing is accurate, because setting begins when water is added. Adding it before the post is in or as the mix goes in would start the set too soon, and waiting for the panels loses the chance to adjust.Composite steel-post maker in-ground post instructions

How does the vinyl manufacturer say to lower a post that stands too high?

• a.Strike the post top with a steel hammer
• b.Tap a wood block across the post with a mallet✓
• c.Cut the post off at the ground line
• d.Pour water around the footing to soften it

The manual says to place a wood block from corner to corner on the post and tap it carefully, and never to strike the PVC post without a wood support. A steel hammer or cutting the post at the ground would damage it, and water does not move a post.Vinyl fence maker installation manual, Support and Secure

What does the vinyl manual say about the gate on its blocks after concrete is poured in a gate post?

• a.Leave it on blocks for a full 10 days
• b.Hang it at once, before the concrete sets
• c.Remove the blocks after 15 minutes of curing
• d.Leave it on blocks for 72 hours✓

The manual says to leave the gate on blocks for 72 hours to allow the concrete to set. Hanging it at once or removing the blocks after minutes would load an uncured post.Vinyl fence maker installation manual, Solidify Gate Posts

Where posts need concrete for stability, how far below the ground line does the Forest Products Laboratory say to keep a wood post's concrete?

• a.At least 6 inches below ground line✓
• b.6 inches above the ground, as a collar
• c.Level with the ground, flush at the surface
• d.6 feet below ground, at the bottom of the hole

The bulletin says to keep the anchorage at least 6 inches below ground line, because a jacket of concrete to the surface traps water against the wood. Level, above-ground and 6-foot figures do not follow that reasoning.USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Protecting Wood Fences for Yard and Garden

A chain-link manual says to wait before stretching fabric on new terminal footings. Why?

• a.The tension wire must be oiled before use
• b.Footings must harden so posts stay plumb✓
• c.The top rail must cure before it is loaded
• d.The fabric must dry before it is stretched

The manual waits until the footings have hardened enough for the posts to remain plumb, usually about 24 hours. Fabric and rail do not need curing, and tension wire is not oiled.Chain-link maker installation guide, Step 3

Under the Caltrans specification, what is the diamond count for chain-link fabric 60 inches high?

• a.24-1/2
• b.13-1/2
• c.17-1/2✓
• d.20-1/2

The table gives 17-1/2 diamonds for 60-inch fabric. Twenty and a half is the 72-inch count, 13-1/2 is the 48-inch count, and 24-1/2 is the 84-inch count.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.02C

A plain chain-link fence is 8 feet high on Caltrans specifications. What gauge wire is the fabric?

• a.9 gauge✓
• b.11 gauge
• c.6 gauge
• d.12-1/2 gauge

Fabric for a fence over 84 inches in height is 9 gauge, and 8 feet is 96 inches. Eleven gauge is for fences 84 inches or less, 12-1/2 gauge is wire-mesh wire, and 6 gauge is the post-clip gauge.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.02C

A slatted chain-link fence is only 5 feet high. What gauge does Caltrans require for the fabric?

• a.9 gauge✓
• b.11 gauge
• c.14 gauge
• d.7 gauge

Slatted chain-link fabric is 9 gauge regardless of height, as is fabric over 84 inches. Eleven gauge is for plain fabric up to 84 inches, 7 gauge is the coil-spring tension wire, and 14 gauge is a barbed-wire gauge.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.02C

The tension wire on a Caltrans chain-link fence is which material?

• a.6-gauge steel, as used for post clips
• b.9-gauge steel, as used for ties
• c.8-gauge galvanized wire, as used on wire mesh fences
• d.Commercial-quality 7-gauge coil spring steel✓

Chain-link tension wire is commercial-quality 7-gauge coil spring steel. Eight-gauge galvanized tension wire belongs to barbed wire and wire mesh fences, 9-gauge is the minimum for ties and hog rings, and 6-gauge is the minimum for post clips.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.02D

What is the minimum size of a stretcher bar on a Caltrans chain-link fence?

• a.1/8 by 3/4 inch
• b.1/4 by 3/4 inch✓
• c.1/4 by 1-1/2 inches
• d.3/8 by 1 inch

Each stretcher bar must be at least 1/4 by 3/4 inch. The 1/8 by 3/4 inch size is the minimum for the bar band, and the other two sizes are not given.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.02D

What is the minimum diameter of a steel truss rod on Caltrans chain link?

• a.1/2 inch
• b.3/8 inch✓
• c.1/4 inch
• d.3/4 inch

Each truss rod must be steel with a diameter of at least 3/8 inch. Quarter inch is the thickness of the truss-tightener strap, and the larger sizes are not required.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.02D

Caltrans fastens chain-link fabric to end, latch, corner and gate posts with stretcher bars and bands at what spacing?

• a.At 14-inch intervals
• b.At 1-foot intervals✓
• c.At 18-inch intervals
• d.At 24-inch intervals

The specification uses stretcher bars and stretcher bar bands at 1-foot intervals on terminal posts. Fourteen inches is the line-post tie spacing, 18 inches is the tension-wire fastening spacing, and 24 inches is one manual's rail-tie spacing.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.03

How far may the top of the fabric be from the top tension wire on Caltrans chain link?

• a.At most 6 inches
• b.About 4 inches
• c.At most 12 inches
• d.At most 2 inches✓

The top of the fabric to the top tension wire must be at most 2 inches. The 4-inch figure belongs to the post-length formula, and the other distances are not stated.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.03

How are barbed wire arms set on top of a Caltrans chain-link fence?

• a.Vertical, with 1 line of barbed wire at the top
• b.At about 45 degrees, with 3 lines of barbed wire✓
• c.At about 90 degrees outward, with 2 lines of wire
• d.Horizontal, with 5 lines of barbed wire in a row

The arms extend upward at an angle of about 45 degrees and are fitted for 3 lines of barbed wire, with the top outside wire about 12 inches above the fabric and 12 inches out. Vertical, horizontal or 90-degree arms are not the arrangement, and five lines is the Type BW fence.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.03

How are the top and bottom edges of Caltrans chain-link fabric finished?

• a.Barbed at both edges
• b.Knuckled at the top and barbed at the bottom
• c.Knuckled✓
• d.Barbed at the top and knuckled at the bottom

The specification calls for a knuckle finish on the top and bottom edges. A barbed finish at either edge is not specified for this fabric.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.02C