CSLB C-13 Fencing (Trade Exam) — All Questions
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48 questions
A crew is laying out a long chain-link run with a gate, two corners and two ends. Which posts are located first?
- a.The posts that are cheapest to dig
- b.The posts at the middle of each run
- c.The line posts nearest the gate
- d.The terminal posts: ends, corners and gates✓
Terminal posts (end, corner and gate) carry the pull of the fabric or the weight of a gate, so they are located first and the line posts are spaced between them. The line posts nearest the gate depend on where the gate falls, and mid-run posts and the easiest holes to dig would leave the spacing to chance.Chain-link maker installation guide
Two terminal posts are 118 feet apart, center to center, and line posts may be no more than 10 feet apart. What is the actual spacing if the line posts are set equally?
- a.10 feet
- b.About 10 feet 8 inches
- c.About 9 feet 10 inches✓
- d.About 8 feet 10 inches
118 ÷ 10 = 11.8, rounded up to 12 spaces, and 118 ÷ 12 = 9.83 feet, which is 9 feet 10 inches. Ten feet would need 11.8 spaces, 10 feet 8 inches exceeds the maximum, and 8 feet 10 inches would come from 13 spaces.Caltrans 2024 Standard Plan A85 (10'-0" max)
A crew squares a corner with marks 21 feet and 28 feet from the corner stake along the two strings. What must the diagonal measure?
- a.35 feet✓
- b.49 feet
- c.31 feet
- d.24.5 feet
Twenty-one and twenty-eight are 3 × 7 and 4 × 7, so the diagonal is 5 × 7 = 35 feet. Forty-nine adds the two legs, 31 splits the difference between the legs and the diagonal, and 24.5 averages the legs.3-4-5 right-triangle layout; arithmetic
In one manual, where is the guide string set relative to the terminal posts for chain link?
- a.At the center of each post, 2 feet above grade
- b.On the outside face of the posts, 4 inches below the top✓
- c.On the outside face, at the very top of the post
- d.On the inside face, at ground level on each post
The manual positions the string on the outside face of the terminal posts 4 inches below the top, and line posts are set so their tops are even with it. A string at ground level, at mid-height or at the very top does not give the stated line.Chain-link maker installation guide, Step 3
A corner post will sit in a 12-inch-wide footing. How far inside the property line should the center of the post be, at least, so the concrete does not cross the line?
- a.4 inches
- b.3 inches
- c.6 inches✓
- d.12 inches
The edge of the footing must be inside the line, so the center is at least half the footing width, which is 6 inches. Three inches would let the concrete cross, 12 inches is a full width, and 4 inches is the offset for an 8-inch footing.Chain-link maker installation guide, Step 1 (4-inch offset for an 8-inch hole)
On a Caltrans chain-link fence, a change in alignment of 40 degrees is treated as what?
- a.A corner✓
- b.A line post
- c.An alignment angle
- d.A gate
Caltrans defines a corner for chain link as a change in line whose deflection exceeds 30 degrees, so 40 degrees is a corner. An alignment angle is a much smaller change, and line posts and gates are other kinds of post.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-3.01B
In a steel-post barbed wire fence, a change in line of 4 degrees is called what?
- a.An alignment angle✓
- b.A pull assembly
- c.A corner post
- d.A gateway opening
For a steel-post barbed wire or wire mesh fence, a deflection under 5 degrees is an alignment angle, and over 5 degrees is a corner. A pull post and a gateway are not names for a change in line.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-2.01B
A wood-post wire fence changes direction by 12 degrees. How is that treated?
- a.As a ground-rod location, needing a rod at the bend
- b.As a gateway, needing end bars and a latching chain
- c.As an alignment angle, braced with diagonal tension wires✓
- d.As a corner, needing a full corner assembly with braces and rods
For wood posts, the line between an alignment angle and a corner is 15 degrees, so a 12-degree change is an alignment angle, and adjacent line posts are braced with diagonal tension wires. A full corner assembly is for changes over 15 degrees, a gateway is an opening in the fence, and a ground rod is an electrical measure, not a response to a bend.Caltrans 2024 Standard Specifications 80-2.01B and 80-2.03
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
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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