Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)When I reviewed this before clicking on submit, I noticed that just above my comments there's a link that says, "kitchen." That's totally absurd because these are privacy slats for outdoor chain link fences, which has nothing to do with kitchen items.
Anyway, these privacy slats arrived without the strips to go through the tops to keep them in place. The strips should be included with the slats as part of the package. The slats won't stay in place and are very unsightly without the strips.
If you want to use these slats as screening for your dog, they are worthless without the holding strips and a waste of money. If you have a digger or a guard dog easily provoked by outside activity, do not install these slats without the strips. To do so allows them to be easily damaged or destroyed by your pet, who will no doubt do so?
A lonesome dog may also mess with the unsecured strips just because he's bored and pulling them out is a great busy-dog project. Then there's the joy of chomping each delightfully crunchy, pliable -plastic strip.
A big dog that can really chew with force would be in real danger of swallowing large chunks of the plastic, requiring an emergency trip to the vet and surgery to remove them. That is, if the intestine-plugged dog is caught in time, before he's found dead from a bowl obstruction.
If you go to work and leave your dog in your chain link-fenced yard every day, I sure hope you're reading this if you're thinking about buying these slats. I'm an AKC German Shepherd breeder, so that's why I know all this stuff. I have about an acre and a half totally enclosed in 5-ft. chain link fencing for my dogs.
Each thin plastic strips weighs very little and should be shipped routinely with the slats, along with installation instructions, which were also missing. I want the slats not only for privacy and to help cut off my dogs from outside contact, but also to improve the appearance of my property.
I won't install the slats without the strips. Been there, done that, and it looked like crap. As you may have guessed, my dogs had a heyday with them, too. Any extra charge for the strips should be clearly indicated in the product information. It's NOT, nor is an opportunity provided to order the strips separately. There's no mention at all of the strips anywhere that I can see.
Make no mistake: The connecting strips are absolutely essential for proper installation of this product. I have had experience with this from an earlier order. I was unsure how the slats should be inserted, since there were no instructions, not even a simple illustration. OK, so I'm a girl, but anyone could have put them all in upside-down, like I did. I noticed the holes in one end of each slat, but I figured the holes must be for an optional holding strip that I probably didn't really need, since none were included with my order.
It's a painstaking job to weave each slat through the holes in a chain link fence, but it can go pretty quickly once you get the hang of it. That is, if your chain link fence is perfectly straight, with no twisted or damaged areas, then it becomes irritating as hell. Plan to have needle-nose pliers handy.
When wind quickly caused some of my slats to fall down, while others held, making my fence look like a jagged piece of crap, I figured out the holding-strips are essential, so I ordered some. I assumed at the time it must have been my mistake. Once they arrived and I hired a young man to fix my mess, it became clear that they should go across the top, not the bottom, as I'd assumed.
So every single slat had to be pulled out, turned over, reinserted and then secured by a strip. It was an entire-day project to fix 90 ft. of upside-down privacy slats, so at $10 per hour, this cost me another $80.
Amazon.com needs to be aware of this big problem with this seller, so they stop allowing their shoppers to become involved in an irritating hassle like I currently am. Why did I do business again with these same folks? Well, because I forgot, okay? I'm a busy person, and last time I didn't take the time to rate this product and write a review. By doing so, I could have saved myself a big hassle and delay in installation of the slats. At least I'm taking the proper steps now.
Even if they end up sending me the strips this time at no extra charge, this company still needs to make important changes to clarify their product information. They should provide customers a way to order the strips separately if that's what they want buyers to do. I know this is long-winded, but I had a lot to say.
Click Here to see more reviews about: PVT® Privacy Slats
The Fence Contractor's "No. 1 Choice for Vertical Inserts" Each slat is 1 1/8" wide for 2" mesh Chain Link Fence
