Fence Repair

Good fences make good neighbors so yous'll want to go on your debate in adept status. This Fix-It Guide on fence repair tells how a contend works, what often goes wrong, how to identify a debate problem, and what parts and tools you lot will need to prepare it. Information technology and so gives simple stride-by-step instructions for how to supervene upon a wooden debate post, how to straighten a leaning debate post or sagging gate, how to reinforce a sagging debate or gate frame, and how to mend a chain-link contend. For concrete fence repair, encounter the concrete repair Set-It Guide.

How Does a Fence Piece of work?

Fence Repair

Practiced neighbor (tiptop left), alternate panel (tiptop right), solid console (bottom left), and louvered (bottom right) are popular types of wood privacy fencing.

A fence is a property enclosure made of pickets, boards, rails, chain-link cloth, or other materials. Wood is the most popular fencing textile and ane that takes on many forms, including privacy, rail, and scout. Forest is also the easiest fencing material to piece of work with. See the Concrete Repair Fix-It Guide for repairs to physical fences and walls. Chain-link fencing, if installed correctly, is nearly maintenance free.

What Tin can Get Incorrect with a Fence?

Beingness outdoors all the time, fences accept all the abuse that the elements can evangelize. Posts come up loose and wobble. Rails and boards deteriorate. Gates sag.

How Can I Identify a Fence Problem?

  • If a post wobbles, you tin reinforce it (see below).
  • If a post leans, you tin can straighten it with a turnbuckle (see beneath).
  • If a gate or debate sags, you tin can reinforce information technology (see below).
  • If individual pickets, boards, or chain links deteriorate, you tin advisedly remove them from the fence and supervene upon them with duplicates.

Fix-It Tip

A wooden fence will last longer if you go on dirt abroad from fence boards. Too paint or cease the woods to protect it from the elements.

What Do I Need for Fence Repair?

Replacement parts are bachelor from local home improvement outlets. The tools yous volition need to fix a fence include these:

  • Screwdrivers
  • Hammer
  • Drill
  • Garden trowel
  • Shovel
  • Sledgehammer
  • Handsaw
  • Wrenches
  • Concrete
  • Wheel barrow
  • Eye screws
  • Turnbuckle

What Are the Steps to Fence Repair?

Replace a wooden fence post:

  1. Cheque for wooden postal service rot by removing dirt around the bottom with a trowel and using an old screwdriver to probe the wood. Supervene upon if the wood is soft.
  2. Brace the postal service to keep it in position while you remove the rotten postal service.
  3. Disconnect the rail and siding from the post.
  4. Dig out the one-time postal service and whatsoever concrete belongings it in place.
  5. Fix the post hole for the new mail service by lining it with gravel and, equally needed, preparing concrete.
  6. Install the replacement post, using a level to brand sure the post is plumb on two adjoining sides. Fill the post pigsty with gravel or cement as needed.
  7. One time the postal service is firm (concrete is dry out), attach the track and siding to the new mail.

Straighten a leaning fence post or sagging gate:

  1. Install an middle spiral at the highest point on the leaning post or the gate frame.
  2. Install some other eye screw diagonally from the showtime.
  3. Install a turnbuckle between the two optics and tighten it until the postal service is plumb or the gate frame is square.

Reinforce a sagging fence or gate frame:

  1. Place the best location for installing a metallic support, typically on corners.
  2. Select a galvanized metal support bracket for installation on the argue or gate frame. Many sizes and shapes are available at hardware stores.
  3. Brace the debate or gate in the position y'all want it to stay, then install the metal back up using screws or nails.

Mend a concatenation-link fence:

  1. Place the expanse that needs to exist replaced.
  2. Stretch a rope from one side of the damaged area to the other and pull it taut to salve pressure level on the fabric.
  3. Disengage the fabric twist at the top of either side of the damaged fabric.
  4. Remove the damaged chain-link cloth.
  5. Install replacement fabric of the same size and width.
  6. Use pliers to tighten the twists at the meridian of the fabric.
  7. Advisedly remove pressure on the fabric.

Set-It Tip

Chain-link fences are made of galvanized metal fabric of various sizes. Make certain you go the right size fabric to mend your debate.