Repair a Wood Fence 

How to Repair a Wood Fence
By C. Burdick

Your neighbors will always appreciate the appearance of a sturdy fence on your lot in good repair. The average wood fence lasts only 12-15 years -- depending on the weather conditions in your area, your wood fence may not even last that long! If you recently purchased an older home, be sure to investigate the condition of each wood fence, and be prepared to make a repair or two.
Your wood fence endures a tremendous amount of wear-and-tear and is continually subject to natural decay. A high wind, a fallen tree, or even an out-of-control car can deal the dying blow to your once-sturdy wood fence. Most likely, several sections will require repair or replacement during your home ownership. Check out these helpful do-it-yourself steps to save the money you would pay a carpenter to repair your wood fence!

1. Gather the proper tools. The tools you need for your repair include a standard shovel, a post-hole shovel, a wheelbarrow, a tape measure, a hammer, a level, and some muscle. You may also need a friend to help you with this repair project.

2. Determine which parts of your fence need repair, and gather materials. Determine which panels are damaged, and check if your fence has busted, loose, or badly leaning posts. You will need about two 80 lb. bags of concrete per every three posts to be replaced. With the exception of a handful of 16-penny-nails or screws, these concrete bags are the only outside materials you will need to repair your wood fence.

3. Tear out the pieces of your existing fence that require replacement. The best way to tear out fence panels (other than by a reciprocating saw if your entire fence needs ripped apart) is to simply peel out these fence panels with a large hammer.

Once you have removed the appropriate panels, get rid of any damaged fence posts. Unless you want to dig up all the existing concrete around each post (a backbreaking job that leaves massive craters where your posts were!), it is best to cut each damaged post off flush with the ground, and to simply offset the replacement posts by 4.'

4. Measure carefully the location of your new posts. Mark the spot for your first post, and take your post-hole shovel to dig down two feet deep at this point. (If your soil is very sandy, then dig close to 3' if possible.) Repeat this process for each new post needed and drop a post down into each hole to prepare for the addition of new concrete.

5. Mix your concrete. Dump a full bag of concrete mix into a wheelbarrow. Roll out your water hose and turn on the water lightly. Add a little water at a time as you mix and churn your cement mix. When the resulting consistency is about that of oatmeal, you are ready to pour the concrete into your post holes.

6. Pour your concrete. Pour some concrete into each hole from your wheelbarrow while a helper holds your post level -- do not over-fill the hole! Leave the cement one or two inches below the top of the soil. While the concrete is still wet, accurately level around your post a final time. Repeat this process for all new posts. On a hot day, allow 3-4 hours for your concrete to set before installing fence panels. On a cooler day, you may need to let the concrete set overnight.

7. Install your new fence panels and make any final adjustments. Start from one end of your wood fence and set your first wood panel into its appropriate place. Have your helper hold the panel while you lift one end even with the existing fence panel, and fasten that end to your post. You may want to level the top of the new panel before fastening its opposite end, however, most fences do not run level but flow with the land. Therefore, it is smart to install your new fence pieces at the same distance from the ground as your existing fence pieces -- often approximately an inch off the ground. You may need to trim your final fence panel to fit into it into your last section. Finally, cut off the top of your new posts if they are taller than the rest of the fence -- and your repair is complete!

Following these steps for your do-it-yourself fence repair job will definitely save you money. Maybe you will want to try building your own wood fence from scratch next time! In this meager economy, do-it-yourself repair is a great way to grow resourceful -- a great skill in any economy. As you repair your wood fence, always remember to measure twice and most importantly, to be safe!

C. Burdick invites you to visit http://www.1Dental.com, where you can join 7 million dental patients around the nation saving 20-60% off dental work at one of 65,000 dentists. 1Dental.com offers the nation's #1 dental plan starting at $6.95/month with immediate savings of up to 60%.

Article Source:  How to Repair a Wood Fence 


You are now one step closer to knowing how to repair anything and everything around the home and garden.