Wood fence post replacement
Why is my fence leaning?!
We get this question a lot and there isn’t always a simple answer. There are many reasons for a fence to lean or sag.
Perhaps your fence is old – maybe the posts are starting to rot?
Has there been severe weather lately? Strong winds can jeopardize the stability of even newer fence posts.
Another issue we see that causes fences to lean is that the posts were not installed deep enough.
Even fences that were installed a relatively short time ago can suffer problems. The type of wood your fence posts are made of can determine how long a fence will last. Certain types of wood rot out faster than others.
A leaning fence doesn’t have to mean a new fence
Some of the big companies will tell you that your only option to repair a leaning fence is replace your entire fence line. Some companies will not even come out and do a repair estimate unless they were the company that installed your fence. Other companies refuse to even repair their own fences!
That is where the Fence Repair Co. comes in.
We will come out and give you a fair and accurate estimate. We will assess all of your posts and will let you know which posts need immediate replacement, which ones are holding up for now – but may be the next to go. We will replace as few or as many posts as you would like.
How do we replace fence posts?
After over 25 years in business we have developed lots of tips and tricks for expertly removing a replacing existing fence posts.
Generally, we dig a relief hole next to the post and use a rock bar to break up the concrete in the set. The old concrete is removed and a new post is set in the hole at least 2 feet deep. The new post is leveled and then new concrete is poured in the hole. We use an additive which helps the concrete set faster. This enables us to re-attach the panels to the new post the same day. In some instances we may add temporary braces while the concrete is setting. It is important that you do not wiggle or shake the post for at least 48 hours after the post is replaced while the concrete is setting!
We employ various tools which can help us more easily extract posts from the ground. This post puller by NW Quik Pull is an efficient addition to our arsenal of tools.
Will the fence post match my existing post?
Yes! We will install a new post to match the style of your existing post. Common post top styles are flat, French gothic or Berkley. You can see examples of post tops here.
Repair vs. replace?
The answer to that is up to you, we are willing to go the route you choose in most situations and can give you options to weigh.
In general, when more than 50% of the horizontal 2×4’s are too rotted to re-attach to the post you are probably looking at a new fence.
We will be upfront and honest with you on our opinion if it is worth it to repair or replace the fence.
