If you have a wooden fence and there’s not much wrong with it, you’ll need to know how to fix it if something goes wrong. If there is a problem, it is better to fix it as quickly as possible so that the whole fence is not affected. First of all, if you want to fix a bit of your fence, you should get the help of a friend and make sure you follow safety rules, common sense and wear safety gear if appropriate.

Fence Posts

The most likely part of a fence to suffer from damage is the fence post. In wetter areas, rotting is a big problem as a lot of the fence post is underground. If you feel like the fence post is a little wobbly and becoming loose or your fence is moving, it is possible to repair it with a concrete spur, among other things. However, if your fence post is completely rotten it will need replacing completely.

Replacing a Fence Post

You will need several items to be able to replace a fence post. Wood preservative, timber, coach bolts, concrete spur, concrete (pre-mixed is best) and tools such as spades, saw, hammer, brush for timber, spirit level, spanner, trowel, and a power drill. To protect yourself, you should wear a dust mask and safety goggles as well as specialist gloves.

Steps to Take to Replace the Post

1. Make sure that the weight of your fence is supported with the timber lengths on each side whilst you repair the post.
2.   With the shovel, dig around the post base on the edge where the repair spur will be going. The depth of the hole will need to measure between 45 and 60cm. The deeper you dig, the better the repair will be. You will then need to saw off the rotten area of the post and make sure you coat the rest of the wood with the wood preservative.
3. Put it in the concrete spur next to the posts remains. You should brace the post with some props made from timber. The props should be made from two pieces of timber fixed together with a nail into a T or L shape. Make the prop have a spike at one end as this will help it get into the ground. Screw the props temporarily to the post and hammer them into the ground using a hammer or mallet. Make sure it’s straight with the spirit level.
4. Fix the coach bolts into the spur, tapping them to mark the fence post. Then, you can take out the spur and use the power drill for holes. Put the spur back on and then attach the bolts to it. Secure with the nuts using a wrench.
5. Next, you need to fill the hole with the concrete to slightly above the level of the ground. Make sure the props stay put until the concrete is hard.

Get Expert Help

Finally, we would state that if you feel at all unable to fix your fence post yourself you should get help from the experts. Alternatively, have the fence assessed by the experts as it could mean that you do, in fact, need a whole new fence!