Proper Procedure Of Straightening A Wooden Fence Post Without Removing It
Wooden fences are a fantastic addition to the aesthetics and security of millions of houses and play a significant role in giving your yard the finest possible appearance. Maintaining your wooden fence will help you avoid having to spend extra money replacing it if damage is ignored for an extended period of time. One of the primary issues with wood fences is that, with time, they begin to tilt and move away from their initial location. The main causes of this are soft soil that allows the fence to move over time or moisture absorbed by the fence posts that causes them to expand and contract with the weather, loosening their grip on the concrete base.
Tools & Materials Needed
- A Fence Post Mender
- 2 And 1/2? Exterior Wood Screws
- 3? Exterior Wood Screws
- Additional Fence Panels If Necessary
- A Cordless Drill
- 3 lb Mini Sledge Hammer
- A Framing Hammer
- 3/16? And 1/4? Drill Bits
- A Shovel & A Pry Bar
Step 1: Visually Inspect The Fence Post Or Leaning Post
- Determine whether the leaning fence post looks to be in excellent condition above the ground by visually inspecting the leaning post or leaning posts. If it is, the post has probably only moved because of a patch of loose soil or moisture that caused the post to expand and contract and loosen from its original setting.
- It is advisable to just replace the post and re-set a new one in the ground if the post is obviously damaged above ground. A fractured fence post cannot be stabilized; doing so will just cause the fence to droop once again as the post continues to split.
Step 2: Remove The Panels That Are Attached To The Post
- To begin, take down the panels that are attached to the post that needs to be straightened. To readily access the railing that the fence panels are attached to, you must make enough room. So you should have enough room if you take down three or four fence panels on either side of the post.
- Next, remove the screws holding the bottom and top fence rails to the remainder of the fence. As a result, the post may now be moved and straightened completely without disturbing the remainder of the fence. The less wood that moves or flexes, the better, as moving a fence can easily result in fence sections cracking, especially if the wood is older.
Step 3: Reveal The Concrete Base That The Post Is Set In
- Start excavating around the post's base to expose the concrete foundation upon which the post is fixed. Once the post has been dug up around, you can either use a 2x4 driven into the ground and fastened to it, or you can wrap a rope around the post and pull it into the most upright position you can without putting too much stress on the wood. On this step, exercise caution because applying too much pressure to the fence posts could result in a crack or a total break.
- You can tell there is a gap between the wood of the fence post and the concrete base it is put in by holding it upright. This gap is where the post mender will go to secure the post in this position.
Step 4: Set The Post Mender In The Gap Between The Post And The Concrete Base
- The post mender should first be placed in the space between the post and the concrete base. NOT the side that the panels will be reattached to, place the post mender on either side of the post that runs parallel to the railing.
- With your sledge hammer, start driving your post mender into the ground, making sure it is centered on the post. The objective is to drive the post mender into the ground so deeply that the bottom of its "Strike Point" touches the surface.
- If the strike point gets too damaged, you might need to strike from the top of the post mender. Avoid striking the top of the post mender directly when doing this because doing so will cause the steel to fold over and harm the entire unit. Strike the post mender with another hammer that has been placed sideways on top of it. This will preserve the metal's integrity and distribute the impact's force more evenly, making it easier to drive into the ground.
Step 5: Fasten The Post Mender To The Post
- You'll likely notice the post has grown considerably more strong and straighter once the post mender is firmly embedded in the earth.
- Now, you need use some screws to fasten the post mender to the post (2 and 1/2'' wood screws are advised). It ought to have some pre-drilled screw holes in it. In that case, just drill some holes (a 3/16" drill bit is suggested).
- Re-secure the fence railing once you have fastened the post mender to the post. Hold the railing in the previously-secured position as you accomplish this. Use your drill bit to mark the steel post mender on the opposite side by drilling through the holes where the railing was previously attached.
- After that, take the railing out of the way and drill fresh screw holes into the steel where the marks were made. Reposition the railing, then use your 3'' screws to fasten it to the fence post by drilling through the railing, into the fresh holes you drilled in the post mender, and back into the fence post. In addition to reattaching the remainder of the fence to the post, this will completely secure the railing.
- Reattach the top railing by drilling through the same holes that were previously used to fasten it to the post after you have secured the bottom railing back into the post.
- When you're finished, just put the fence panels back in place where they were before you removed them, and bam! We'll put your fence back together from top to bottom. The posture and stability of your fence need to change as a result. If the fence still seems to be leaning in some other places, identify the offending posts and follow these instructions once more.