We have all seen it before, whether or not it is the neighbours fence or your own. High winds, rain, soggy ground, rotting wood, all these conditions will cause a fence to fall down. So how is it possible to replace it correctly. You have got 2 choices, get it done yourself or get a general handyman in. In case you intend having a go at it yourself then here are a number of handyman tips for you.
First of all here is a listing of what you will need to carry out the job successfully.
Fence post
2 bags of fast-setting concrete
One 50 pound bag of gravel
Small shovel (something to mix the concrete in the hole)
Large shovel (to clear out the hole)
String to create your plumb line (at least 50ft.)
Bracing material
Spirit level
Heres tips on how to do it:
Allow us to assume that our fence post hole is ready for the re-installation of a new fence post after removing the old one completely. For this example allow us to also assume that it is a 6 foot fence so I want a minimum of 24 inches of the post to be below ground for setting into concrete. Making sure I have the correct amount of post protruding out of the ground, you will require to run a plumb line from the top of the fence posts on either side.
Add 3-6 inches of gravel to the bottom of the hole. The gravel will help with drainage and keep your post from rotting prematurely. If you have soil that drains away very slowly, you may want to dig your hole somewhat deeper and add more gravel. Ensure that no less than 24 inches of the post will be below ground to set in concrete.
It is better to start with a 10 foot post so that you can cut it down to size. Measure from the bottom of the hole (with gravel added) to the plumb line (mentioned previously) and cut your post to size using a circular saw. Remember to measure twice before cutting. It is better to be safe than sorry!
Place your post in the hole and align it with the plumb lines. Make sure that you put a spirit level on your post to ensure it is plumb. You also have to ensure that you have got equal distances on either side of the post so the fence panels line up correctly and can be secured to your new fence post. Once you have this done you will have to support the fence post by screwing some 2 1/2 inch deck screws through a couple of 24?s to keep it in place.
It is now time to add the concrete. Since this is a 66 post, the hole is a bit larger than a regular 44 fence post hole and will require two bags of fast-setting concrete. The manufacturer say to add water to the hole first, but if the soil drains away quickly, add one bag of concrete followed by the water. Mix the concrete with the water inside the hole until you have a thick slurry. If you have some gravel left over, throw a bit bit of it into your mix for added strength. Now you should add the 2nd bag, a little more water, and mix it all together like a big mud pie.
The quick setting concrete will set in about 20 minutes should be hard enough to put the fence panels back on in about 6 hours, but you ought to leave it a good 24 hours just to make sure. Once it is set hard, get some help to hold the fence panels in position and use some stainless-steel screws to re-attach them. I favor screws better than nails with this application, especially because the fence panel cross members have already got holes in them from previous use. You might be tempted to re-use the original holes, my advice is, dont! The nails may well hold for a short time but after a number of strong winds they might loosen up and you will be back outside re-attaching the fence panels before you know it.
First of all here is a listing of what you will need to carry out the job successfully.
Fence post
2 bags of fast-setting concrete
One 50 pound bag of gravel
Small shovel (something to mix the concrete in the hole)
Large shovel (to clear out the hole)
String to create your plumb line (at least 50ft.)
Bracing material
Spirit level
Heres tips on how to do it:
Allow us to assume that our fence post hole is ready for the re-installation of a new fence post after removing the old one completely. For this example allow us to also assume that it is a 6 foot fence so I want a minimum of 24 inches of the post to be below ground for setting into concrete. Making sure I have the correct amount of post protruding out of the ground, you will require to run a plumb line from the top of the fence posts on either side.
Add 3-6 inches of gravel to the bottom of the hole. The gravel will help with drainage and keep your post from rotting prematurely. If you have soil that drains away very slowly, you may want to dig your hole somewhat deeper and add more gravel. Ensure that no less than 24 inches of the post will be below ground to set in concrete.
It is better to start with a 10 foot post so that you can cut it down to size. Measure from the bottom of the hole (with gravel added) to the plumb line (mentioned previously) and cut your post to size using a circular saw. Remember to measure twice before cutting. It is better to be safe than sorry!
Place your post in the hole and align it with the plumb lines. Make sure that you put a spirit level on your post to ensure it is plumb. You also have to ensure that you have got equal distances on either side of the post so the fence panels line up correctly and can be secured to your new fence post. Once you have this done you will have to support the fence post by screwing some 2 1/2 inch deck screws through a couple of 24?s to keep it in place.
It is now time to add the concrete. Since this is a 66 post, the hole is a bit larger than a regular 44 fence post hole and will require two bags of fast-setting concrete. The manufacturer say to add water to the hole first, but if the soil drains away quickly, add one bag of concrete followed by the water. Mix the concrete with the water inside the hole until you have a thick slurry. If you have some gravel left over, throw a bit bit of it into your mix for added strength. Now you should add the 2nd bag, a little more water, and mix it all together like a big mud pie.
The quick setting concrete will set in about 20 minutes should be hard enough to put the fence panels back on in about 6 hours, but you ought to leave it a good 24 hours just to make sure. Once it is set hard, get some help to hold the fence panels in position and use some stainless-steel screws to re-attach them. I favor screws better than nails with this application, especially because the fence panel cross members have already got holes in them from previous use. You might be tempted to re-use the original holes, my advice is, dont! The nails may well hold for a short time but after a number of strong winds they might loosen up and you will be back outside re-attaching the fence panels before you know it.