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· John Roth
Should I Repair My Leaning Fence or Replace the Whole Thing?
A leaning fence doesn't always mean a new fence. Here's the checklist I go through when I walk your fence line.
Usually worth repairing
- One or two posts are broken or rotted, and the rest are solid. We dig out the bad posts, set new ones in concrete, and re-hang the sections.
- Wind took down a section or two.
- Loose rails or pickets, with the posts still sound.
- A sagging gate, which usually needs new hinges, a brace, or a better post.
- The fence is less than about 10 years old and the wood itself is still in good shape.
Usually time to replace
- Posts are going all down the line. Push on a few. If several move at the ground, the rest are close behind. Replacing posts one at a time on an old fence costs more in the end.
- Pickets are brittle, split and gray all the way through. Old pickets break when you pull rails off them, and new boards won't match.
- The fence is 15 years old or more and has never been stained.
- Repairs would cost more than about half of a new fence. At that point you're putting new parts on old wood.
How to check your own fence
- Push on the posts at shoulder height. Wobble at the ground means rot or loose concrete.
- Poke the posts at the dirt line with a screwdriver. If it sinks in, it's rot.
- Look down the line for how many sections lean, not just one.
- Check the rails where they meet the posts. Rusted nails and split ends mean the fence is tired.
Honest pricing either way
On a repair, we tell you up front if old boards might break while we work, and how we handle it. If a new fence makes more sense, we'll say so and show you the numbers. A new fence with PostSaver sleeves on the posts should outlast the old one by years.
Call me, and I'll walk the line with you and give you both options.