DIY wooden fence repair

Recommendation points

• Dismantling the fence sections
• Replacement or repair of supports (pillars)
• Metal supports
• Wooden supports
• Supports made of asbestos-cement pipes
• Repair of fence sections
• Drying sections of a wooden fence
• Fixing repair
• Finishing the repaired fence sections
• Final step: installing the fence

In this article, you will learn how to repair a wooden fence. We will tell you what tools and materials you need for this, give advice on the repair and replacement of various types of supports. Consider the features of drying, painting and installing fence sections.

Dismantling the fence sections

The first stage in the repair of any wooden fence is the complete dismantling of its sections along with the cross-members-lags. At the same time, for fences made of horizontally located boards, it may be necessary to remove each element separately.

Attention! You should not try to carry out repairs “on the weight”, without dismantling, since this will lose many opportunities for replacing and repairing the fence supports, and also making it difficult to access the lower part and joints of sections and supports.

Tools required for dismantling:

• nail puller;
• lever arm;
• hammer (preferably wooden or rubber – to minimize damage to the boards during removal);
• hacksaw;
• keys or screwdrivers (in case of screw connections).

Replacement or repair of supports (pillars)

Metal supports

If there are serious doubts about their condition (or the last overhaul of the fence was carried out a very long time ago), then the metal supports installed without pouring the underground part with concrete must be completely dug out of the ground, cleaned of rust, remnants of old paint and repainted. In addition to painting, the underground part of the pillar, if it is not concreted, it is advisable to protect it by coating with rubber-bitumen mastic.

Required tools:

• shovel;
• scrap;
• hacksaw for metal or grinder;
• plumb line to control verticality when installing supports;
• hard brush or paint roller;
• metal brush for removing rust and old paint.

For additional processing of the above-ground part of metal pillars (especially joints, corners and holes), phosphoric acid and special protective compounds are used.

Wooden supports

The decayed part of the wooden support is also cut off, all areas affected by rot, fungus, mold, moss, insects, etc. are carefully removed from the remaining part of it, then the entire post is thoroughly dried, as far as time and technical capabilities allow.

If, after shortening, the length of the support has become insufficient, and it is not possible to completely replace the post, then it can be increased by nailing pieces of boards of a suitable size carefully soaked with an antiseptic from the bottom on four sides.

After drying, the support itself is also coated with an antiseptic, impregnation, bitumen, etc., and, if desired, painted. You can also use burning (charring) wood on a fire or with a blowtorch to protect it from decay.

Before drying, the upper part of the wooden support must be cut off at an angle or “house”, and even better – to protect it with a tin or plastic canopy.

Instruments:

• hacksaw;
• paint brush;
• sharp knife;
• a hammer.

Supports made of asbestos-cement pipes

Pillars made of asbestos-cement pipes, as the cheapest and most fragile, if you suspect a loss of strength, it is best to simply replace. These supports are most afraid of thaws and subsequent freezing of moisture in the pores, and the only way to protect them is painting.

Before installing such a support, it is advisable to close the upper and lower openings of the pipe with some kind of plug or visor to prevent moisture from getting inside..

Repair of fence sections

The supports and the removed sections of the wooden fence must be numbered (the spans between the supports are almost never exactly the same length) so as not to complicate their re-installation. Then you need to carefully remove with a knife and a chisel all the rotten areas of wood, and also replace those boards or pickets that cannot be restored. The upper and lower ends of the boards especially suffer from moisture: in advanced cases, it is best to cut them off completely, thereby slightly reducing the height of the fence.

As with the supports, the top ends of the planks are best cut at an acute angle or “house”. Rust must be removed from metal parts (fasteners and decorative elements) with a brush or solvent. Cracked logs and fence boards, if it is impossible to replace them, are fastened with nails (the most unreliable method), tightened with screws, metal wire or strips.

Drying sections of a wooden fence

After removing all dust, dirt, old paint, etc. from the boards, the fence sections are set to dry. When cleaning the fence boards, you can use a soft brush, abrasives (large emery), a spatula, and even a jet of water or air.

Direct sunlight and rainfall are contraindicated in any dried wood, so a well-ventilated canopy or ventilated area is the best place to dry..

Fixing repair

After drying, the boards removed from the sections are replaced, and new pieces of wood of a suitable size are nailed or glued in place of the cut sections..

Required tools:

• a hammer;
• plane;
• knife;
• chisel.

Loose and rusted fasteners (hinges, nails, screws or screws) are best replaced completely. However, if the fence sections are made of too narrow or thin strips (shtaketin), then, in order not to damage them even more or not split, it will be more expedient to carefully repair the old fasteners.

At the same time, nails must be carefully finished off, screws and screws must be tightened wherever possible, using wide washers, so as not to damage the wood even more (there are special compounds for unscrewing rusted screws).

Attention! When repairing a fence, in all cases, nails must be driven perpendicular to the surface of the wood, without trying to deeply sink their heads so as not to damage the boards.

Finishing the repaired fence sections

Dried and repaired sections of the fence can be completely treated with an antiseptic, impregnation, stain, varnish, any other selected composition to protect against insects, decay and moisture (or simply primed and painted). Particular attention should be paid to the anchorage points, intersections and ends of the boards: here all procedures must be repeated at least twice.

If the wooden fence is not painted, then it is advisable to treat its metal parts with a special anti-corrosion compound. Using various oil-based home remedies for this is ineffective and gives only a short-term effect..

Required tools:

• thick and thin brush;
• roller;
• spray.

Final step: installing the fence

After making sure that the vertical supports are securely installed, you can proceed to the installation of the repaired fence sections. This requires the same tools as when dismantling it. The main possible problem here is the mismatch in the length of the section and the span between the supports, especially when replacing them. If you need to increase the length of the log a little, then instead of a board, it is better to use a suitable piece of metal plate. And finally, the places where the supports and sections of the fence meet after installation must be additionally treated with paint and / or an antiseptic..