West Fence Repair

 I've got this same problem all around the fence.  The old cedar posts have been saturated with water, and are starting to decay.  The lateral forces on the fence panels cause the posts to bend back, and forth right at the base of the post.  Then over tine the post will start to break right where it meets the ground, and will ultimately fail, and break.  When I started this process I had about eight posts that were in this condition.  Here the two posts in the foreground are broken in this manner, but the fence is still standing because of the steel reinforcements I added, and the recently renewed gate section close to the house.

So, there are two things I want to do here simultaneously.  First, repair the broken posts, but also redouble the strength of the fence in general.  At the moment I am concentrating on replacing the broken parts of the fence.  In the near future, after the posts are repaired, I start renewing the fence panels, and integrating my Flow Through Privacy Design where the pickets are spaced apart, and staggered on opposite sides of the fence.

First, I planted the posts in the new locations making sure they are plumb, and level.  I want to have really solid footings for these new posts, so after planting them I leave them alone for several days to make sure the concrete is completely cured before I put any stress on them.  I have experimented with planting posts a lot in the past.  Before I had some novel ideas that didn't work out so well.  This method has worked the best.

Now in this last shot I have removed the braces that were holding the new posts, and attached the fence to them.  Each post is attached to the fence panel with six, 3.5 inch screws.  Now the fence panels have a very solid feel.  They will flex a little, but overall very solid.  Next I am working north along this same part of the fence to the Northwest corner of the fence.