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Wood fence repair
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1Rotted or broken pickets
Wood pickets fail first at the bottom, where they sit against wet soil or mulch through Ohio's freeze-thaw months, and storms snap the boards that are already soft. Swapping individual pickets is routine when the posts and rails behind them are sound. New boards look brighter until they weather or are stained to match. If the rails are soft too, or most of the run is failing, replacing the section usually makes more sense, and Matt will tell you which.
Have ready: A photo of the damaged boards, roughly how many, the fence height and the picket style (dog-ear, flat top, shadowbox).
2Leaning post
A post leans when frost heave and wet clay loosen its footing, or when a wood post rots at the ground line. If the post itself is solid, it can usually be dug out, set plumb and reset, and the panels on both sides come back true. If it is rotted, snapped or the concrete footing has cracked, that one post is replaced and the fence around it usually stays.
Have ready: A wide photo of the run and a close photo of the base, the fence material, and how many posts lean.
3Cracked vinyl panel
Vinyl stiffens in the cold, so a stone from the mower, a falling limb or a hard knock in January can crack a board or rail. A crack will not close up and it lets the panel flex, but vinyl is built in parts: the cracked board, rail or single panel is replaced on its own, and the posts on either side stay. The catch is matching, because vinyl profiles and colors vary by brand and age, and older white vinyl may have yellowed.
Have ready: A close photo of the crack, a wide photo of the whole panel, the panel height and color, and the brand if you know it.
4Sagging gate
Gates sag when the hinge post leans, when hinges and screws work loose, or when the frame racks out of square under its own weight. The usual fix is tightening or replacing the hinges, squaring the frame with a brace or an anti-sag kit, resetting the hinge post if it has moved, and then adjusting the latch so it catches again. The hinge post carries the gate, so it gets checked first.
Have ready: Photos of the gate closed from both sides, its width and material, and whether it drags or will not latch.
5Loose rail or missing caps
Aluminum rails sit in brackets or post holes held with screws that can loosen as the ground moves through winter, and post caps work loose and blow off with temperature swings. Re-fastening a rail or replacing caps is usually quick work, but a loose rail can also mean the post under it has shifted, so the posts get checked before the job is called done. Replace missing caps soon, because an open post lets water in and it freezes there.
Have ready: A photo, the fence material, and how many rails or caps are loose or missing.
6Bent chain-link top rail
Chain-link top rail comes in lengths that sleeve into each other, so a length bent by a falling branch or a vehicle can usually be cut out and replaced, then the mesh is pulled tight and tied back on. If the line posts bent with it or the mesh is torn, those parts are replaced too. Galvanized and black coated rail come in standard sizes, so a match is usually straightforward.
Have ready: A photo of the bend, roughly how long the damaged stretch is, the fence height, and whether the mesh is torn.
Verdicts
How a repair goes
FAQ
Often it can. What matters is how many posts are leaning and whether the wood is still solid at the ground. One or two leaning posts is a normal repair, while a whole run leaning the same way after a winter usually means several footings have moved. If the rails and pickets are soft too, replacing the section can make more sense.
Yes. Replacing a single post is a normal repair, and the panels on either side are reattached once the new post is set. A wood post is the part most likely to fail first, so Matt checks the posts on either side as well.
Those can steady a post that is still sound, and some homeowners get a few more seasons from one. They cannot fix a post that has rotted through or a footing that has heaved, and if the wood at the ground is soft they are holding onto rot. If you are not sure which you have, send a photo of the base of the post and we will tell you.
Usually, yes. A gate sags when the hinge post leans, the hardware works loose or the frame racks out of square. The fix is typically the hinges, a brace and the post. See gate installation and repair.
When posts and rails are soft along most of a run, repairs only buy time. The fence repair cost guide lays out what a repair costs against replacing, and we handle fence replacement and removal.
Wood
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