All good fences need regular maintenance to ensure they function as intended. Maintenance also helps the fence to look its bets. When a fence becomes damaged, even if it is a small amount of damage, it should be repaired as soon as possible to ensure the rest of the fence’s integrity is not lessened.
When you notice damage on your fence, it’s important to assess whether it will be a simple repair, or a job for the professionals to tend to. Below is a guide on how to repair simple damage to fences but remember if you are not confident you can carry out these repairs yourself without damaging the fence further, then call professionals to do the job for you.
First Steps To Fence Repairs
The first step to repairs is removing the broken or damaged parts. Depending on the type of fence you have, this could be a small job, or it could be a very difficult task. If you have a timber fence for example, and a single board is split or broken, it may be a very easy process to replace it, using a hammer and nails. If your fence is made of composite materials, vinyl, aluminum or steel however, the job is guaranteed to be more difficult.
Repairing A Wooden Fence
Begin by taking off the broken parts. This may require taking off panels surrounding it as well, so be careful not to break anything that needs to go back into place. You can use a pry bar, or a claw hammer to remove most wood panels, however depending on where the broken piece is, you may need to use a saw to cut around it. Wooden fence repairs come in many forms, from split timber palings, to rotten posts or insect infestations or impact damage.
Wooden fences often need extra bracing due to high wind damage or when the ground shifts or sinks slightly. The earth below fences is never perfect, and whether you have steel posts or wood, often the ground below can force them out of alignment. Often the repair can be simply to dig around the post, straighten it and refill the hole. However, often these types of issues will also require concreting to ensure it doesn’t continue to happen.
Repairing Vinyl And Composite Fencing
Generally, vinyl or composite fencing materials are very durable, however, extreme weather can affect even the best quality fences. Often vinyl and composite fences that have faults will require a warranty-based repair, so it’s always best to contact a professional to carry out these jobs for you. Sometime the repair may be simply because fixings have come loose during extreme winds or storms, and this should be simple enough to carry out by yourself.
Repair Chain-Link Fences
Chain link fences can be quite difficult to repair if you don’t have the right tools or knowledge. If you have tension tools and high-quality shifter and power tools, you can attempt simple chain link repairs like re-tightening of links or tightening loose fixings, however if you need to repair or replace posts that are concreted into the ground, call a fencing expert.