Repairing Fence Posts

[82much]

Had a new fence 16 panels fitted 4 years ago. The posts 4". 2 have rotted / broken off. The company want £140 to repair with concrete spurs. As I think that is taking the Michael I think we should do it ourselves. How far in the ground would spurs need to go in to be steady enough? Would we need to dig out the original concrete? Thanks

 

[utterlydiy]

I would think you would have to dig out the old post and its concrete and as the spurs are normally 1.2mts long.
Think you would need a min of 600/700mm into the ground and trim the existing 4" posts to be clear of ground contact.

 

[JohnD]

that price is very reasonable. I think you have never tried to take out a concrete lump yourself. Watch the workmen so you can do the rest of them next year.

You will now be in the right frame of mind to never put wooden posts in the ground again.

If you ever have to remove an old post yourself, jack it up. You'll probably need a chain round it.

 

[big-all]

other temporary repairs are mending spikes that force the way between concrete and rotten stump if you are lucky and give you a perhaps 4-7 year extension before requiring full replacement whilst other post and panels suffer damage
random example here
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=fence+men...tional_content/image/large/1953.jpg&ia=images

 

[82much]

John D why I am miffed about the price is that this was the company that put in the fence only 4 years ago. I think they should have fitted concrete posts in the first place but they didn't recommend anything! I picked them as I thought they were a decent company - on all the sites check a trade etc. I would expect a professionally fitted fence to last longer than 4 years … but then I'm a woman

 

[JohnD]

concrete posts are much better, but more expensive and very heavy, so extra work and cost. I like to paint mine with dark brown masonry paint so they blend into the stained fence.

Sadly most people go for the cheaper option (at least, the first time).

BTW the website you mention, traders pay for their adverts to be listed, and can prevent unfavourable reviews being left. Google "websitename complaints" and see what you find. Personal recommendation from someone you know, whose fence you can look at, is much better.

 

[HERTS P&D]

They priced the job and you accepted it. If they had quoted for concrete posts and gravel boards then the cost would of being much more.

£140 for a concrete spur to be fitted is a good price.

If you want to fix it yourself:

The only thing I would do is use studding and go right through the posts with large washers and lock nuts either side. I find this was more secure than coach screws.

Andy

 

[JohnD]

The only thing I would do is use studding and go right through the posts with large washers and lock nuts either side. I find this was more secure than coach screws.

same here. M10 galvanised studding and nuts are quite cheap, and it is easy to cut if you run a couple of nuts down it first. Grease or paint it. In my garden it rusts badly so I've gone over to stainless now (buy it pre-cut as it is harder)

 

[Eccles]

I am utterly amazed that so called tradesmen are still doing this when there is a great modern solution: If you concrete a wooden post in (especially if it has not been pressure treated) it will soon start to rot because the concrete holds the water in when it rains; that should be obvious. The post will always rot and that is why we see so many fences come down in autumn gales. So what is the modern answer: Forget the concrete and use a hot galvanized spike of suitable length and of course, do not use wooden posts which have not been pressure treated. Of course by "spikes" mean what some folks call Metposts but that is a trade name and there are plenty of other firms making them these days. Drive the spike into the ground with a suitable flogging device (Wickes make plastic ones) and a large hammer until the post holder is a tad above soil level then stick the post in and you are done - far quicker than messing about with concrete and usually good for at least 30 years because the zinc coating on the spike largely prevents it from rusting. I first did this around 25 years ago although the spikes were not galvanized then and that fence is still standing to this day.