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Reinforcing a Fence Post

Inspect and repair your fence annually. Look for obvious signs of rot on square-cut post tops, any horizontal surfaces where water can collect, and all joints where water can get trapped. Probe with an ice pick, screwdriver, or awl to locate soft spots, especially where paint is peeling.

Shake the fence at each post to see if it is solid. If not, excavate as needed to determine the cause, which may be wood rot or erosion due to poor drainage. Look along the length of the fence or use a level to see if any posts have been pushed out of plumb by frost heave.

If a post is not solid or plumb, dig out around it as needed and replace the soil with concrete or a well-tamped mixture of gravel and soil. If the post is rotten below grade, it's easier to cut off the rotten portion and reinforce it than it is to replace the post. Here's how to do just that.

PROJECT BASICS

Project: Moderate
Estimated Project Time: 1/2 day
Start Tips: Probe each post for rot using a screwdriver, awl, or ice pick
Safety Tips: Wear safety goggles when chiseling concrete
Recommendation: Do-it-Yourself

TOOLS & MATERIALS

Spade	2x4 brace and stake
Screwdriver or awl	Pressure-treated post piece to match
Power drill/driver	Carriage bolt and nut
Hammer	Concrete
Cold chisel	Wheelbarrow
Sledgehammer	Safety goggles
Handsaw	Water-repellent sealer
Socket wrench	Brush

Fig. 1

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Check for rot
To check for post rot, dig down to the gravel or concrete collar, and probe the post with a screwdriver or awl. (Fig. 1)

Fig. 2

2) remove the rot
Insert a stake in the ground a few feet away from the post. Then, nail one end of a brace to the top part of the post and pivot the brace down to nail its other end to the stake. This will keep the post stable while you remove the rotten section. (Fig. 2)

Fig. 3

3) Dig out the surrounding area
Use a cold chisel and hammer to break up the concrete, if necessary, or dig out the gravel at the bottom of the post. (Fig. 3)

Fig. 4

4) Graft on a solid post
Disconnect the adjacent fence boards (and the lower rail, if necessary) so your saw can cut off the rotten portion of the post. Then clamp a solid, new post section to the end of the old post. (Fig. 4)

Fig. 5

5) Finish the post
Drill through both posts and join them with galvanized bolts. Bevel the top of the new post to deflect rain, and coat it with a water-repellent sealer. (Fig. 5)

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