A Guide to Wood Fence Repair

Sun, rain, snow, wind, below-ground frost, and front always subject wood fences to an awful beating. Given that, wood fences are vulnerable to the punishments of nature, especially rotting. As a consequence, you are always required to carry out wood fence repair with the help of some high-priced rot-resistant lumber.

It is always the main and important component of the wood fence that is damaged by rot. These components mainly include vertical posts, different screening materials like pickets or boards, and rails that usually run horizontally from one post to another post. The best way to know if the commercial wood fence you have used has all of these components is not very complicated. First, you will have to examine your fence and then identify what is its type. You can identify all of these elements in almost every kind of wood fence. 

Rot is surely the biggest enemy of wood fences. However, it can be countered if you are well-acquainted with all of the important and effective strategies. Some of the have been discussed below.

How to Repair Fence Rails 

The rail of the fence can be pulled loose from one or multiple of its posts. Also, these rails may or may not be salvaged easily, which usually depends on how bad the rot on the joint is. Moreover, you can also mend the break with the help of a 2x4 scrap or some metal T-braces. If the rail has gotten rotted really badly, you will be required to replace the complete rail. 

You can reach out to a wood fence installation company if you think you would not be able to carry out the entire process on your own. However, we suggest you try repairing the fence at least one time. The process is quite simple and would be done in no time. To repair a fence rail with a 2x4 you have to do the following:

Step 1: Before you start making repairs, you will have to saturate all of the damaged areas, along with a 2x4 liberally with the help of a wood preservative. This way, you can make sure that the rot will not spread any further. 

Step 2: If you want the rail to be supported by a cleat, you will have to make certain that the rail is leveled perfectly. Then, you can fit a 2x4 snugly under the rail of the fence. Next, nail the 2x4 securely to the post with the help of galvanized nails. You can also drive a few nails down through the fence rail and into the cleat. 

Step 3: The next step of wood fence repair is to caulk the sides and top of the repair. This step is very important as it would help keep the rust away by keeping out moisture. 

Notably, you can get galvanized steel T-braces from any home improvement center or hardware store. These steel T-braces are known to be less conspicuous and also make a repair that lasts for a long time. T-brace can be used in rail repair with the help of the following steps:

Step 1: First level the rail of the fence. Next, drill several pilot holes into the rail and post of the fence.

Step 2: Next, you will be required to secure the T-braces to the fence rails with the help of galvanized screws. 

Step 3: Caulk all of the joints. 

Step 4: Paint the T-braces so that they can match the fence. 

How to Repair Fence Sections 

If the entire rail is needed to be replaced, you will have to dismantle the fence’s section and build it all over again. This can happen even if you have used the best wood for fences. Notably, fixing the fence section is not very challenging and can be done efficiently by following these steps:

Step 1:  Start off by cutting rails so that they can fit right flat along the top of every post. The rails can be extended from one post to another. In addition to that, you can also make the rail span in two different sections. Then, measure and cut every rail one by one. This will enable the fence to have little variations after the spacing is done. Next, you will have to connect the two ends of the rails together. Make sure they are connected tightly together so that you would not have to repeat the process all over again. To secure everything even more, nail every rail in its place with the help of two 10d galvanized common nails. You can place the nails at the end of every rail and make sure you do it from the beginning at one end of the line of fence and then go all the way to the other end. 

Step 2: The next step of this wood fence repair is to measure the bottom rail so that it can fit perfectly between every pair of posts. Once you have measured the 2x4 bottom rail completely, cut it in an accurate shape and size. Then, place each rail flat between the multiple posts. The position of the rails can range from a little above grade level to around 12 inches up. Now, you will have to nail each bottom rail into its place with the help of a 10d galvanized nail driven. As far as the angle here is concerned, you can place it through the fence post and then into the end of the rails on both sides. You can also help a level that will help you keep rails equal. 

Step 3: The third and final step is to measure and cut every fence board. You have to make sure that all of the boards that you cut are of uniform length. The distance from the top to the bottom of the rail should be even. Also, the distance of each board should be similar to the rest of the boards. Once, you have started at one end, nail each board to the sides of the rails and leave space that should be equal to one board width between every rail.