Fence panel problems

[stealthwolf]

One of the fence panels was sagging inwards. The vertical support strips had come off, as did the top bit of the frame. The trellis had fallen off too.

I had a chat with the elderly neighbour and she wasn't sure whether it my responsibility or hers. But her son had a spare fence panel which they gave.

I managed to slot it in from the top and with a bit of downward force either side, managed to ease it to about half way down the concrete post slots. After this, I got the wife to pull the fence outwards from the middle to create a bit of flex. For the last foot, I had to use a mallet on each side to drop it down. The bottom of the panel bows out by around 2 inches I reckon.

I was looking at replacing the other fence panels but this took so much effort that I must have been doing something wrong. One of the other panels bows out by the same amount.

What could I do for the remaining panels should I choose to replace them all?

 

[hansPulesh]

It sounds as if the posts are very tight. The panel would have to go down square to the posts - i.e, not 1 side before the other. But at least that means the fence panels won't be loose.

 

[stealthwolf]

It sounds as if the posts are very tight. The panel would have to go down square to the posts - i.e, not 1 side before the other. But at least that means the fence panels won't be loose.

It was very much alternate sides so push one side down a little, then the other side then back to the first etc.

I want to replace all the panels eventually. Can't imagine it's supposed to be this difficult.

 

[hansPulesh]

Had it rained by any chance? Wood soaks up rain/water and expands....?

I get what you mean by alternate sides - it sounds like it was just very tight. You could get it to go down in one go but with such little tolerance it will be difficult.

 

[stealthwolf]

@hansPulesh The panel was in storage. It hasn't rained for a few days. The fence panel did not simply slide down the posts into the slot. I had to shove the left hand side of the panel down, then the right hand side, then go back to the left hand side and then the right etc and kept doing this. It meant the panel was reasonably level as it went in.

I have no idea whether the fence panels should have just slid into place or not.

 

[hansPulesh]

^^^^ I mean theoretically it could go straight down. But it'd probably take less time to do it how you did than to set it up to go straight down in one go with such tight tolerances.