Fence post repair - any experience with Postbuddy or similar?

[overlandrover]

Hi everyone

A couple of 4 inch wooden posts on my 6 ft high fence have rotted at ground level. It's a closeboard fence (not panels) built back in 2008, so it has lasted pretty well.

If I replace the posts I think I'll future proof it with concrete posts instead, but these have their own aesthetic issues plus the complication of dismantling the fence and digging out the existing posts.

The next best thing, I believe, is a concrete repair spur which will also require some of the existing concrete to be dug out, but the majority of the post above the ground is in good condition, and I don't have to dismantle the fence.

Another option is a Metpost repair spur, but I'm not convinced by this, and I want to be able to repair it in situ without dismantling the fence.

But I have found these possible solutions online:

Postbuddy https://www.postbuddysystem.co.uk/
and
RSL https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/181334444093

Has anybody had any experience with these - good or bad stories appreciated.

Many thanks

 

[JohnD]

concrete posts instead, but these have their own aesthetic issues

You can use masonry paint to make concrete posts and gravel board blend in with the fence stain.

View media item 975

 

[Robbox]

Surely Postbuddy only works if the post is still whole within the concrete? I took out some old fence posts and they were rotten to the bottom of the concrete.

 

[Tigercubrider]

If adding new concrete posts, I would just leave the old posts in situ but break them off at ground level and dig new holes x feet along . Then refix the fence and sort the gap

 

[JohnD]

I've taken out a few chunks of concrete where the post has rotted. It is such hard work that I resolved only to use concrete posts in future.

If you have a really big SDS+ drill that can drive a chisel or point breaker, it would be easier. Some of mine I could hardly lift out of the ground.

There is a faint chance you can pluck the stump out of the socket and re-use the concrete base. I only managed this once. I was using a long drill into the stump to break it up, the drill jammed and, pulling on it, the stump came out. I slid a concrete spur into the hole and packed it round with dry S&C, brushed in.

 

[Tigercubrider]

i took out concrete posts with their base concrete , by using the post as a lever
The weigh a ton, so unless you really need to get them out, leave it in

 

[JohnD]

Yes, but in this case, the posts have rotted out, so no lever.

 

[Doug99]

I used a large flatwood drill bit to remove all remains of the old fence post from within the concrete base, leaving a nice square hole into which the new post slipped nicely

 

[JohnD]

Bravo!

 

[overlandrover]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Cutting off the posts at ground level and placing new posts in between is sensible, but perhaps I should have added that my fence has four posts, and the first and third are the ones that are damaged. The first one also acts as a gatepost (latch side) so I will need to keep this post in the same position.

I believe the posts are still intact in the ground - it's just that they are broken above ground level, so a Postbuddy might work. However most of the replies seem to point toward methods of digging out replacing with concrete posts, so I'm guessing Postbuddy or offset spikes aren't recommended?

I'd just be interested to hear from anyone that's tried them.

Cheers

 

[Gorners]

You're in luck, I've got both of these on three of my wooden fence posts, two Post Buddy and one the RSL. My fence is about 17 years old and coming to the end of its life, but as I'm an end detatched I own all three sides of my fence so going to be a hell of a cost to replace so need to buy some time for a few more years!

I had three posts that were a bit wobbly, I originally purchased two sets of post buddy's for the two less wobbly posts. What I found was that on one of the posts I could hammer the metal rods all the way down til there was approx 6 inch left showing, which is roughly what is recommended and that it now a solid post. The 2nd one no matter how hard I tried I could not hammer it down on both sides more than half way. This has definitely made the post more stable but not as good as the first.

I was worried with the third as it was much worse than the others that I'd have the same problem with the second post so I opted for the RSL. In my opinion this is a much better solution than the post buddy and it will work 100% of the time. I bought the one which has the extra 'lip' so you can cover it with postcrete. This is exactly what I did (then put soil back on top) and it's solid as a rock. They are both paintable so they don't look unsightly if you do this.

I guess you'd go for the Post Buddy if you didn't have room in front of the post to fit the RSL.