Rotten base of 6' fence post. What to do?

[miljee]

This lapped (I think that's the right word!) wooden fence is in good enough condition but one of the posts is in the process of rotting off where it meets the ground. The rest of the post is good, but the post can be swayed a good 6" each way pivoting at ground level!

Whilst the obvious answer is 'Replace the post, stupid!' the problem is that each panel has 2 horizontal support 'bits' (lathes?) of wood, one near the top, one near the bottom and these are triangular in cross section, flat bit against the fence; each end of these bits of wood come to a tapered point that is recessed INTO corresponding (oblong) holes in the fence post. This appears to be how the fence panels attach TO the post.

Putting up such a fence in the first place seems easy: post in, slot the panel into the post's recesses sideways, abut and fix the next post in, etc. But I can't see HOW one can remove and replace an individual post!

Possible solutions:
- bear in mind beauty isn't an issue to the back of this fence- it faces onto tangled scrub.

1) Dig a decent hole immediately behind the errant post. Fill it with ready mix. Fix a fence post spike holder into it. Once it's dry, push the fence upright and install a new fence post into the new hole abutting the old, broken one. The new post should support the old upright. Plate together.

2) A variation: Dig a hole 2' away from the old post, fill with ready mix, place spike BUT at a 45 degree angle. Measure and cut a mitre on a fence post, install, then drill 2 to 4 ruddy great screws through the mitre and into the old post once it's been pushed into an upright position.

What would you do? OK, OK, get a bloke in but we are writing £1000 cheques left, right and centre right now! I can't see a fencer would let us get away with less than £200 for that. If I can get 3 or 4 more years out of a cheaper DIY solution, I would be a happy woman.

 

[Thermo]

From what you have described it is a closeboard fence with arris rails slotting into mortices on the post.

Easiets way to fix it is to cut the arris rails off where they meet the post, so it is free from them. the post can then be taken out and the remains dug out. A new plain post can be replaced in teh same position and the arris rails re-attached with arris rail repair brackets, which simply screw to the ends of the arris rails and then to the post.

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/48243/Building/Decking-Fencing/Arris-Rail-Brackets-300mm-Pack-of-10

 

[big-all]

you can use a spur if the origional post wasnt concreted in
http://www.kebur.co.uk/products/fencing/posts/Spurs.shtml

but at thermo says just as easy to fix in a new post if your digging a hole for the spur

 

[JohnD]

concrete posts are great, and they don't rot. I can tell you how to blend in the colour of a concrete post with a stained wooden fence, but Thermo will go barmy again.

 

[miljee]

Many thanks-

But how do you use the arris rail bracket? Or do you need to buy a fence post with the relevant mortices precut? (I am assuming you stick the spike part of the metal bracket into a mortice!) Or am I being a complete numpty?

 

[miljee]

Hang on! Just worked it out! Duh.

 

[Thermo]

well done. There is a way to do it without cutting the arris rails, but thats a fencers secret!

 

[miljee]

Go on! Tell! Or does it involve supernatural powers??!

 

[Thermo]

yes!

needs two people 6 hands, and involves replacing the centre stump as well

 

[Chukka63]

i took my posts,turned them upside down,put them into the metal post holes,refixed the panels and cut the top off the top of the post.the post has to be quite a bit higher than the panel in the first place to be able to do this.