Fixing rotten Fence Post

Discussion in 'Landscaping and Outdoors' started by Steve Ousley, Mar 14, 2016.

  1. Steve Ousley

    Steve Ousley New Member

    Hi all

    We have a fence post in our garden (100mm square) that was put in when the house was built (2012).

    The fence post was not concreted into the ground, nor was it put in using a spike.

    The post has now got to the point that it is rotten to about 2" above the ground level, (it was below ground level before winter) and so we have been looking at ways to fix this, and have seen the concrete spurs that you can get that you then concrete into the ground, and bolt to the fence post.

    Is there anything else we can do if using the spur to help stop further rotting of the fence post?

    Thanks for any help.

    Steve
     
  2. Rotten to 2' above ground level? Blimey...

    That's some rot.

    Usually posts rot at ground level, as that's where the ground is wettest and, I guess, also has air which the rotty stuff will need.

    Anyhoo, if the posts had simply rotted through at ground level, or even up to one foot above, I'd say you could likely rescue it by planting a concrete post which would need to come up around 2.5 feet above ground level and roughly the same below, cutting the post at a neat slope downwards towards the concrete post and treating the cut end with any decent wood treatment (stuff that kills and protects against wet and dry rot).

    However, if you have really lost 2 feet of post above ground level, I can see you being able to use this unless you use a much longer concrete stub-post, or somehow 'sister' a further timber post along the original. It won't look good...
     
  3. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    2" (inches) DA.....should have gone to Specsavers!!!!!!!!:D
     
    Deleted member 33931 likes this.
  4. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

    He did. Walked in last Saturday and said, "I need my eyes testing please." The chap behind the counter said " Yes you sure do,,, this is the butchers shop next door." :p:p:p:p
     
  5. D'oh!

    (Bar stewards... :) )


    Phew - that's a relief, Steve.

    In that case sink your concrete stub-post, cut the timber post a good inch+ above the rotted part, at a slope towards the concrete stub (looks nicer, rain runs off, and treatment has a large surface for application) and give it repeated soaking brush coats with Ronseal 5* treatment (other makes are availble...)

    When you next 'paint' your fence, do the posts too, including that cut bottom part.
     
  6. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select


    It's alright. He has the same observation technique in his Euro speeches.

    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
    Tiny01 likes this.
  7. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    Why don't you just do a proper job and fit a new fence post instead of trying to bodge it?
    If the old post wasn't concreted in it should be easy to remove.
    BTW why wasn't it concreted in?
    Use a tanalised timber next time, they should last 25 years not 4 years. Builders cutting every corner.
     
    seen it all before likes this.
  8. Sis-in-law's 'new' house - built 2007 - has hefty 6"x4" posts around her small garden, with a decent featherboard fencing, all put up by the housebuilder.

    Most of the posts have rotted clean away at ground level - unbludybelievable.
     
  9. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    Not treated correctly.
     
  10. Yep, but surely they were tanalised? I mean, can you even buy fence posts which aren't?

    And why the hell use hefty 6x4 posts if they can't fend off a bit of water? Grrrr.
     
  11. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    It depends on the concentrations of salts.
    If it is a certified batch to withstand burying in the soil it should last 25 years but if it's just stained green and dipped in cheap preservative it will last what, 4 years...
     
  12. Steve Ousley

    Steve Ousley New Member

    It's not actually our fence, but we're not sure that the neighbour who owns it will fix it, so just doing a fix that isn't overly expensive.

    I need to double check if it wasn't concreted in, but this was a new build house from 2012, so they will have done anything to save money here and there.
     
  13. Good of you to sort this, Steve, but - in theory at least - you should let your neighbs know what your plans are as it's 'their' fence. It might even prompt them to sort it, or perhaps a good compromise - they pay for the concrete stubs & concrete and you do the labouring?

    They cannot be 'obliged' to repair it, tho' - if they want to let the whole fence fall down, they can... :(

    But, worth having that chat - ideally with an independentish witness - in case they are proper twits; half-way through your repair they'll claim you've wrecked their fence and you need to now replace it all...

    (Alas the EU thread has made me cynical of people... :rolleyes: )
     
  14. Steve Ousley

    Steve Ousley New Member

    Yeah, as it's their fence, I was going to mention to them anyway what I was planning with the hope that something might be said about at least contributing towards the repair work.
     
    Deleted member 33931 likes this.

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