How To Repair Leaning Fences

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Leaning or sagging fences are a common problem in backyards. If you catch them in time though, it's easy to get them standing up again, plumb and secure! This short video from The Honest Carpenter will walk you through an affordable repair.

TOOL LIST:
Circular Saw
Drill/Driver
16 oz Hammer
Hacksaw
Pry Bar
Pliers
Tool Belt
Tool Belt Harness
Lumber Pencil

MATERIAL LIST:
Exterior-Grade Screws
4x4 post (treated)
2x4 lumber (treated)

For a detailed article on this repair, including product reviews, check out the link below!

How-To:
1) Assess condition of existing fence posts. Try to find weakest posts that are no longer firmly anchored in the ground, or places where 2x4 rails have detached from posts.
2) Force the fence back into an upright position using 2x4s angled into the ground.
3) Remove pickets if necessary to gain access to weak posts (if backside of fence cannot be approached).
4) Dig a post hole in desired location of new post.
5) Cut post to length (below full height of fence), and drop it into the new post hole.
6) Attach post to 2x4 rails using 3" exterior-grade screws.
7) Pour or mix new concrete into post hole. (Consider using the "screw tree" method I describe in the video to make anchors stronger.)
8) Wait for concrete to set up, then remove angled supports.

For more tips and articles, check out The Honest Carpenter website!

Thanks for watching!

[kswonder]

Love the video! My relative's neighbor has a similar fence. It has mostly fallen into my relative's yard and I thought about going over to fix some of it for them. Not a handyman, saw this video as I'm a subscriber, watched it, I can do this! You have a talent for teaching. Thanks! 🔧🗜🧠

[goldenretriever]

I have a treated shadow-box fence that I put up in 1991. Every 5-7 years I buy two 5 gallon cans of Cabot stain (my fence surrounds a 1/2 acre backyard) and spray the stain on. My fence looks like it is brand new after 30 years. Just a suggestion to avoid dealing with a deteriorating fence down the road.

[talishahalliburton]

I love the name"Honest Carpenter"! I recently received an estimate for this job. I have like 8 picks leaning, and this guy gave me a quote for 800 bucks. I'll show my friend this video ASAP! Thanks for the tips.

[jeffcanyafixiy]

Great idea using the screws as an additional anchor!!
I do half a dozen of these a year at work. Going to add that to my arsenal. THANKS!! 👍👍

[Harley-irer]

As a Former Carpenter, Very often the reason the post rots at ground level because the concrete isn't taken up to ground level and tapered off to create a water run off. If the post is sitting in clay at ground level it never gets a chance to dry out properly. Thanks for posting and helping many people. Property maintenance is expensive and there's lots of stuff people can do themselves with your help and guidance.

[bobgins]

Gotta say thanks for taking the time to post this.

[Rextrent]

To each his own. Different strokes for different folks. This is not meant to be bigheaded!
I would knock off the old panels, and make some room to work in that new post hole.
That said, I have cut corners on prep work in my younger more impetuous days (less savvy but less beat-up).
I get kind of stressy when I'm fighting on too many unnecessary fronts, so make way and clear some space!
Thanks for the fine vid.

[handymanjourney]

Looks great, Nice work! I have never heard of putting screws to help secure the post in the concrete. Very cool! Keep it up!

[Luckingsworth]

Good vid. One thing to consider is that like you said in the beggining, sometimes the issue is wind. If you live in a windy area it might make sense to place strategic holes in the fence to allow wind to pass through and apply less pressure on the fence. It can be done in a tactful way that doesnt negate the usefulness of a privacy fence.

[BondeyeView]

The neighbour and I are motivated to fix our leaning fence. It is a scary concept and we have heat wave conditions right now, but I hope it will work out! Thanks for the guidance on your video!

[trtaught]

Wow! My friend has this problem with their fence except it's with 3 post at different points along the fence.
They've asked me to help fix & I'm glad I watched this video!
Wish me luck & thanks again for unloading!

[MarcusWoods]

Thank you for the great video on how to deal with this lean issue. My mom's fence is leaning and I don't have the money to hire someone.

[sogybisc]

Glad I found this video. Gonna be a long weekend. The fence company told me $1200 to fix 4 posts...

[gunterbecker]

Great job mate, you are a godsend! The world would be a better place if there were more people like you 😊

[motherfudger]

Glad I came across this, I like the idea of screw anchors in the footing. I get a lot of fence repair requests so that'll help out I'm sure.

[imshypleasebenicetome.]

Recenty fixed a sagging old fence, before my dogs couldn't dig under, now idk what ispiration they got but the have dug underneath trying to make escape spots, now i dug 1 foot under the fence to install femce wire to deterrent that behavior, gee wiz what a job

[davidl]

Good job, the fence is on borrowed time already, but would be very costly to replace it all, I have to do something like that to my fence, but I used good sealer/stain on mine years ago and it's n better shape.

[toddpeters]

Good fix, I built my fence about 6 years ago and storm bent 16' section back, so I may use your idea ..unless I take those sections out and start fresh!! Thanks

[Billcarsonstobaccobox]

Just the video I needed.
The wind and ivy caused the detiriation of 4 of my long fence panel sections.
This video helped.
Nice one fella

[stevecharman]

The best bit of advice I ever got was "Don't make a repair so good that it shows up how bad the rest of its surroundings are"