Straighten a leaning fence post
A leaning fence is almost always a post problem, not a panel problem. Often DIY-fixable. Here is how to find the bad post and straighten the fence yourself.
What you'll learn
- How to tell if the post or the concrete footing is the cause
- When a steel post stiffener (E-Z Mender) is the right fix
- How to re-plumb without tearing down the adjacent panels
- When it's too far gone and needs a pro
Step by step
- Push the post at waist height to feel whether wood or concrete moved.
- Dig out 4-6 inches of soil around the concrete base to check for cracking.
- Use a post level to confirm the direction and degree of lean.
- For minor lean in solid concrete: brace the post plumb, add steel stiffener.
- For cracked concrete: concrete must be broken out and replaced.
If the post snaps at ground level when you wiggle it, the wood has rotted through. Steel post insert or full replacement is the real fix, bracing won't hold.
Rather have a pro handle it?
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