We’ve all experienced it before in our lives. It starts out great; a new solid, sturdy companion that you can really lean on. Protecting each other from much in life, you grow to depend and count on one another. Over the years, you may notice a slight decline in the abilities and attributes you once relied on. Or maybe you hardly notice, since you’re not paying attention the way you did in the early days. The next thing you know, it’s been 20 years and you realize things have fallen apart!
Wait… you all knew I was talking about fence posts right?
Ah, fences. As common as they are in our lives, how much attention do we really pay to them? Until it is too late, that is. Chances are, if you go in to your backyard right now and start looking around, you’ll notice that your fence may have an issue or two. Maybe it just needs a new coat of paint. Maybe a fence board or two have fallen out. Or, most common and most serious of all, maybe the fence is leaning over a bit and the bottoms of the wood posts have begun to deteriorate. That was the case for a co-worker’s fence, so we decided to tackle it as our next DIY project.
To fix this fence, we decided to use the Simpson Strong-Tie®E-Z Mender™. As you can see in the videos below, it’s a fairly simple project with a minimal number of steps. I’ll walk you through them. Starting with…
Preparation
This is pretty straightforward. First, I took a look at the area around the base of the post to get an idea of how badly the post was rotted. Then I removed all the excess soil and detritus to make sure that I could see what was left of the post where it entered the ground.
Installation (I)
After I cleared the area around the post, it was time to begin installing the E-Z Mender. I started by bracing the fence into the correct position. You can do this in many ways, but I chose to use an old 2×4 that was lying around. Next, I made sure that the post was plumb, then slid the E-Z Mender up against the post and pushed it down into place. Finally, I drove the E-Z Mender into the ground making sure it was at least 11″ in the ground.
Installation (II)
To finish the installation, I still needed to attach the mender to the post. I used 2½”Strong-Drive®SD Connector screws. When fastening the E-Z Mender, it’s important to fill all holes to ensure you have a really solid connection.
Fence Repair Results
The last bit of fence repair involved removing the 2×4 bracing I set up in Step I. Give your fence a wiggle to test your fence; it should be much sturdier. If the post is secure, that’s it! In particularly bad cases, you can also install an E-Z Mender on the opposite side of your post.
There you have it. Where there was once a sad and failing excuse for a fence, you now have a sturdy barricade capable of fending off entire hordes of pesky neighbors. Well, I may be getting a bit carried away, but at least your fence will be restored to its original glory.