How to Remove a Round Metal Fence Post

You may need to remove a round metal fence post at some point.

At some point during the usable life cycle of a metal fence, a time will come when you must either tear down or move the fence. Depending on the installation method used when the fence was constructed, this task may be easy or fairly difficult to accomplish. In addition, the decision of whether or not to reuse the fencing materials also affects the removal techniques used. Regardless of these variables, you can accomplish round metal fence post removal.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Post hole digger
• Pick axe (if rocky soil)
• Garden hose
• Water
• Hand spade
• Work gloves
• Wire cutters

Instructions

1. Strip all fence components away from the post you will remove. Disassemble gate hardware, lighting fixtures and wiring, steel attachment lines and all other objects so that the pole is completely bare.

2. Uncover the dirt from around the post hole, where the post meets the ground, to a depth of 6 inches with a hand spade. If no concrete is found, the post was probably mounted in plain soil and not set in concrete. Soak the ground thoroughly around the fence post with a garden hose.

3. Dig a new post hole 12 inches to the side of the existing fence post (a secondary post hole). The depth of this hole may vary between 18 inches up to one-third the length of the visible portion of the round metal fence post. Dig an 18-inch hole; you can always dig deeper later if you still cannot remove the post.

4. Dig out the area between the new post hole and the existing post with a shovel, which should be easy since you have already removed the soil once during the initial post hole excavation when the fence post was originally installed.

5. Push the top of the fence post towards the new post hole as far as it will go. The fence post will probably be sitting at a 30-degree angle to the ground once you have accomplished this. Work the fence post back and forth between the 30-degree angle and upright several times to loosen the soil around the post.

6. Remove the round metal fence post by pulling it straight up once the soil is loose enough to do so. If the soil is still holding the fence post in an upright position, dig the secondary post hole deeper than 18 inches. Try again to work the fence post back and forth to loosen it. Continue with the dig and push cycle until the fence post comes free.

7. Dig a wider and deeper secondary hole if you find the round metal fence post is encased in concrete. The removal process remains the same, except that the secondary hole must be at least as wide as the concrete base for the round metal fence post originally installed. Once you can easily move the fence post between the vertical and 30-degree slant angle positions, lift it out.

Tips & Warnings

• Investigate if the round metal fence post was installed in concrete as early in the removal process as possible to save time and energy.

• Do not attempt to lift a heavy fence post encased in concrete without assistance.

References

• This Old House: Removing a Fence