How to Replace a Broken Fence Post

After the snow melts and the ground dries out--there it is--a sagging fence post. A sight no homeowner wants to see. At some point during the winter or spring the old post rotted out and now it needs to be replaced. Replacing a fence post definitely isn't rocket science and most homeowners can even do the job themselves--that is if they're willing to invest a lot of sweat equity into it. In other words, it can be a lot of physical work. If you're up for the task--here is how to replace a fence post.

Things You'll Need

• Pry bar
• Nail puller
• Hammer
• New fence post
• Wood preservative
• Wooden braces, 2-by-4 inch
• Level
• Work gloves
• Bag of premix concrete

Instructions

1. Isolate the broken post from the fence. Use a nail puller, a small pry bar or a hammer to pull out the nails which attach the horizontal rails to the post. Make the job easier and avoid damaging the rails by putting a small piece of wood onto the rails to increase leverage before you start pulling the nails. If there is space, swing the sections of fence away from the post to give yourself some room to work.

2. Brace the detached sections of the fence with pieces of 2-by-4 to stop them from weighing down and stressing the posts where they're still attached.

3. Use a pry bar jammed into the broken post to pry it up and out of the ground. If the post is set in concrete you may need to dig down around the concrete, then break it into pieces with your pry bar or a pick.

4. Clean out any pieces of the old post left in the hole, because they could attract insects that would damage the new post.

5. Check to be sure the hole is at least 36 inches-deep (to prevent frost heaves in the winter and spring). If necessary, dig down to the required depth, then add about 6 inches of gravel to the bottom to provide water drainage.

6. Stand your new fence post up for about an hour in wood preservative so it will be well absorbed into the wood, then stand the post up in the hole.

7. Plumb the post using your level and attach wooden braces staked to the ground to hold it straight while you mix and pour the concrete into the hole.

8. Check to be sure that your post is still plumb after adding the concrete, then adjust the braces if necessary.

9. Allow the concrete to set up for a day, then attach the fence sections to the new post using new nails or deck screws.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on how your fence post was initially installed, you may not need to remove the original concrete. Sometimes a fence post will lift straight up out of the concrete base; if that's the case you can use the same hole again.

• Pressure-treated, cedar or redwood fence posts will resist rotting, which makes them better suited than other woods for outdoor projects.

• Replacing a fence post requires substantial physical labor (digging, breaking old concrete and installing new concrete).