Fencing Repair Guide - A Guide to Repairing Your Fence Using Concrete Spurs and Arris Rail Brackets
January 27, 2012 by bill_weston
As a natural product, wood can easily be damaged by the weather and is at risk of rot if the wood hasn't been treated properly. This article will advise you on some of the ways to repair a damaged fence, which will save you the need to replace the entire fence.
1) Using a concrete spur to avoid replacing broken or damaged posts
Concrete spurs are designed to repair timber posts which are rotted below the ground or that have broken at ground level. They are fitted without needing to move the damaged post and will save you time and money.
First of all, support the fence using props on each side of the damaged post. Remove the gravel board, if it's a panel fence, and cut off the rotten or damaged section of post. Coat the remaining section of post thoroughly with a high quality preservative.
Dig a hole beside the post approximately 300mm wide and 450mm deep and place the concrete spur in the hole, mark the positions of where to drill into the wooden post. Remove the spur and drill the holes ready for coach bolts. Return the spur into the ground, ensuring it is vertical, then compress hardcore around the base and fill the top with concrete. Leave the props in place until the concrete is fully set.
2) Concrete slotted posts
If you do need to replace your fence altogether, concrete slotted posts are an excellent choice for fence panels. This is because single fence panels and gravel boards can easily be replaced should they become damaged. They also will not rot and are virtually maintenance free. Concrete slotted posts are stronger than their timber alternative and therefore suit a more exposed location.
3) Fixing a broken arris rail
The arris rail is the horizontal support rail across the back of close board fencing panels. It is important to repair damaged arris rails as these are vital to the fences structural integrity. If they are left broken for a long period of time there is an increased risk of further damage to the rest of the fence. If these arris rails break or rot at the ends, use arris rail brackets to repair the damage. These brackets are easy to fix with screws through pre drilled holes, and will save you time and money as you won't need to replace the whole rail and you will secure the strength of the fence.
4) Gripples
A gripple is a tool that can be used to tension wire after it has gone slack. Two ends of wire are pushed into either side of the gripple; a gripple tool or a wire strainer is then used to pull the wire through the gripple to gain tension on the wire.
Not only can a gripple be used as a strainer, but also as a connector. The two ends of wire are put into the gripple and then the wire is strained from the post rather than from the gripple.
