Fence Repair in Birmingham, AL

1. Resetting a leaning post

A leaning post usually means the footing failed or the bottom of the post rotted. In Birmingham's red clay, water collects around footings, and posts set too shallow or without drainage are the first to go.

How we fix it: we dig out around the post, break out the old concrete, and either reset the existing post plumb or replace it if the bottom has rotted. The new footing goes to full depth with gravel at the bottom for drainage. Where rock or a neighbor's tree makes the old hole unusable, we can set a new post beside it and re-hang the section.

2. Replacing boards and pickets

Individual boards crack, warp, split, or rot along the bottom where they touch the soil. Replacing them is straightforward: we pull the damaged boards and fasten new ones with galvanized or coated fasteners. New wood will look brighter than the old fence for a while; staining both evens out the color. See fence staining and sealing.

3. Fixing a sagging gate

Gates sag because they're heavy, they swing, and the gate post takes all that leverage. The fix depends on the cause: - Loose hinges: reset with longer screws or through-bolts - Racked gate frame: square it and add a diagonal brace or a steel anti-sag cable and turnbuckle - Leaning gate post: reset or replace the post, usually with a heavier post set deeper - Latch that won't line up: adjust or replace once the gate hangs true

See gates and driveway gates for new gates.

4. Rebuilding a storm-damaged section

Spring and fall storms in central Alabama regularly push over fence sections, and fallen limbs and trees crush them. For storm damage we remove the broken section, check the neighboring posts for hidden cracks or loose footings, set new posts where needed, and rebuild the section to match the rest of the fence as closely as possible. We can take photos and measurements for your insurance claim.

Wood

Post resets, board and rail replacement, re-fastening loose pickets, and kickboard replacement where the bottom has rotted.

Vinyl

Replacing cracked pickets, rails, or panels, reinforcing flexing posts with an aluminum insert, and re-seating panels that popped out in wind.

Chain link

Re-stretching sagging mesh, replacing bent top rail, fixing tension bands, and patching damaged mesh.

Aluminum

Replacing bent pickets or panels and resetting posts. Matching discontinued styles can take some searching.