How To Remove A Damaged Slatted Fence Panel and Post
Although they look great and are an affordable fencing option for your garden, slatted wooden fencing panels can be prone to storm damage and may need replacing from time-to-time. Wood eating insects can also attack wooden fence posts, weakening the fenceline and leaving it vulnerable to damage in high winds. Slatted fencing panels are readily available in a range of standard sizes, making sourcing a replacement a simple process. You could either replace the post with another wooden one or go for a concrete or steel post, which would be a more robust option. However, before you can replace the broken fencing, you'll need to remove it. Here's how to remove a damaged slatted fencing panel and post:
Tools for the Job
- blocks
- hacksaw
- crowbar
- claw hammer
- combination pliers
- shovel
You'll find everything you need for this job at good DIY stores. When working with wood and demolition tools, always wear long trousers and sleeves, sturdy footwear, gloves, and eye protection.
How to Do It
- Start by taking a crowbar and levering the frame of the damaged fence panel away from the post, until the retaining nails are exposed and easily accessible.
- Use a hacksaw to saw through the nails. Remove the old nails using combination pliers or a claw hammer. You can hammer any protruding nails flush with the panel if they won't come out.
- Repeat steps #1 and #2 at the other end of the fence panel.
- When the panel is completely free, lift it out of the fence line and remove it.
- Next, you'll need to remove the old wooden fence post. Take a shovel and dig out the soil around the base of the post.
- If the fence post is still in one piece, you'll need to lever it out. Cut a notch in the post around 20 centimetres from the bottom. Insert a crowbar into the notch and lay it across a small pile of blocks or bricks to provide leverage. Lever the post out of the ground and remove it.
- You will probably find a small well of concrete underneath the post. If the concrete doesn't come out with the post, you'll need to break it up and remove it. Use an electrical breaker for this job. If you don't have one in your tool kit, you can hire one from a tool hire shop.
Now that you've removed the broken fence panel and post, you can replace them with new. If you'd prefer to leave this job to the professionals, why not ask your slatted fencing supplier if they offer an installation service?
