Fence post replacement
Posts are where fences fail. We replace rotten, snapped and leaning posts in timber or concrete, and break out the old concrete footing so the new post goes back on the line.
About fence post replacement
Timber posts rot at the point where they meet the soil. That band stays wet and gets air, which is exactly what rot needs. Above and below it the post can look sound, which is why a post can snap at ground level while the rest of the fence looks fine.
The signs a post needs replacing: the fence leans or moves when you push it, the base is soft when you press a screwdriver in, or there is a crack or a clean break at ground level.
- DepthA quarter to a third in the ground
- MaterialsTimber or concrete
- Old concreteBroken out, taken away
- Warning signsSoft base, lean, movement
How a post is replaced
The old post and its concrete
The fence either side is supported, the old post is cut out, and the old concrete footing is broken out and taken away so the new post can go back on the same line.
Set deep enough to stay put
Roughly a quarter to a third of the post length goes into the ground: around 600mm for a 1.8m fence. Shallow posts are the most common reason a fence leans after its first serious gale.
Shaped to shed water
The post is set in concrete with the top of the footing sloped away from the timber, so rain runs off rather than pooling against the post.
Timber or concrete
Pressure-treated timber posts suit most fences and are easy to cut and fix to. Concrete posts do not rot at the ground line at all; they are heavier and less forgiving on awkward boundaries, but on exposed or wet ground they are the long-term answer.
Is it the right choice?
We would rather point you to the right job than the bigger one. This is how we would advise on site.
Replace posts only when
- One or two posts have failed and the rest are firm
- The panels or boards are in good condition
- The fence is straight apart from the failed posts
Replace the fence when
- A third or more of the posts are soft at the base
- The posts are all the same age as the ones that failed
- The boards or panels are rotting as well
Fence post replacement, answered
Usually. The panels or rails either side are supported or unfixed for a while, the post is changed, and the fence is refitted. On closeboard, a few boards may come off so the rails can be reached.
Yes, as long as it suits how the fence is built. Slotted concrete posts take panels; morticed concrete posts take arris rails for closeboard. Mixing post types on one run is fine when the fixings are right.
Test each one at the base with a screwdriver. If several are soft, or they are the same age as the one that failed, it is usually better value to replace the post line in one go than to call someone out post by post.
Related work
We work across London, with local pages for Barnet, Enfield, Finchley, Muswell Hill, Wood Green, Haringey, Camden, Hackney, Clapham, Wimbledon. See all areas we cover.
Get a written estimate
We measure the run, check the posts, the ground and the access, then put an itemised figure in writing. The visit and the estimate are free, and we reply within 24 hours.