How Can You Tell If You Need To Replace Your Fence?

Is your fence looking like it’s seen better days? Maybe you need to replace it, but it might just need a fresh coat of paint. Use this guide to help you decide.

Simply circle the box that best describes your gates, posts, rails, and slats.

	In Good Shape	Needs Repair	Time To Replace
Gate	Strong, swings easily, not rotten	Sagging, hard to open and shut	Hinges missing, rotten, fallen off
Posts	Straight, firmly rooted in the ground, not rotten	Loose in ground, fewer than 1/3 of posts lean	Posts are rotten, broken, more than 1/3 lean
Rails (the cross pieces to which the slats are nailed)	Existing rails are 2x4s, straight, able to hold nails, wood is solid	Fewer than 1/3 of rails are sagging or curving, nails are loose or missing	Rails are rotten, falling off or missing, more than 1/3 sag or curve
Slats (the vertical pieces that make up the fence)	Existing slats are straight, able to hold nails, wood is solid	Fewer than 1/3 of slats are sagging, bending, or broken	Slats are broken, falling off or missing, more than 1/3 sag, bend, or are broken

How did your fence do? If most of your circles indicate that your fence is “In Good Shape,” you probably just have a few cosmetic things to deal with. A bit of sandpaper and a fresh coat of paint, and you’ll be fine.

If you have a number of circles in the “Needs Repair” or “Time to Replace” columns, you need to decide whether you want to do the repairs yourself or call someone in. If you do call an expert, you can consult with him to decide whether the fence is worth repairing, or if you’re betting off building new.

If most of your circles are in the “Time To Replace” column, your fence is not just an eyesore – it’s unsafe. In order to protect your household and even passersby on the street, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, it needs to be replaced.

If you’d like to consult with On Point Installation about your options, contact us.