How do I fix this wooden post to the concrete retaining wall?

[morane1]

Hi Everyone,

this last part of the fence is driving me crazy! The bracket the developer put in is bent so I can’t fix the wooden post to it. 

can I drill into the concrete retaining wall? And if so, how do I do that? 

As you can see from the pictures I tried to make it stable with the railings but how the railing isn’t straight for the fence pailings.

it’s my first home and my first time building a fence, thank you 

  

[EricL]

Hello @morane1 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about your fencing.

From a warranty point of view, I suggest calling the developer and having them fix this bent steel mounting post. Please keep in mind that any attempt to repair the bent steel might damage the retaining wall and void your warranty.

However, if you are pressed for time and no longer care about the warranty there are a few techniques you can try to repair the bent steel. First, I suggest hammering it straight with a heavy-duty mallet. 

My next recommendation is to build the fence frame first without attaching the bent steel. Attach the flat plate to the concrete retaining wall and when it is nice and tight, use a nut and bolt assembly to forcefully pull and straighten the steel to the timber post.

Before you start drilling into the concrete sleeper, I recommend calling the manufacturer of your concrete sleeper to find out how close to the edge can you drill into. Will your drilling hit the internal rebar support of the concrete sleeper? Will it void your sleepers guarantee?  

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @TedBear and @JoeAzza for their recommendations.

Please remember to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a mask when working on your repairs. 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.     

Eric

[Dave-1]

Good Morning @morane1 

Bugger and a few more buggers 😕 I definently would be contacting the original constructors. If you have been through all of that and are after a solution You could try this.

Remove your fence post. Find a steel tube that fits over that tag (Drill hole in one end so you can tie a decent rope to.) The put the pole over the tag and have some hold it so its aligned and then someone else pull on the rope. Making sure to leep the long tube as close to the bottom of that tag.

I am think 6ft (1.8m) long gal tube to use

If thats not something you are happy to try I would drill the gal post in the ground to mount your post to instead. I wouldnt drill the cloncrete panels as think they could crack.

Dave

[Noyade]

Afternoon Morane @morane1 

Just a welding suggestion. Take that back plate off which is doing little and move it what looks like 50mm and weld it in the vertical position.

Take the paling off and then remove the post

Sledge hammer that bent plate to the vertical - as best you can.

Reposition the post so that it's vertical and bolt to the welded plate.

The bent plate should now be close enough to clamp - and when those two corners meet, tack weld them.

You've now created a large plate-angle which in my opinion will be more stable.

Bolt however you like.

Keep creating the fence - when finished, you can always come back and angle grind the tack welds off and remove the back plate.

Looking at your photos Morane - are you building on a mountain base in Nepal?! 😁

Why are those gal H-sections so much larger (inside width) than the concrete sleepers?