How to fix leaning Colorbond fence?

[Bandit-DIYDad]

  

I recently got rid of a large hedge in my back yard and discovered that it was covering up my back fence that is leaning. 

What is the best way to fix this?

Appreciate any advice 

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Bandit-DIYDad. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about a leaning fence.

Can you tell whether the post footers haven't been substantial enough and the fence is now leaning, or have the posts been bent from damage, causing this alignment issue? If the posts are bent, it might just take a few people to push the fence back into alignment. Either way, I'd recommend installing additional galvanised posts in concrete footers once you have re-aligned the fence. 

Hopefully, you can push the fence back into position, but adding the additional posts would be a good move, especially if the fence is leaning over, as the supports are inadequate.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[Bandit-DIYDad]

  

These are two photos of the footings. The second one is the one with the most lean.

[Jason]

Thanks for your photos @Bandit-DIYDad.

My apologies, but @MitchellMc won't be back online until Friday. Let me tag a few other helpful community members for their thoughts in the meantime: @TedBear, @Shannon, @DIY4Knuckleheds and @Dave-1.

Jason

[Dave-1]

Good Morning @Bandit-DIYDad 

What a pain 😕 Ive often looked at fences and thought how to fix them when they get sleepy like that. Ive only come up with a very few ideas sad to say.

The one I dislike the most but probarly is best is to dismantle that section and then redo the posts. Thats either knock off the concrete and dig a new hole deeper to give added support or stagger the fence so short length, normal span, short length type deal in that falling over section. 

I have seen various videos of peopel putting posts down, star posts, anything really but mostly see that as a temporary solution. 

I have considerd using a jeep jack say and pushing within 2 foot of the base at an angle to push the fence upright but then you run into the issue of bending the fencepost and creating even more of an issue. 

Zooming in ou your first issue it looks like something has hit and kinked that fence. I would not be trying to push it back into place without removing that kink. Tho you may be able to after taking out that last section. Cross fingers. Colourbond fences are supposed to be resonably easy to dismantle and maybe all you will need after straightening the fence is a new top plate. 

Dave

[Noyade]

Hi @Bandit-DIYDad and Dave. @Dave-1 

"knock off the concrete and dig a new hole deeper to give added support"

Agree with you in this Dave. To my eyes the post foundation looks to be the problem - especially with the last photo.

Using a crowbar break away loose concrete.

Dig a bigger base and prop the fence into the vertical position. You may need to jack the fence to be horizontal.

Concrete - preferably not that 'instant' mix type.

[Bandit-DIYDad]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I’m thinking it looking clear that some new post holes and concrete are in order. 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Bandit-DIYDad,

I agree with the above; the concrete footers have been insufficient for your soil type. I note the fence appears to have been constructed for the elevated soil height of the neighbouring property, and there seems to be a step down to the soil height on your property. Perhaps the fence footers were undermined at some stage? At this point, it sounds like increasing the size of the footers would be the best move going forward. If your property is lower than the neighbours, then you'd need to make the footer sufficiently large enough to support the post from your side.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Bandit-DIYDad]

Ok now I know what I need to do, where do I get the post I need? I’ve looked on Bunnings website and couldn’t find it. I could be missing it and happy to have that pointed out. 
if not what’s the easiest  way to get my hands on what I need?

[Dave-1]

Evening @Bandit-DIYDad 

Just had a squiz and colorbon steel fencing post domain 2700mm  It seems thats half and you install them back to back. There is a install guide down towards the bottom of the page. I would have missed it if I wasnt wondering about why is it only half way there (thought it was just a top channel at first)

Dave