Have the days of your fence come to an end? There are times when the wood is rotting, warping, or otherwise harmed by the elements. At that point, there’s no way to save it. Perhaps your dependable fence has served your home for a long time, and it’s difficult to say goodbye.
Alternatively, perhaps that barrier was erected by previous residents, and you consider it an eyesore. The fence must come down in any case.
If you are DIYer, you can save money by removing an old fence on your own. You’ll also get a decent exercise out of it! Although it can be difficult, especially if your fence posts are set in concrete footings. But it is not as difficult as you might imagine. The following guidelines and steps will help to remove the fence effortlessly.
Table of Contents
Make Sure To Have Permission To Take Down The Fence
To begin, make sure you have permission to dismantle the fence. The reason is that boundary disputes are common among neighbors. So, you should check to verify who owns and is responsible for any fencing before removing it.
In most cases, this can be accomplished with a civil conversation and an explanation that the fence would be replaced with a newer, more secure kind.
If you plan to dig up fence posts, you should also contact your local utility companies. If the fence was erected many years ago, digging up the posts could cause problems if you don’t know what else is running beneath your garden.
1) Safety Is The First Priority
Taking down a fence necessitates using power tools such as electric saws and the lifting of large pieces of wood. So, proceed with caution if you are using these tools for the first time. With two individuals instead of one, the process will be much safer and much faster.
You can also remove nails or screws from fence boards and posts. Even if you chop down your fence with a saw and leave the nails in place, you may want to repurpose the wood for another project. It means you have to remove the nails carefully.
It’s critical to avoid leaving nails all around your yard, as this can be hazardous to the people and animals who will undoubtedly step on them.
2) Remove The Fence Panels
The poles are frequently still stable and may be utilized to attach your new panels. So, most antique fences only need the panels replaced. In any case, you’ll need to start by removing the fence panels. It’s essential to inspect the wood as you remove it since you might reuse part of it in your garden.
You can strip your fence down in a couple of ways. Firstly, you can use an electric saw to saw the material down and remove it, or you may use a hammer to smash out the boards within your fence and take out the nail. Wear gloves to avoid splinters, and be careful when removing each board because nails will protrude from the wood.
3) Use Shovel For Concrete Fixed Fence
Use the shovel to loosen the earth surrounding the slab for a wooden post put in concrete. Remove the soil to the point where the top of the concrete can be seen. Wrap the log chain in a single strand around the concrete just below the fence. To keep the chain in place, hook one end of the chain to itself. Place the jack near the post.
Wrap the other end of the chain around the jack’s foot and fasten it. Hold the chain on the back foot with one hand while pumping the jack handle with the other until the chain is taut. If the post will not come out of the ground with hand pulling or fixed in concrete, secure it with a heavy c-clamp near the ground.
Place the high-lift jack alongside the post. Raise the jack till the c-boot clamps make contact. Continue to jack the post out of the ground until it comes free. For each post, repeat the procedure.
4) How To Remove The Fence Completely From The Ground?
If you don’t think you’ll be able to save your fence posts, you’ll have to dig them up. Getting your fence posts out of the ground can be difficult if you have concrete footings.
However, there are a few strategies you can use to get them out. You could just saw off the fence post and leave the concrete in place, but you’ll need to remove the footings if you want to install a new fence. You can utilize a variety of procedures to remove those concrete footings.
When you dig out a fence post, you will generally displace much soil. But you will have places ready to re-pour concrete and quickly replace your posts. Levering the post out takes time, especially since you’ll need to attach boards to the post to push against, and it’s dangerous.
Final Thoughts
Fence removal takes intense lifting, extensive tools, and probably some tears. Any strategy you use may take some direction if your fence is fixed. If you don’t feel comfortable removing your fence, you can always hire someone to do it for you.
However, this post will help you to remove the fence yourself efficiently and budget-friendly. You get the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself.
Additionally, you can save more money by doing it yourself instead of hiring professionals. That’s all from our side! Now, you are all set to remove the old fence and install the new one according to your needs and requirements.
