Garden Pergola

Storm sense - fixing your fence

01.01.70

With winds all over the UK blowing at gale force, it is essential to ensure that fences are in tip top condition to avoid any large repair jobs. Fences provide practical privacy and shelter against the blustery weather, but can also bear the brunt of much of the bad weather, be it rain or high winds. Forest, the UK’s leading manufacturer of decorative garden timber products, knows the importance of keeping fences, which is why they offer the widest selection of practical and decorative fencing solutions.

Here, Forest share their top tips on how to fix common fencing problems: 1. RUNNING REPAIRS Easy fence panel installation Installing or replacing a damaged fence panel is much quicker and easier if you use a purpose-designed post support system. Forest’s ‘FenceFast’ easy-fit range, available from most garden centres, is particularly simple to use and is the only type to cater for almost any post size and design: • Make a pilot hole for the post support spike using a metal rod or bar (this helps position the post correctly and alerts you of underground obstructions) • Insert the spike into the pilot hole and, using Forest’s specially designed driving tool, hammer the spike into the ground with a sledgehammer • Frequently check the position of the spike with a spirit level, correcting as required, until the box is just above ground level • Insert the fence post into the box and tighten up the retaining bolts for a secure hold Easy fence post repair Thankfully there is a labour-saving way to repair a broken or rotten fence post that was originally set in concrete, without the effort of digging up and replacing the concrete itself: • Cut off the damaged post flush with the concrete • Place a purpose-designed easy-fit ‘repairfast’ spike (available from garden centres) around the old post base • Using a drive tool, hammer the ‘repairfast’ into the existing foundation • The new post can now be fixed into place Inside track on insurance Unfortunately, although storm and wind damage is a standard part of most household insurance policies, be aware that this does not normally include items such as fences and garden sheds! Damage to a ten-year-old timber store, for example, could be deemed the result of ‘wear and tear’ rather than simply the effects of a storm. The best advice is to check the terms of your policy with your individual insurance group. The good news is that if you are covered, a single claim is unlikely to increase the cost of your annual premium. 2. PREVENT AND PROTECT Well-wood check While wood is a beautiful, practical and long-lasting outdoor material the weather can take its toll. A quick annual ‘health-check’ can help avoid the cost and disruption of future damage: • First check the condition of all your garden fences, posts, structures and stores, securing any loose joints and replacing weakened or broken items • Then treat with a good timber care product to enhance and protect the surface Install to last Are your fence panels installed to last? Help your fencing to resist wet and windy weather by following these basic rules: • To keep fences firm and rot-free check whether they are actually installed correctly. Pressure-treated timber has been fixed with an anti-rot preservative during manufacture so it is protected from the elements – and direct ground contact – for around 15 years. Dip-treated panels, however, need a pressure-treated gravel board beneath them to prevent direct ground contact and extend panel life • Invest in suitable posts. Heavier fence panels and most garden pergolas will benefit from the added strength of 100mm posts • Check your posts are long enough before fixing. Always ensure posts are sunk at least 600mm (2’) into the ground. If you are erecting panels over an uneven or sloping surface remember you may require longer posts in places Quality first As with anything in life, you get what you pay for. Whether you need to replace a complete garden boundary, arch, pergola or shed buy the best quality you can afford; you’ll be minimising repairs and replacements later on. Where you position these items is equally important. If you can’t avoid an exposed spot then look for a style that can cope with the elements. Extra heavy-weight, lattice-work fence panels can be an especially good buy – they provide strength and durability whilst allowing the worst of the winds to pass harmlessly through.

Source: Kidderminster Shuttle