Avery Ranch Connects June 2021 issue

D I Y F E N C E R E P A I R
Now you are ready to reattach the pickets you
removed earlier. You may need to clear dirt
and debris from the ground to fit them back in
place. Line up the top of the pickets with the
top of the rest of the fence and screw them
into the new braces, top and bottom, using
the 1 5/8-inch deck screws. Add screws to
the other pickets that are in front of the new
braces. Check the rest of the pickets on the
fence for loose or missing nails. Either hammer
them back in or add more deck screws since
those will hold the boards much more securely
than loose nails.
You will end up with the weight of each section of fence secured to the posts with the braces and
screws in four or five pickets. Sometimes one of the old 8-foot 2X4 runners is so rotten that it needs to
be replaced. You can add a new, treated 2X4 in the same manner as the braces without tearing apart
the whole fence to remove the old one. Leave the old one in place. Just work the new 2X4 between
the pickets and the posts at both ends of the section. If you have taken off pickets for braces, the 3-
inch screws are sufficient. If you are screwing through everything--picket, runner, and post--then use
3 ½-inch screws. Finally, screw every picket into the new 2X4 runner.
These repairs are not beautiful, but they are way cheaper than a new fence. They will extend the life of
your fences for several years until the posts and pickets all need to be replaced. Thanks to my
neighbor, Sebastien Gravallon, shown in some of the pictures as we repaired the fence with his other
neighbor. If you have questions or feel you need a more detailed tutorial, I am happy to help. Please
call me at 512-775-2123 or email to cfcole@sbcglobal.net. Good luck.
Avery Ranch Connects • June 2021 p. 18