Last winter, one section of our fence started leaning so badly that it had to be propped up with 2x4s on both sides. Come spring, when the ground finally thawed, we discovered that most of the cedar 4x4s had rotted away just below ground level. After several rounds of father-son discussions about repair, we came up with the solution shown in the drawing.
We needed splints to reinforce 14 posts, so we bought seven 12-ft. pressure-treated 4x4s and cut them in half with a 45° miter cut. Using a clamshell-style post-hole digger, we excavated holes alongside each rotten post. We braced and supported the fence so that it was plumb and level, cut the old posts a little above grade level, and pulled out the rotten post ends. To the sound end of each existing post, we affixed a 6-ft. splint with a pair of galvanized carriage bolts spaced equally below the long point of the post.
The splints rest on beds of gravel for drainage, and packed soil holds the splints in place. To protect their tops and to provide a finishing touch, each splint is capped with a piece of 1×6 cedar, which is mitered on each end. A fence board applied to the face of the post laps the cap.
We alternated the splints along the damaged section of the fence, with half in our yard and half in the neighbor’s yard. The entire fence has received a fresh coat of stain, and rather than looking like a sad old fence that was patched together, the splints have received a number of compliments.
Douglas Tompson, Saskatoon, None
