After the Storm: How to Fix a Leaning Fence Post or Blown-Out Panel, and Stop It Happening Again

Most storm-damaged fences can be fixed in an afternoon. If the post has rotted at ground level, fit a repair spike or bolt on a concrete repair spur. If the timber is sound but the footing has loosened, dig it out and reset it with postmix. To stop it happening again, switch to slotted concrete posts and gravel boards.

The first big autumn storm always finds the weak spot in a fence. A panel lifts out, a post starts to lean, or a whole run tips towards next door's garden. The good news is that most storm damage is quick to fix with the right parts, and a few small changes will stop the same section failing again next winter.

This guide from DBM DIY (Darlaston Builders Merchants explains how to work out what's actually gone wrong, the quickest fixes for leaning posts and blown-out panels, and when it's worth upgrading to concrete posts and gravel boards.

Why fences fail in storms

A standard 6ft by 6ft fence panel has a surface area of over 3m². In strong wind it behaves like a sail, and all of that force is transferred to the posts. Storm damage almost always comes down to one of three things:

• The post has rotted at ground level. Timber posts usually fail just below the surface, where moisture sits longest. Our guide to the garden fence pressure point problem explains why this happens even with treated timber.
• The footing has loosened. Waterlogged autumn ground softens, and a post set in a shallow or undersized footing can rock free.
• The panel has pulled away from its fixings. Screws or clips corrode, the panel frame shrinks and swells, and eventually the panel lifts out of place.

Before buying anything, check which of these you're dealing with. Push the post gently. If it moves at ground level and the timber feels soft when you press a screwdriver into it, the post has rotted. If the post is solid but the whole footing moves, the concrete has come loose. If the post is firm and upright, the problem is the panel fixings.

Safety first: don't try to repair a fence while it's still windy. A loose panel can catch a gust and cause injury. Wait for a calm day, and prop or tie back any damaged sections in the meantime.

How to fix a leaning fence post

Option 1: Fit a repair spike (post rotted at ground level)

If the post has snapped or rotted at the base but the rest of the timber is sound, a repair spike is the quickest fix. It's driven into the ground alongside the old stump, and the post sits in the socket at the top.

1. Remove the fence panels either side of the damaged post.
2. Cut the post off cleanly just above ground level.
3. Drive the repair spike down alongside the old stump or concrete footing, using a driving tool and a sledgehammer. Check it's upright with a spirit level as you go.
4. Fit the post into the socket and tighten the bolts.
5. Refit the panels.

We stock 75mm repair spikes for 3x3" posts and 100mm repair spikes for 4x4" posts.

Option 2: Bolt on a concrete repair spur (post rotted, footing solid)

If you'd rather not remove the panels, a concrete repair spur (sometimes called a "godfather" post) is bolted to the side of the existing timber post and concreted into the ground beside it. It takes the load away from the rotten base.

1. Dig a hole about 600mm deep right next to the leaning post
2. Push the post back upright and brace it.
3. Stand the concrete repair spur in the hole and bolt it through the timber post.
4. Fill the hole with Postcrete and leave it to set before removing the bracing.

This is a good fix for older fences where you only need to buy time for a few more years.

Option 3: Reset the post (post sound, footing loose)

If the timber is still solid but the footing has moved:

1. Remove the panels either side.
2. Dig out around the old footing and lift the post out.
3. Break off the old concrete, re-dig the hole to the right depth (see the table below) and add a layer of gravel at the bottom for drainage.
4. Stand the post in, check it's upright on two sides, and refill with fast-set postmix.

How to fix a blown-out panel

If the posts are solid and the panel has simply lifted out:

1. Check the panel itself. If the frame is split or the boards have come away, it's usually cheaper to replace the panel than repair it. Measure the gap between posts carefully first, as panel sizes vary slightly.
2. Replace the fixings. Use galvanised fence clips or brackets and exterior screws. Standard screws rust through within a few winters.
3. Fit two or three fixings per side.Top, middle and bottom on each post gives the panel far more resistance to lifting.

Stop it happening again: the storm-proof upgrades

Switch to slotted concrete posts

Concrete posts don't rot, and the panels slide down into slots in the posts rather than being screwed on. That makes them much harder to blow out. If you're replacing more than one or two posts, it's usually worth switching the whole run.

We stock slotted concrete posts from 1500mm to 3000mm, plus matching end posts for the ends of a run and corner posts for turns:

• Slotted concrete post 2400mm (8ft)
• Concrete end post 2400mm (8ft)
• Slotted concrete corner post 2400mm (8ft)

See the full range of concrete fence posts.

Add gravel boards

A gravel board sits at the bottom of the fence, between the posts, so the panel never touches the ground. It stops the bottom rail rotting, and with concrete posts it slots in underneath the panel. Concrete gravel boards are available plain or patterned, and there's a treated timber option for use with timber posts.

Choose the right post length

As a rule of thumb, around a quarter of the post's length should be in the ground. If you're adding a gravel board, you'll need a longer post to keep the same fence height.

On exposed sites, or on clay soil that stays wet all winter, go deeper rather than shallower.

Consider a panel that lets wind through

Solid overlap and featheredge panels catch the full force of the wind. On a very exposed boundary, a slatted fence panel with gaps between the boards lets some wind pass through and puts much less strain on the posts. Our fence panels buying guide compares the different styles.

Your storm repair shopping list

Setting a new fence from scratch? Follow our step-by-step guide on how to put up a panel fence.

Get your fencing from your local DBM DIY branch

DBM DIY is the online store of Darlaston Builders Merchants, with six branches across the West Midlands. Fence panels, concrete posts and Postcrete are heavy, so it helps to have a branch close by:

• Darlaston Superstore: Pinfold Street, Darlaston WS10 7RD – 0121 526 2449
• Wednesbury (Brick Superstore): Industrial Estate, Darlaston Road, Wednesbury WS10 7TN – 0121 526 5668
• Walsall:471 Darlaston Road, Walsall WS2 9SF – 01922 211111
• West Bromwich: 25 Black Lake, West Bromwich B70 0PL – 0121 500 6265
• Birmingham (Meadway):427 Meadway, Birmingham B33 0DZ – 0121 784 0802
• Tyseley: 682 Warwick Road, Tyseley, Birmingham B11 2EZ – 0121 726 0070

Opening hours for each branch are on our store finder You can also browse the full fencing and decking range online.

Frequently asked questions