How to Repair a Vinyl Fence

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Vinyl fences are growing in popularity these days … and a big part of their appeal is the fact that they are nearly maintenance-free. If installed properly, these fences won’t warp, rust, or rot. They don't even require paint. However, life (and accidents) can happen, leading to necessary vinyl fence repair. Specifically frost, weed whackers, backyard games, and loose parts are all capable of causing damage to your fence. Here are some DIY vinyl fence repair tips to take care of each of these problems.

Posts Pushed out by Frost Heaves

Just like water expands as it becomes ice, frozen soil expands and can push fence posts right out of the ground. Fortunately, there is an easy vinyl fence repair for frost-heaved posts. Pull the posts out of the ground, and then dig the post hole deeper so it’s below frost depth. (If you’re doing this repair in winter, you may need special equipment to dig into frozen soil, such as a pickaxe or heater.) Make the hole wider at the bottom than the top and fill the hole with cement after you re-insert the fence post. This vinyl fence repair will keep the post from popping back up because it will have to fight its way through frozen ground.

Cracked Vinyl Fence 

An errant baseball, a weed whacker or falling branches can crack an otherwise durable vinyl fence. There is no attractive and lasting vinyl fence repair for this problem unless you replace the cracked pieces. Order replacement parts, remove the broken area, and repeat a portion of the installation. You should be able to determine the extent of the necessary vinyl fence repair. If you’re lucky, it could mean simply swapping out one piece. Otherwise, you might end up having to replace a whole section.

Loose Gates

Like any door or fence, vinyl fence gates can come loose or need adjustment. This vinyl fence repair is similar to that of any other gate. First, try tightening and adjusting the hinges. If the fence gate continues to sag no matter how much you tighten the hinges, you might need to add a small wheel on the outside edge of the gate. The wheel will roll out as you open the gate, providing extra support which will take some of the pressure off your hinges.

Fallen Fence Cap 

While most pieces of your vinyl fence are unlikely to come loose or separate, the decorative caps on top of the fence posts can sometimes loosen or fall off. Again, this is quite a simple vinyl fence repair, but you will need to use special PVC fence glue to stick it back on securely. Your trusty superglue may not help in this case.

Frost heaves, stray footballs, sagging gates, and loose caps can all prompt the need for vinyl fence repair. However, don’t let this deter you from buying vinyl fences, since they typically are hardwearing and require less maintenance than other types of fencing. Looking for a fast and easy alternative to DIY repair? Hire a vinyl fence specialist.

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