Whether you are an avid “do-it-yourself” kind of person or you are simply hoping to save some money in demolition costs, removing your old fence is something you can tackle with the right tools and enough strength! Tearing out an old fence can be challenging, so here is a quick guide that will hopefully give you some helpful tips before you jump in and get started.
Steps to Prepare
Before you begin, it is wise (and required) to check your utilities to make sure that you will not damage any lines while you are digging in your yard. Simply call 811 to have your yard surveyed for potential digging conflicts. If you have any questions regarding your property lines or whether your fence is on your property, your local city office should be able to help you.
Be sure to have a discussion with your neighbors. Let them know that you are planning to tear out your fence and replace it. This will give them a chance to make any necessary arrangements regarding the time that your fence project is underway.
Gather Some Tools
Depending on the plan you have formulated to remove your old fence, you will want to gather the necessary tools. Here is a list of tools that will be helpful. Keep in mind again that which tools you need will vary depending on how you plan to remove your fence.
-Pry bar
-Hammer
-Screwdriver
-Circular saw
-Step ladder
-Shovel
-Gloves
-2x4s
-Cinder blocks
-Chain with grab hook
-Farm jack
Disposal Plan
Be sure to have a plan for how you will dispose of your old fence materials. Order a dumpster if needed or have a truck and trailer ready to haul your old fence materials to a recycling center. Most curbside trash companies will not haul your construction debris away since they have weight and amount restrictions in place.
Dismantle Your Fence
If you are tearing down a wood fence, a good place to start is with the gates. Unscrew any hinges from the posts and lift the gates away. After the gates are off you can dismantle the rest of the fence panels. Use a pry bar or a hammer to loosen and remove the fence pickets (these are attached with nails and should come off somewhat easily). When the pickets have been removed, take a circular saw and cut the support rails away from the posts. In this way, your fence is broken down into manageable pieces that can be carried to a dumpster or trailer.
If you are dismantling a vinyl fence, do not use a saw to cut it up. Unscrew any brackets from the posts and carry your vinyl fence panels away.
Remove Fence Posts
Removing your fence posts is probably the most difficult part of the demolition. Most fence posts are set in concrete to keep them sturdy. This is very helpful during the life of the fence, but it creates a lot of work when it’s time for the posts to be removed!
If your posts are not set in concrete, you can wiggle them to get them free. Use your weight to wiggle them back and forth until you can push an inch or two in each direction. Then pull up. Continue this until the post is free.
If your posts are set in concrete as most are, you have a few different options to get them out.
- The first option is to use a farm jack. Grab your jack, a chain, and a shovel. Dig down around the fence post until 3-4 inches of concrete footing is exposed. Wrap your chain around the concrete in such a way that it won’t slip off (if your chain is long enough, you can wrap around a few times before hooking back to the chain). Place your farm jack next to the post and attach the other end of the chain to it. Pump the jack until it has lifted the post and concrete from the ground.
- Your second removal option is to create a lever. You can do this with any materials you can find, but for sake of the example we will describe this method using some 2x4s and a cinder block. Take two 2x4s that are about a foot long and fasten them together. Fasten one so that it is 5-6 inches higher than the other. Screw the higher piece to your post. Put a cinder block a foot or so away from the post. Take a 6ft long 2×4, slide one end of it into the notch you made and rest the board on the cinder block. Push down on the board. By pushing down on the board, you will push up on the post. Continue to do this until the post is free.
- The third method is to simply dig and push. Dig down around the post until the concrete is exposed as much as possible. Push on the post to loosen it. Continue trying to loosen it until you can lift it up or push it over.
Hopefully these tips will help you during your next fence removal project! As always, if you need help with your fence removal or installing your new fence, give Wymore Deck and Fence a call!
