Asked on Feb 06, 2016

Leaning vinyl fence: HELP!

Vickie Benak
by Vickie Benak
We have a vinyl fence that is leaning toward the street side of our yard. We unfortunately did not have the professionals install it, which was about 10 years ago. Besides having to start all over, is there any thing we can do to straighten it?
As you might be able to see, we tried using rope and stakes to pull it back. Not working.
  18 answers
  • Janice Victoria Hart Janice Victoria Hart on Feb 07, 2016
    I would go onto the street side and push the fence back then put a stake/post on that side to keep it upright
  • Joanna Joanna on Feb 07, 2016
    Go to the street side put another post in behind the one thats there this should strengthen the whole fence keep it going for another ten years
  • Valerie Valerie on Feb 07, 2016
    I would also put in posts on the street side, as suggested by Janice and Joanna, as well as put in a number of posts at equal intervals on 'your' side of the fence. I would then attach the fence to the posts by using brackets screwed into the fence as well as the posts. (on "your" side of the fence), Paint the posts the same colour as the fence and it will blend in as if it is not there.
  • Bob Bob on Feb 07, 2016
    Simple ... but takes a little digging. Carefully use a post hole digger and dig a post hole on the far side of each post to free up space to push post vertical. Consider running to Harbor Freight and buy for $9.99 a set of racket web belts so you can 'rachet' post erect. Hopefully you can tie off the belt to a post or tree). Then straighten, level, fill.
    • See 1 previous
    • Bob Bob on Feb 07, 2016
      @Trudy Yup! Just be sure to run a line or string between two known points at each end of leaning sections so each corrected section is placed/straightened accurately.
  • Steel fence posts. The simplest way to 'fix' this 'temporarily'. If you can get a post hole driver, this is by the far easiest. I fake my fence and pieces in the garden with steel posts that will not rot for years plus they are sturdy. You will need the tallest steel fence posts, drill, and cable ties. You drive the post right next to each post that should be holding the fence up and drive it in about 18" or so. Then you push the fence back up straight and drill a hole on each fence panel so that you can slide a cable tie through (they make really long cable ties too) and tie it up. The clear cable ties blend in with the fence and no one will notice from the street. I held up 2 panels similar to this for 3 years in my garden as a screen. Good luck!
    • Liz Liz on Feb 07, 2016
      @The Garden Frog with C Renee This is a great answer and money, time and labor saving, too! We can't all afford new fencing as some people recommended. She can paint the metal fence posts white, it will look good and save tons of money!
  • Chu1372902 Chu1372902 on Feb 07, 2016
    Adding additional post to the out side is a great idea if you want it to look like crap! How about this for a concept. Have a professional who really knows what they are doing take it down and salvage it. Have them Install proper sized post holes and reinstall the fencing. Remember you get what you pay for! Go cheep your gonna get cheep and have nothing but problems.
    • Bre1943597 Bre1943597 on Feb 07, 2016
      I agree! Pros know their business!!! Posts beside posts will look tacky on either your side or the street side - no matter what!!!! Go Pro!!!!!
  • LD LD on Feb 07, 2016
    Looking at the pic of the fence it appears to me that the post were not properly installed in the ground. You basically need to disassemble the fencing and properly set the post. I have attached a link that covers the proper way to install this type of fencing. http://www.familyhandyman.com/garden-structures/fences/installing-a-vinyl-fence/view-all
  • Linda Johnson Linda Johnson on Feb 07, 2016
    You could take out the couple of sections that are leaning and replace the posts (inside - under the vinyl post cover). Once the posts are level and set, replace the vinyl fencing sections. It shouldn't be difficult.
  • Vickie Benak Vickie Benak on Feb 07, 2016
    Thank you for all your feed back. Since I yes a woman, has to fix this, I will try some of your suggestions. This was a very expensive lesson, never have something done by anyone who doesn't know how to do it correctly the first time. Maybe a plane will crash on it and then it will get fixed. Yea right. 😏
    • Kincaid99 Kincaid99 on Feb 08, 2016
      @Vickie Benak Or a truck could drive thru it. Probably just as likely as the plane.
  • Chris Smith Chris Smith on Feb 08, 2016
    I (single mommy) had the same problem with a wooden fence. Fortunately, I had a sturdy wooden garden bed edge to anchor to. My solution was a turnbuckle, some bolts with an eye in them and steel rope. Turning the turnbuckle will pull the fence upright as someone pushes/leans on the other side of the fence. You could also use a steel post the other side and when you are happy, dig holes near the real support posts and pile in some rapid set cement.
  • Kincaid99 Kincaid99 on Feb 08, 2016
    The turn buckle trick has helped us several times to straighten a fence and a tree. On our present privacy fence, we took the sections out and re-did the posts, if you do not, it will lean again. I am sure you have some friends or family who could help.
  • Sheri L. Putnam-Cline Sheri L. Putnam-Cline on Feb 08, 2016
    I live in a very windy area and can get winds of 96 mph. A lot of fences go down. I decided to "bite-the-bullet" and installed cement "footers" on my property line. At every 6 feet a size appropriate PVA pipe was inserted and leveled where my fence posts would be. Strong as Bull!
  • Dorothy Dorothy on Feb 09, 2016
    I agree with Sheri. Concrete footers are the only way to go. Did it, works like a charm
  • Terry Terry on Feb 09, 2016
    We added posts to our fence without removing old post or fence. I worked beautifully...we stained to match and that was that ...looks good and was quite reasonable. We put in new posts but did not remove old posts.
  • Arlis Arlis on Feb 10, 2016
    hardware store such as Orchard Supply--there is a steel product called fence post mender. get a couple first to try. go on the other side of the fence ( this takes more than one person) push a fence post up straight (follow directions on the post mender) push the mender down in the ground as far as you can 'against' the post and using as heavy a hammer you can manage pound the metal mender into the ground tight against your existing post---now go on to the next post and repeat..these menders go almost 2feet into the ground. they are green so you might want to use some white rustoleum paint . if this works there you go..do the rest of the posts and good luck!
  • Janet Janet on Feb 11, 2016
    We just added new post. If fence is still in good shape, cut off old post and use cement with new post. You could shorten a panel so that the new post want be in the same place as the old ones. My husband only had to remove one post and just cut off the rest. Our fence is wood but may work for you.
  • Vickie Benak Vickie Benak on Feb 11, 2016
    Thank you all for the many suggestions. It is still going to be an expense I can't afford. But, I will try them some spring. Need a few men to help take out the old concrete. Wish me luck.
  • Lou Lou on May 19, 2016
    We had a similar vinyl fence. After numerous reinforcements the fence was removed and replaced with a row of narrow tall bushes to block off the neighbors side of house. The greenery continued with a long bed containing a variety of picturesque low evergreens. This was a wonderful solution for an unsightly and unstable vinyl fence.