Do Not Try This Alone – How to dismantle a split-rail fence
Difficulty Level: Easy (when everything is rotten 🙂 )
Strength Level: Find some from somewhere. You’ll need it.
This is why I do not like wooden fences. After a while, even treated fences will rot, and down they go. Today I took down this section of fencing. All of the posts were rotted and it was holding on by a thread (A wire hanger, actually). So when the “thread” was loosened, it all came down. In my neighbor’s yard.
Dismantling required 2 tools: wire cutters and pliers (I had 2 kinds of pliers: needle-nose and regular), some serious arm strength, and protective gear: safety glasses and gloves. Being pierced by a rusty nail or piece of wire can give you a serious case of tetanus. Splinters can cause infection. And of course, a heavy piece of lumber dropped on your foot is not fun. I recommend doing this with someone to help if you’re just a weekend small project DIY-er like me. If not for the bad timing and underestimation, I would have had help as well.
Suggestions Needed: So now I have 12 pickets, a gate with questionable hinges, and 3 posts that have rotted on the bottom. Any suggestions on how I can upcycle these into a functional DIY piece?
