Garden Fencing: Repair or Replace? What to Check After Winter Storms

The Post-Storm Fence Check

If you've stepped out into your garden after a winter storm and found fence panels leaning, blown out, or flat on the ground, you're not alone. It's one of the most common calls we get between November and March.

Before you decide what to do, it's worth taking a proper look at the damage. Sometimes a quick repair is all that's needed. Other times, it makes more sense to replace sections — or even the whole fence.

Signs You Can Get Away With a Repair

Not every bit of storm damage means a full replacement. If only one or two panels have come loose or blown out but the posts are still solid and upright, it's usually a straightforward fix. Panels can be re-secured or replaced individually without touching the rest of the fence. Similarly, if your concrete gravel boards have cracked but the posts and panels above are fine, swapping the gravel boards is a much smaller job than starting from scratch.

The key thing is the posts. If the posts are solid — whether they're concrete or sound timber — then repairs usually make good sense. The posts are the structural backbone of the fence, and as long as they're doing their job, everything else can be fixed around them.

Signs It's Time to Replace

If multiple panels are damaged, or the fence was already looking tired before the storm hit, it's often more cost-effective to replace the whole run rather than patching it section by section. The clearest sign is the posts: if timber posts are rotten at the base, soft when you push them, or leaning significantly, they need to come out. You can't build a sound fence on dodgy posts.

Age is also a factor. If the fence is ten or fifteen years old and has had several repairs over the years, you'll probably spend less in the long run by replacing it now rather than fixing it every winter.

What Type of Fencing?

If you are replacing, it's worth thinking about what type of fence will serve you best. Standard lap panels are the most affordable option, but they're also the least durable — they tend to catch the wind like a sail and can blow out in storms. Closeboard fencing (sometimes called featheredge) is built on site from individual boards nailed to horizontal rails. It's stronger, lasts longer, and handles wind much better because the overlapping boards allow some air through.

For the posts, concrete is the most hard-wearing option and won't rot, though some people prefer the look of timber. If you do go with timber posts, make sure they're properly treated and set in concrete — it makes a big difference to how long they last.

Get in Touch

Whether you need a quick fence repair or a full replacement, we can help. We carry out fencing work right across Northamptonshire and are happy to come out for a free, no-obligation quote. Just give us a call or get in touch through our contact page and we'll arrange a visit.