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I've got a fence that is migrating uphill, parallel (not perpendicular) to the line of the fence. None of the posts are loose (sunk in concrete poured underground) and I cannot shift the fence back downhill no matter how hard I push/pull. Any ideas for how to i) straigthen the fence, and ii) keep it that way?

Fence leans in direction of red arrow in photos below:

Fence leans in direction of red arrow

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I've tried a cable and turnbuckle solution, tightening just a bit each day, but the fence panel pulls back a bit each day, preventing me from reaching a steady state where the gate closes without interference.

Instead of the tightening just a bit each day, why can't I just tighten the turnbuckle until the gate opens/closes perfectly and then attach a horizontal stainless steel brace to the panel to better lock in it place?

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    Have you tried a cable with a turnbuckle. Place it across from the bottom to the top in such a way that it will draw it back into alignment. Adjust just a little every few days until it is slightly overdecorated then you can replace the cable with some wooden braces. In the top photo from top left to the base of the next column to the right.
    – Gil
    Commented Mar 9, 2023 at 23:27
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    @Gil - the answer box is below. Use it.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 0:02
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    What is making the fence migrate? Is it leaning over under its own weight? or is it being pushed? (Check the other end of the fence for what might be making it lean. Maybe the neighbor's collapsing shed/woodpile/elephant is leaning on it? :)
    – Triplefault
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 1:16
  • Thanks @Gil for the cable and turnbuckle idea - I will try that and see if I can manage to straighten just this first fence panel.
    – Eli Kern
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 3:30
  • @Triplefault - I can’t figure out why the fence is migrating uphill. There is nothing pushing on it from the downhill side (just empty space there). The earth around the fence seems solid and has good drainage, but I assume the fence posts are somehow shifting in their holes, though there is no looseness whatsoever.
    – Eli Kern
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 3:33

2 Answers 2

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Have you tried a cable with a turnbuckle. Place it across from the bottom to the top in such a way that it will draw it back into alignment. Adjust just a little every few days until it is slightly overdecorated then you can replace the cable with some wooden braces. In the top photo from top left to the base of the next column to the right. My father did a similar thing many years back and it worked fine. He would only move it maybe a 1/2" every few days and when he had it straight he left the cable and turnbuckle there.

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These things are usually caused by something pushing or pulling on the fence, but you gate is hung on the other side, so it is not that, and there's nothing obviously leaning on the neighbours end of the fence.

To fix, add a diagonal wire with a turnbuckle to pull the fence top away from the gate, (like the wire the gate already has).

If straightening the fence is going to jam your neighbours gate you're going to need to come to an agreement with them about how the fence should be modified. it seems reasonable that fence posts should be vertical, so don't make the corner post lean towards their gate.

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  • You may need a wire and turnbuckle for each pair of posts.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 12:01
  • I would expect the top rail of the fence to transfer enough force if you only slowly tighten the turnbbuckle (millimeters per week) going too fast may loosen the fence posts too much.
    – Jasen
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 12:22
  • Appropriate weather-resistant hardware (think stainless steel, as is used in coastal regions) could be installed and left in place. If that's too expensive and/or you don't like the look, it can be replaced with very tightly fitted diagonal wood bracing of appropriate weather resistant species (treated would work, but natural weather resistance would probably be better), properly installed to resist future creep.
    – FreeMan
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 12:54
  • Thank you all for your help with this issue!
    – Eli Kern
    Commented Mar 10, 2023 at 18:01

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