Download Article
A guide to fixing your fence yourself
Download Article
Chain link fences often sustain minor damage from bad weather and falling debris, but this is something you can fix on your own. To fix a bad rail, start by purchasing and cutting a replacement rail. Once you’ve installed the rail, tie the mesh in place with pliers and wire ties. You can use the pliers to install a mesh or fix smaller areas by weaving in new strands. Use a come-along tool to tighten the meshing and keep your fence strong.
Steps
-
Measure the diameter of the old rails. Hold a tape measurement against the ends of the rails you wish to replace. Note the pipe’s diameter so you can order properly-sized replacements.
-
Purchase new rails from a home improvement store. Get rails the same size as your old ones. If part of your rail is loose or broken, you can bring it to the store so the employees can help you find a matching rail.
- The rail should have one tapered end and one wider end.
Advertisement -
Remove the wire ties on the fence’s top rail. The ties connect the top of the chain mesh to the rail. Put on a pair of gloves and use pliers to bend the ends of the ties. Pull the ties through the chain links to free the rail. Remove all the ties on the part of the rail you need to replace.
-
Measure and mark the new rail for cutting. Get someone else to help you hold the old rail up to the new one. Slide the smaller, tapered end over the old rail, making sure the back end of the tapered section lines up with the damaged part you want to cut. Use a pencil to mark this on the old rail, then mark the rail’s other end. [1] X Research source
-
Put on safety gear before cutting the rail. Get some protective polycarbonate eyeglasses to protect you from metal fragments when cutting the rail. Also put on a respirator mask to avoid breathing in metal dust. [2] X Research source
- If you’re going to use a reciprocal saw, it’s recommended that you also wear hearing protection.
-
Cut the damaged rail with a hacksaw. [3] X Expert Source Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist Expert Interview. 24 September 2021. Find the line you marked earlier on the old rail. Saw into it to sever the rail at 1 end. Cut the rail off at the other end to free it. Slide the old rail off and set it aside. [4] X Research source- You may use a reciprocal saw, but have a friend hold the rail in place as you cut it.
-
Unbolt the top rail from the corner post to give yourself more room. Go to the corner post on the side where you’ll install the tapered end of the new rail. Use an adjustable wrench or ratchet wrench to remove the carriage bolts on the tension bands. Slide the rail towards the post to move it. [5] X Research source
-
Lay the new rail in place. First, slide the larger end of the rail onto the smaller end of the old rail. Then slide the tapered end of the new rail into the rail you unbolted. You may need to saw the new rail a little bit to get it to fit perfectly. [6] X Research source
-
Reconnect the rails and wire ties. Slide the rails back into place, then replace the carriage bolts to secure the corner bolt in place. Using pliers, loop the old wire ties around the rail and through the chain links to secure the mesh to the rail. The wire ties should be placed every 24 in (61 cm) along the top rail. [7] X Research source
- If you need to replace the wire ties, purchase metal wire ties or nylon cable ties at a home improvement store.
-
Repeat the process to replace the bottom rail. If your fence has a bottom rail, it is repaired the same way as the top rail. This time, loosen the corner post’s lower tension band, then remove the wire ties from the bottom of the fence. Measure, cut, and install the new rail like you did before.
Advertisement
-
Use pliers to detach the top rail’s wire ties. Locate the wire ties connecting the mesh to the top rail. Wearing gloves to protect your hands, use your pliers to pull the ties through the chain links. This detaches the mesh from the rails. Pull the mesh back from the rail, but don’t remove it. [8] X Research source
- If the wire ties aren’t rusted or broken, set them aside and reuse them later.
-
Remove the lower wire ties to free the damaged wires. First, find the top ends of the damaged wires. They’ll be wrapped around the undamaged wires, so pull them apart with the pliers. Follow the strands all the way down to the ground and use the pliers to also remove the lower wire ties. [9] X Research source
-
Pull the wires up from the fence to remove them. [10] X Expert Source Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist Expert Interview. 24 September 2021. Grab the top ends of the damaged wires. You should be able to remove them by pulling them up off the fence. If they’re still stuck, continue unraveling the chain links by twisting the damaged wires around the undamaged ones. -
Cut the chain link fabric to size. [11] X Expert Source Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist Expert Interview. 24 September 2021. If you’re trying to fix a large area in the fence’s meshing, purchase a roll of chain link fabric from a home improvement store. Measure out enough of the material to cover the gap. Untwist the wires at the end of the mesh section to remove it from the roll.- If you’re fixing a small area, you can use wires from an old fence
-
Weave the new wires into the fence. Hold the new mesh in place by tying it to the bottom bar with wire ties. [12] X Expert Source Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist Expert Interview. 24 September 2021. To connect it to existing mesh, get a wire from the old fence or mesh roll. At the bottom rail, wrap the loose strand around the old mesh. Run the wire diagonally upwards to wrap it around the new mesh. Continue doing this until reaching the top rail. [13] X Research source- The chain links should form a diamond pattern when you’re finished. If you’re not trying to patch up old meshing, you don’t need to do this.
-
Tie the wire to the top rail. At the rail, loop the ends of the wires over each other. Pull the ends down towards the rail. Finish by applying wire or cable ties every 24 in (61 cm) along the rail to bind the wires to it. [14] X Research source
- If your fence has a bottom rail, also secure the bottom ends of the wires to it.
-
Tighten the chain link mesh. To set the mesh in place, makes sure the mesh is unbolted from the tension bands on the posts. Attach a come-along tool to the 2 nearest posts. Crank the come-along tool until the chain links move no less than 1 ⁄ 4 in (0.64 cm) when you push them together with your fingers.
- You can get a come-along tool at a hardware store.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
- It’s easier and less expensive to replace damaged mesh with a roll instead of individual wires.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Things You’ll Need
Repairing Mesh
- Pliers
- Hacksaw or reciprocating saw
- Safety glasses
- Hearing protection
- Gloves
- New rail
- Wire ties
Replacing Mesh
- Mesh roll or wires
- Wire ties
- Pliers
- Gloves
References
- ↑ https://www.familyhandyman.com/garden-structures/fences/how-to-repair-a-chain-link-fence/view-all/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxriqLuJPWo&feature=youtu.be&t=57
- ↑ Ryaan Tuttle. Home Improvement Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 September 2021.
- ↑ https://homesteady.com/how-2307537-repair-chain-link-fence.html
- ↑ https://www.familyhandyman.com/garden-structures/fences/how-to-repair-a-chain-link-fence/view-all/
- ↑ https://homesteady.com/how-2307537-repair-chain-link-fence.html
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxriqLuJPWo&feature=youtu.be&t=117
- ↑ https://www.familyhandyman.com/garden-structures/fences/how-to-repair-a-chain-link-fence/view-all/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEOI9NeiG1E&feature=youtu.be&t=172
- ↑ Ryaan Tuttle. Home Improvement Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 September 2021.
- ↑ Ryaan Tuttle. Home Improvement Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 September 2021.
- ↑ Ryaan Tuttle. Home Improvement Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 September 2021.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxriqLuJPWo&feature=youtu.be&t=117
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxriqLuJPWo&feature=youtu.be&t=117
About This Article
Article Summary
X
Repairing a chain-link fence is fairly straight-forward, and most fixes can be done on your own. To replace the top or bottom rail, you’ll need to purchase a rail the same diameter as the old ones. Then, use pliers to remove the wire ties holding the old rail, put the new rail in place, then reconnect the rails with wire ties. If the new rail is too long, you can use a hacksaw to cut it to size. If you want to repair the chain mesh, you’ll need to cut the wire ties with pliers, take out the old sheet, then secure a new sheet of mesh to the rails. For more advice on measuring your new fence pieces, read on!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 75,875 times.
Advertisement
100%
of readers found this article helpful
.
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
