Once you decide to replace your old fence with a new precast concrete fence, you might find yourself staring at the old fence, wondering what to do with it. You could call a professional. Say you want to save a little money and do it yourself. Here’s how to do it.
Remove the Paneling
First, you want to remove the paneling. This will depend on the type of material you use.
If you are breaking down metal fencing, you will want to cut or remove the chain-link. For a wood fence, you can just take an electric saw and run it down the length of the fence panels.
If you don’t want to cut the paneling in half – some like to save the paneling to sell, donate, or use on another project – you can remove the paneling board-by-board.
If the panels are screwed to the fence posts, simply unscrew them. This might take two people to hold the panel up while you unscrew both screws.
If the nails hold up the paneling, you can hit the panel (not the nail) towards the post with a hammer. This could force the nail to pop out of the panel. Or you can use a hammer and crowbar to remove the nails.
A previously existing concrete fence is a little more complicated. This will require some manpower and equipment like a jackhammer. Unless you already have the know-how and equipment, we recommend hiring someone in this case.
Remove the Fence Posts
This can be the most challenging part of removing an old fence. Those fence posts are supposed to be strongly built and are often set in concrete.
Some of the options to remove the old fence posts are dig by hand, use a jack, or use heavy machinery.
Dig By Hand
Digging out by hand is a fairly common yet labor-intensive method. You don’t need extra equipment – just a shovel and workers. This also works well for any fencing material.
Simply dig around one side of the concrete until you are able to tip the whole piece of concrete into that hole. This method saves you from having to dig out the concrete on all sides.
Use a Jack
To use a jack, you need…a jack. Don’t use a floor jack. A tall bumper or farm jack will give you the leverage you need.
To connect the jack to the fence post, you can:
- Bolt a piece of wood to the post and lift the post with the jack by the bolted-on wood
- Wrap a chain, ratchet straps, or strap around the post, connect that to the jack, and pull out the post
Tip: If you are struggling to lift the post with the jack, try softening the ground by soaking it with water. Do this an hour or two before trying again to lift the post.
Use Heavy Machinery
To remove the concrete with heavy machinery, you would need to get a digger or a loader. This is the least accessible and most costly option, but it is the easiest.
Pull on the post gently. You don’t want to break the post concrete footings.
American Precast Concrete
If you are looking to replace or remove your old fencing, contact American Precast today! We look forward to helping you find the perfect solution for your home or business. Call today for a free consultation.