Fence Repair in Lanham, MD

Yes, we repair both the chain link and the wood sections of a mixed Lanham fence, each in its own material. Mixed fences are common on older Lanham lots, where different owners added sections over several decades. The trouble spots are the corner and transition posts where the two styles meet, because they carry two fence lines with different loads and loosen first. We rebuild those joints on a properly set post, then repair the chain link framework and the wood posts, rails and boards separately. If one style is sound and the other is worn out, we replace only the worn section, or the whole perimeter in one material if you prefer.

No, a bent top rail on an old Lanham chain link fence usually does not mean the whole fence needs replacing. Top rail is one of the most common chain link repairs and is often the only major problem. We cut out the damaged section, splice in new top rail, then re-stretch the fabric and replace the ties so it hangs tight again. We also check each line post at the ground, since decades-old posts can rust through where they meet the soil. If the posts and fabric are sound, a top rail repair keeps the fence in service. If the fabric is rusted through in many spots, new fabric can go on the existing frame.

Old Lanham fence posts set in tamped dirt instead of concrete are a problem once they start to loosen, which usually happens first at corners and gates. Dirt-set posts were common on fences built decades ago, and on firm soil some still hold. Over time, though, they rock loose under load and lean. When we repair a fence like that, we reset the failing posts in concrete and crown the top so water runs off instead of pooling against the wood or steel. We do not reset every post automatically, only the ones that are loose, leaning or carrying a gate or corner, so sound posts stay in service.

A dragging side gate in Lanham can usually be fixed rather than replaced, because the cause is most often a leaning hinge post and a frame that has racked out of square. On older properties, decades of daily use tip the hinge post a little each year, and old strap hinges bend and rust. On a Lanham gate the fix usually starts at the hinge post, then the frame gets squared and braced and the hinges get matched to the gate's weight. Bent or rusted hardware gets replaced. Once the frame is square and the post is solid, the gate swings clear and the latch lines up. A new gate is only needed when the frame itself is rotted or split.

The back fence on a Lanham lot often leans while the sides stay straight because the yard slopes toward the back and rainwater collects along that fence line. Wood posts sitting in wet soil rot at the soil line faster than posts along drier side runs. Mature trees planted when the houses were new add roots that lift footings and shade that keeps the line damp. We probe the posts along the back run, replace soft ones in fresh concrete and crown the concrete to shed water. If roots are lifting a post, we shift it along the line. Pointing downspouts away from the back and clearing leaves from the base helps too.

A solid privacy fence, either tight-board wood or white vinyl, gives a Lanham yard near the Beltway the most privacy from passing traffic. Both block the view completely and cut the feeling of traffic right behind the yard. A fence will not eliminate highway noise, but a solid fence with no gaps along the bottom softens it more than an open style does. Vinyl needs little more than a wash, while wood looks warmer and needs staining on a schedule. We confirm the county height limit for your address before work starts and lay out gates where you actually walk, like the path to the trash cans or shed.

Yes, removing the old fence is part of every fence replacement we do in Lanham. On older lots, that often means pulling rusted chain link posts with their concrete footings, wood posts set in dirt and buried pieces of fences that came before the current one. We dig those out so new posts go in clean and on line instead of being shifted around old concrete. Before digging, Miss Utility marks the underground utilities, as Maryland requires. We also confirm county permit requirements for your address before work starts. Old fencing, posts and concrete are hauled off, and the yard is raked clean when the new fence is up.

The street side of a corner lot fence in Lanham wears out first because it takes snow plowed off the road, mower and trimmer hits and passing foot traffic that the back yard runs never see. Seabrook and the neighborhoods off Annapolis Rd have many corner lots with a side yard facing the street. Plowed snow piles against the bottom boards and holds salt and moisture there for weeks. Mowers working the strip between the fence and the sidewalk chip posts at the ground. We replace the damaged boards and posts and, on wood fences, add a bottom rot board where the design allows so the face boards sit above the splash.

Yes, adding a post in the middle of an overlong span is a standard fix for a Lanham wood fence that sags between posts. Older fences were sometimes built with wide post spacing, and as the rails age they bow under the weight of the boards. We set a new pressure-treated post in concrete at the midpoint, attach the rails to it so they are carried at three points instead of two, and replace any rail that has cracked rather than bent. Boards that pulled loose as the rail sagged get refastened. If several spans on the run are sagging, we check the whole line, since the same spacing was likely used throughout.

A gray wood fence in Lanham is worth staining if the boards and posts are still firm, because gray color alone is only surface weathering. Press a screwdriver into the bottom of a few boards and into each post at the soil line. If the wood resists, it can be cleaned and stained. If the tip sinks in, those pieces need replacing first. Mature trees shade many Lanham back yards, so mildew is common under the gray. We wash off the mildew and loose fibers, let the wood dry completely and brush in a penetrating stain. Boards that are split through get replaced before staining so the whole run takes color evenly.