So you’ve decided it’s time to remove that old, dilapidated “Removing Fence Obstacles :How To Remove A Chain Link Fence Post” that’s been cluttering up your backyard for years. Maybe it’s sagging pathetically despite your best efforts to keep it upright, or the persistent rust spots are seriously detracting from your curb appeal. Whatever the reason, taking down a chain link fence is a satisfying do-it-yourself project that’ll free up some valuable outdoor real estate when completed.
While removing metal fence posts requires some heavy-duty work, this comprehensive guide breaks the process down into simple, achievable steps for motivated homeowners like yourself. With the proper techniques, tools, and safety gear, you’ll be dismantling fence posts like a pro in no time. So let’s get to prepping!
Getting Prepped And Ready For Battle
Before waging war against that unyielding fence, we must ready ourselves for the task at hand. Safety is paramount when taking on any demolition endeavor, so be sure to equip yourself appropriately before tangling with all that metal and concrete.
You’ll need sturdy gloves to protect your hands, along with eye protection like safety goggles. And wear long pants and closed-toe shoes – you don’t want falling debris or sharp edges catching you off guard! Gather up all necessary tools and have them nearby for easy access. The arsenal should include:
- Shovel – The rounded point is best for scooping loosened soil
- Post-hole digger – The long handle provides added leverage
- Sledgehammer – A 10-12 pounder packs some percussive persuasion
- Pry bar – A 36-inch model gives ample reaching and prying power
- Reciprocating saw – Fitted with a metal-cutting blade, naturally
- Wrench – For removing any stubborn bolt anchors
- Come-along tool – Gives a helpful yank when posts refuse to budge
Oh, and you probably want to call 811 beforehand to get those underground utility lines marked too. Taking a metal blade or concrete breaker to a gas line would really put a damper on the day! Once you’ve completed your preparations, it’s time to start vanquishing that vexing fence at last. Let’s get to it!
Cutting Off The Heads Of Your Fallen Foes
Before focusing efforts on the submerged sections, we must first behead those fence posts to clear them from obstructing further progress. Use your reciprocating saw or angle grinder to slice right through any protruding fence tops near ground level.
Make sure to wear approved safety goggles before buzzing away with any power tools. Try your best to make those cuts as flush to the soil as possible – you want nice, clean decapitations. Taking down the tops leaves less of a tripping hazard once you’ve fully removed the posts. And it clears the arena for concentrating work on the true adversaries – the buried footings.
Digging Your Way To Victory
Now for the real work of loosening the soil surrounding each post to detach them from their footings. Think of it as digging the enemy out of their protective foxholes! Go at it with your shovel and post-hole digger, excavating a trench about 6 inches away from each post. Go down deep too – at least 8 to 12 inches is needed to sufficiently disturb that soil and break the posts’ steadfast footing.
On larger posts encased more robustly in concrete, you may need to break out the jackhammer and dig 2 feet deep or more to shatter through that reinforced shelter. Donning some protective eyewear is wise when smashing away with such gusto. But keep digging and chopping until you feel that pleasing give as the posts loosen up in their holes. Almost time to go in for the kill!
Fighting Dirty With Sneak Attacks
Here’s where your trusty sledgehammer proves its worth. We’re gonna fight dirty now with some furious hammering to further agitate those posts from their lodgings. Give them some forceful whacks near the base, striking back and forth aggressively like swinging a giant metal baseball bat. This pounding will hopefully jostle the posts completely free from their footings.
For extra leverage, wedge the head of that pry bar into the soil and really put your back into the pulling and rocking. Having a partner assist with the sledgehammer percussion while you bear down on the crowbar makes for a lethally effective attack combo. Feel the posts wiggling more freely with every concentrated strike? Perfect – time to rip them straight out!
Ripping Out The Remains By The Roots
Okay, with any luck your relentless assault has paid off by this point. The posts should be moving more loosely now as you rock them forcefully back and forth. Have your helper pull upwards on the fence pole using vice grips or a come-along tool for additional leverage as you pry aggressively downward. Keep straining and wrenching until you feel some give. Then quickly upright the posts like stubborn molars before they have time to settle back in deeper. You may just pull up that entire concrete footer in one epic tug of war!
If the posts refuse to surrender so easily, drive wooden stakes into the ground beside them to attach your come-along or chains. The added anchoring and downward pressure from such rigging should finally coax the posts from their stubborn footing. Just keep applying steady upward force until they relinquish their hold for good. Freedom at last!
Clearing The Carnage
With the bodily remains of your mangled fence posts removed, some restoration of the battle-worn earth is likely in order. Fill in any holes or trenches opened up around the site with surrounding soil, compacting it down firmly. Consider laying fresh sod or grass seed over especially ravaged areas to restore the land’s lush splendor.
If crevasses remain dangerously near walkways or foundations, fill them with gravel or concrete mix to prevent hazardous settling. And please dispose of the carcasses and debris from your chain link massacre responsibly. Recycling centers will often accept metals and wiring. Or you can creatively repurpose your mangled posts as garden sculptures or abstract art pieces if so inspired.
alternative removal methods for the well-prepared warrior
We’ve covered the most straightforward fence removal tactics. But for seasoned veterans less fazed by the rigors of post extraction, several alternative methods exist for dislodging those stubborn poles with greater ease. Always take proper safety precautions when attempting heavy-duty demolition. But the following techniques can simplify matters significantly:
Harnessing Engine Power
For seriously solid posts that refuse pulling by human force alone, consider enlisting some heavy machinery to apply jacking or pulling power. Tractor-mounted post pullers are incredibly effective at ripping posts straight from the earth with hydraulic force. Just be cautious of violent flying debris once they finally give way!
Super Soaker Sneak Attacks
For posts buried in only meager concrete plugs, you can make the soil so muddy that the poles slide right out when rocked aggressively. Just keep blasting the ground around the post with a garden hose on full blast. The water will soften the earth for some surprisingly simple extraction.
Slicing Your Way To Freedom
As a last resort for truly permanent poles that won’t budge, sawing or slicing them flush to the ground leaves a safely flattened surface. Just be extremely careful not to contact underground utilities when taking blades and discs to metal poles with abandon! Eye protection is key.
avoiding unnecessary injury during your crusade
Despite your warrior mentality, safety ultimately matters most when waging war on chain link fences. Please keep these precautions in mind when pressing forward fearlessly:
- Call 811 beforehand to avoid striking underground gas and electric lines
- Wear thick gloves and eye protection at all times
- Mind overhead power lines when handling tall poles and ladders
- Use proper lifting techniques – bent knees, straight back – don’t just wing it!
- Keep children and pets clear of the hazardous work zone
Follow such common sense protocols, wield your tools boldly as needed, and you WILL inevitably emerge victorious over that obsolete fence! Just utilize the tactics and procedures outlined here, and soon you’ll be the conquering hero standing proudly over a freshly liberated backyard. May your demolition be safe and smooth sailing. Now let’s tear down that sucker!
seeking professional mercenaries when overwhelmed
For larger-scale fence removal projects or unique post configurations beyond the abilities of most lone rangers, don’t be afraid to call in reinforcements. Professional demolition crews and fencing services bring extensive experience extracting countless posts over the years. They also have access to industrial hydraulic jacks, high-powered saws, backhoes and other heavy ordnance for obliterating stubborn fencing with ease.
So if that fence you’re facing down proves truly daunting, let the contractors take over the brunt of the battering. Sit back and relax as you direct the pros to target the trickiest posts and concrete footers giving you fits. Just supply pointed guidance as needed, then calmly survey the wreckage when the smoke clears! You’ve still earned total victory even if sharing the spoils with friendly allies.
relishing your hard-won glory
Behold – that wretched fence exists no more! Only mangled metal remnants scattered about, awaiting removal or reuse as folk art. Feel free to strut triumphantly about your reclaimed yard, skeptically eyeing the soil for any lingering posts. But the fruits of your labors have liberated the landscape at last.
Now is the time to rest on your laurels before planning any new fencing or landscaping projects. Kick back with an ice cold beverage and admire that gorgeous open expanse now at your disposal. No need to dive right into erecting enclosures anew. Savor this fence-free nirvana a few days before rising to fresh challenges. Bravo!