Fence & Gate Repair in Eugene, OR
In Eugene, fences rarely fail from cold. They fail from water. Seven or eight months of steady rain keep the valley's heavy clay soaked, and a wood post sitting in wet clay rots right at the ground line until a winter windstorm pushes the whole section over. Cedar boards that started out tight cup and split after a few cycles of soggy winters and baking dry summers, moss and algae creep up the shady side of every run, and gates hung on undersized hinges slowly sag until they scrape a groove in the walk. Add the occasional big storm, like the February 2019 snow that brought down limbs all over town or the January 2024 ice storm that dropped whole trees onto backyard fences, and most households here end up needing fence work sooner or later.
We repair fences so they stand up to the next rainy season. Rotted posts are dug out, old concrete broken up and hauled off, and new posts set in concrete with gravel at the bottom for drainage and the top of the footing crowned so water runs away from the wood instead of pooling against it. We replace broken boards, pickets, rails and kickboards to match what you have, re-fasten loose panels with exterior-rated screws that won't streak or rust, and straighten leaning runs. Gates get heavier hinges, an anti-sag kit or a rebuilt frame, plus a latch that actually lines up. Before we leave, we rake up the debris and take the old lumber with us.
What this covers
- Rotted and leaning post replacement
- Broken board, picket and rail repair
- Sagging and dragging gate repair
- New hinges, latches and gate hardware
- Storm and fallen-limb damage repair
- Deer fence and wire fence repair
- Chain-link rail, fabric and post fixes
- Debris and old lumber haul-away
How a fence & gate repair visit usually goes
Walk the Line
We walk the fence with you, push on posts, check rails, boards and gates, and agree on what needs fixing now and what can wait.
Call Before Digging
We make sure Oregon's 811 locate request is in, so buried gas, power and irrigation lines are marked before any post holes are dug.
Repair and Rebuild
We reset or replace posts, swap out damaged boards and rails, straighten the run and rehang or rebuild gates with solid hardware.
Test and Clean Up
We swing and latch every gate, sight down the fence line for straightness, and haul away old posts, concrete and lumber.
Timing works differently here than in snowy places. The ground in Eugene rarely freezes deep enough to stop us, so we set posts year-round, but the wettest months, roughly November through March, can turn a backyard into mud and make concrete slower to cure. Late spring through early fall is the easiest window, and it's smart to fix a wobbly fence before the first big fall windstorm rather than after. Out toward the edges of town, in the South Hills, along Fox Hollow Road and in the hills above Crest Drive, black-tailed deer are a constant, and tall wire or hybrid wood-and-wire fences keep them out of gardens. Those fences take a beating from deer leaning into them and from falling branches, and we re-tension wire, replace bent sections and reset the tall corner posts that hold the whole thing up.
What shapes the price in Eugene
Fence repair cost comes down to how many posts need replacing, how much of the run is damaged and what the fence is built from. Swapping a few boards or pickets is quick. Each rotted post takes real time, especially when the old concrete has to be dug out of heavy clay, and posts on a steep South Hills slope or tucked behind a shed or blackberry thicket add effort. Gates range from a simple hinge swap to rebuilding the frame. Tall deer fences, ornamental metal and vinyl each need their own parts. Storm damage from a downed limb can be quick or extensive depending on how many sections it took out. Grouping several problem spots into one visit keeps the trip efficient and the price lower per repair.
Neighbors often ask
Why do my fence posts keep rotting off at the ground?
Wet clay is the culprit. Much of Eugene sits on dense soils that hold water for months, so a post that's buried in dirt or set in a concrete cup that traps water stays damp all winter and decays right at grade. We set new posts in concrete with a gravel base so water drains away, crown the top of the concrete so rain sheds off, and use ground-contact rated lumber. Done that way, a post lasts many more seasons than the original.
Can you fix my gate so it stops dragging?
Almost always. A dragging gate usually comes down to loose or undersized hinges, a hinge post that has started to lean, or a gate frame that's racked out of square from its own weight. We tighten or upgrade the hinges, straighten or reset the post if it has moved, and add a diagonal brace or turnbuckle cable to lift the latch side. Then we realign the latch so the gate closes on its own and stays shut, which matters if you have a dog.
Can you match my weathered cedar fence?
We match the style, height and board profile, and cedar is easy to source here. New boards will look lighter than gray, weathered ones for the first season or two, then they settle in. If you'd like a closer match right away, we can apply a semi-transparent stain to the repaired section, or to the whole run so the fence reads as one piece again.
A tree came down on my fence in the last storm. Can you help quickly?
Yes. After big wind and ice events, we can come out to clear the broken sections and secure the opening with temporary panels or posts so pets and kids stay in the yard. Once the tree is cleared, we rebuild the damaged run to match the rest of the fence. We'll also take photos of the damage for you before we start, which can be useful if you're filing a claim with your insurer.
Is it worth repairing an old fence or should I replace it?
If most of the posts are still solid and the damage is limited to a few sections, repair is usually the better value. When nearly every post is soft at the ground and boards are splitting all along the run, replacing is often smarter in the long run. We'll push on the posts with you, show you what we find and give you an honest read on which way to go.
Folks pair this with
Drywall Repair
Drywall Repair →TV Mounting
TV Mounting →Furniture Assembly
Furniture Assembly →Door Repair & Adjustment
Door Repair & Adjustment →Fence & Gate Repair around Eugene
Fence & Gate Repair is one of 14 jobs our Eugene handyman crew handles, in Eugene and in nearby communities:
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