Question:
Is there a way to extend your current wooden fence posts to accommodate
taller planks? We have a 6 ft. wooden fence and the posts are cemented into the ground. We
would like to have an 8 ft. fence but are unsure if it's possible to extend the current
posts. We obviously would not like to have to dig them out since there is quite a bit of
cement around each one. Any ideas?
Applicable Products:
Wood Fence.
Reply:
Thank you for your interest in our site and products. We have been asked this
question frequently. We do not carry a product, nor do
I know of one, designed to extend the height of a wood fence. Here's why:
Extending the height of any type of fence can be tricky as posts and concrete footers were originally installed for a particular height and style of fence. Often, the existing posts and footers are insufficient for taller fences or fences of a different style. In example, many 6' high privacy wood fences utilize 4 x 4 wood posts set in concrete footers 9" diameter x 30-36" deep. 8' high wood privacy fences often are installed using either a 4 x 6 or 6 x 6 post in 12" diameter x 36-42" deep footers. If you were to extend the height of a 6' high fence, you would increase both the weight of the fence and the wind load on the existing posts and they may fail prematurely. Additionally, with a height extension, you need more support at the top of the fence for horizontal rails. Pickets left unsupported will warp, crack, and split much sooner. Assuming, you could fabricate some sort of post extension for this purpose, it could be costly in materials and labor. All in all, extending the height of a fence, any type for that matter, is often impractical, costly, and possibly dangerous. One is usually wiser to simply remove the existing fence and replace it with something designed and built for a new purpose.
Related Products:
Wood Fence and Accessories:
http://www.hooverfence.com/wood/index.htm
Updated 06/01/06
