Fixing Fences and Gates

The series opens in the early morning as you walk a storm-damaged fence line. Leaning posts, cracked rails, washed-out soil, and a sagging gate create a chain of failures that threaten the entire run. You move slowly and deliberately, marking every weakness and learning exactly where the structure lost its fight. The first chapter ends with a hard question. Can the line be recovered without tearing it down. The second chapter pushes deeper into physical work. You pull posts from unstable soil, reset them with clean gravel bases, and rebuild rails and pickets with tight alignment. Every move restores order while testing your control. Even as the structure straightens, a new concern rises. The rebuilt line may not stay square once the gate’s weight returns. The final chapter brings the pressure to the gate itself. You strip failing hardware, reinforce the gate frame, and reset hinges to carry weight without sag. You align the latch, strengthen the load points, and run full pressure tests across the yard. When the gate closes clean and the fence stands firm from corner to corner, you see the cost and the reward of the work. The line holds because you rebuilt it with discipline and respect for the craft.