Fences take a lot of punishment around Cranbourne. Strong winds from the south and west, heavy winter rain on clay soils, dogs that lean and dig, kids that climb, and the simple effect of years in the sun all wear them down. Most fence problems start small: a few loose palings, a gate that drags, a post that moves when you push it. Fixed early, they stay small.

We repair timber paling fences, gates and their hardware for homes, rentals and small businesses across Cranbourne and the surrounding area, from compact blocks in Cranbourne North and Clyde North to long boundary lines on acreage in Devon Meadows, Lang Lang and Koo Wee Rup.

Fence and gate repairs we handle

• Replacing broken, split or missing palings
• Re-fixing loose palings with galvanised nails or screws
• Replacing rotten or broken rails
• Bracing or replacing individual leaning or rotten posts
• Re-fixing or replacing plinths (the bottom board along the ground)
• Repairing storm damage to short fence sections
• Re-hanging dropped gates and adjusting gate hinges
• Fitting new gate latches, drop bolts and pool-style self-closing hardware where suitable
• Building replacement timber gates for existing openings
• Fixing loose capping and trims on top of fences

How a timber paling fence is built

Knowing the parts helps you describe the problem and understand our quote.

• Posts are set in the ground, usually in concrete, every couple of metres.
• Rails run horizontally between the posts, typically two or three of them.
• Palings are the vertical boards nailed to the rails.
• Plinths run along the bottom to keep palings off the soil.
• Capping sits on top in some designs to protect the paling tops.

Most fences fail from the bottom up. The posts and plinths sit closest to wet soil and rot first. Once a post goes, the rails and palings attached to it start to lean, and wind finishes the job.

Repair or replace?

Not every tired fence needs replacing. If the posts are sound and the problem is a few palings or a single rail, repair is usually the sensible choice. If several posts are rotten at ground level and the whole line is leaning, replacing the fence may be better value in the long run. Our fence guides discuss this decision in more detail.

We look at the posts first, check rails for rot and splits, and then give you an honest view. Where repairs make sense, we fix what is needed. Where replacement is clearly the better option, we will say so, and for full replacements of long fence runs a dedicated fencing contractor is often the most efficient choice.

Shared boundary fences

In Victoria, the Fences Act 1968 sets out how neighbours share the cost and responsibility for dividing fences. If a repair affects a shared fence, it is a good idea to talk to your neighbour before work starts. We can provide a written description of the work and photos of the damage that you can share with them. We do not get involved in neighbour disputes, but we are happy to work to an agreed plan.

Gates

Gates move every day, so they wear faster than the fence around them. The most common problems are:

• Dropped gates that drag on the ground because the hinge post has moved or the gate frame has sagged. A diagonal brace, re-set hinges or an anti-sag kit usually fixes this.
• Latches that do not line up because the gate or post has shifted. Moving the latch or keeper, or replacing it with an adjustable latch, solves it.
• Rotten gate frames where timber has softened at the joints. Replacing the frame or the whole gate is often simplest.
• Loose hinges where screws have stripped out. We re-fix with larger fixings or move the hinge to fresh timber.

On acreage properties in Devon Meadows, Lang Lang and Koo Wee Rup, we can also help with simple timber farm-style gates and pedestrian gates in boundary fences.

Pool gates

Pool barriers in Victoria must comply with strict safety standards, including self-closing and self-latching gates. We can adjust and repair pool gate hinges and latches to help them close and latch reliably, but compliance inspections must be done by a registered building surveyor. If your pool gate is not closing properly, fix it promptly and arrange an inspection if you are unsure.

Materials

We use treated pine for posts, rails and plinths, with ground-contact rated timber where it sits in or near soil. Palings are usually treated pine or hardwood, matched to the existing fence where possible. Fixings are galvanised or stainless steel so they do not rust and streak. Gate hardware is chosen to suit the gate weight and exposure.

Matching new palings to an old fence is never perfect at first, because new timber is paler. It weathers over time, or the fence can be stained or painted to blend the repairs.

After storms

Strong winds can knock over fence sections without warning. If a fence comes down, make the area safe first, particularly near pools, roads or where pets could escape. Take photos for insurance before anything is moved. We can then make temporary repairs or permanent fixes depending on the damage and what your insurer needs.

Fences across different parts of the area

The fences we see vary a lot across the eleven suburbs we cover.

• New estates in Clyde North, Cranbourne East, Cranbourne West and Botanic Ridge often have Colorbond boundary fences installed by developers, with timber or aluminium side gates. Timber palings still appear on older estate stages and on front returns.
• Established streets in central Cranbourne and Cranbourne North have more traditional paling fences, many decades old, with posts that are reaching the end of their life.
• Semi-rural blocks in Cranbourne South, Devon Meadows, Clyde and the land around Lang Lang and Koo Wee Rup have long post-and-wire fences, timber post-and-rail, and farm gates alongside paling fences near the house.

We mainly repair timber paling fences and timber gates, and the hardware on gates of all types. For Colorbond fences, we can re-fix loose sheets, replace rails and adjust gates. Long runs of new Colorbond or rural fencing are better handled by a specialist fencing contractor.

Wind and soil

Two local factors make fence repairs more frequent here. First, the area is exposed to strong westerly and southerly winds, especially on open land near Western Port and on the flats towards Koo Wee Rup. A fence is a large flat surface that catches wind like a sail, and weak posts give way. Second, much of the area sits on reactive clay. Clay holds water around posts in winter and shrinks away from them in summer, which loosens footings and speeds up rot at ground level.

Practical responses include setting new posts deeper, using concrete footings shaped to shed water, choosing ground-contact rated timber, and keeping soil and garden mulch from building up against palings and plinths.

Preventing rot

• Keep garden beds and mulch below the plinth so soil does not touch the palings.
• Make sure sprinklers do not soak the fence every day.
• Trim plants that hold moisture against the fence.
• Fix downpipes that discharge near the fence line.
• Stain or paint the fence to slow moisture absorption.

Gates that suit how you use them

Side gates in new homes are often used daily for bins, bikes and mowers. A gate that is too narrow, too heavy or latches awkwardly becomes a daily frustration. When repairing or replacing a gate, we think about:

• Width for bins and mowers
• Latch type, such as a lockable latch for security or a latch that can be opened from both sides
• Hinges strong enough for the gate weight, with self-closing hinges where children or pets are involved
• Drop bolts on double gates to hold the fixed leaf
• Clearance above paths and lawn so the gate does not drag

Security

A secure side gate is an easy improvement to home security. Lockable latches, a padlock hasp on the inside, or a keyed gate lock make it harder for anyone to access the back yard. Gates on the street boundary should be high enough to discourage climbing and should not have horizontal rails on the outside that act as a ladder.

Pets

Dogs are one of the main reasons people call about fences. A loose paling or a gap under the plinth is all it takes for an escape. We can close gaps under fences with plinths or mesh, replace chewed timber and adjust gates so they cannot be pushed open. For persistent diggers, a buried mesh skirt along the base of the fence helps.

Insurance and storm claims

If a storm brings down a fence, your insurer will usually want photos, a description of the damage and a quote for repairs. We provide written quotes with photos. Some policies cover fences only in particular circumstances, so check your policy.

What to send with your request

Photos of the whole damaged section, close-ups of the posts at ground level, a rough length in metres and whether the fence is shared with a neighbour help us plan the job and bring the right timber.

Where we fix fences

We repair fences and gates in Cranbourne, Cranbourne South, Cranbourne West, Clyde, Devon Meadows, Lang Lang, Koo Wee Rup and all our service areas. Send photos and the approximate length of damaged fence through the quote form.

Frequently asked questions