Fence and Deck Repair in Winnipeg — Handy Hour

Fence repair winnipeg calls come in after winter, once homeowners step outside and discover what the frost and snow did. Here is what I fix:

Fences:

• Rotted or cracked boards: replace individual boards or sections
• Leaning posts: re-set in concrete or replace if the post itself is rotted
• Loose or broken rails: re-fasten or splice in new rail sections
• Gate hardware: replace hinges, latches, and closers; re-hang sagging gates

Decks:

• Rotted or damaged deck boards: replace individual boards, not the whole deck
• Loose or squeaky boards: re-fasten with appropriate screws or hidden fasteners
• Damaged or missing railings: replace or re-fasten railing components
• Post base connections: resecure where the post meets the concrete footing

What I do not do: new fence installation, new deck builds, or work that requires a building permit for new construction. Repairs to existing structures do not typically need a permit in Winnipeg — but if your repair involves structural changes or the deck is already permitted, I will flag that.

After repairs, I can do deck and fence staining on the same visit or a separate trip to protect the new wood.

Send me photos of the damage — a wide shot of the full fence or deck section plus close-ups of the specific problem areas. For post issues, a photo showing how far out of plumb it is and the ground condition around the base helps.

Quote factors: number of boards to replace, post condition, whether the repair requires digging, material needed, and how accessible the site is.

(888) 906-0022 · Call (888) 906-0022 or email [email protected] to get started.

Winnipeg's freeze-thaw cycles — where temperatures cross zero multiple times through winter and early spring — are particularly hard on wood and concrete connections. Frost heave can push fence posts out of the ground and crack concrete footings. Moisture that gets into end grain on deck boards freezes, expands, and splits the wood from the inside.

Staining or sealing wood before the season is the best defence. Unstained pressure-treated lumber goes grey and starts checking (surface cracking) within a few years in Winnipeg's climate. Once the surface is damaged, water penetrates faster and the process accelerates.

Related: pressure washing — a pressure wash before staining is essential for proper adhesion.

Standard residential fence repairs in Winnipeg do not require a permit. You are replacing like-for-like on an existing structure.

For reference, Winnipeg bylaw caps residential fences at 2.0 metres (6.5 ft) in rear and side yards, and 1.2 metres (4 ft) in front yards in most neighbourhoods. These height limits apply to new fences and are worth knowing if repairs end up involving a full section replacement that changes the height.

The Deck and Fence Permit Rules in Winnipeg guide covers when permits are needed and when they are not.

Back to the Exterior Services hub.

Related exterior work: eavestrough repair.

After a few years doing this work, the same problems come up repeatedly:

Leaning fence posts: The most common issue. Posts rot at the soil line even when the wood above ground looks fine — moisture wicks up in the buried section. If the post itself is solid, it can be braced and re-concreted. If the post is rotted through, it needs to come out and a new one goes in.

Deck boards with soft spots: Boards on the outer edges and near planters rot first because water sits on them longest. I can swap individual boards without touching the framing underneath, as long as the joists are still solid.

Gate that will not latch: Gates sag over time because the hinge-side post shifts, pulling the gate out of square. Sometimes adjusting the hinges fixes it; sometimes the post needs to be reset. Either way, it is a half-day job at most.

Missing deck railing balusters: Wind and kids break individual balusters. I match the existing profile as closely as possible and replace the damaged pieces.

A leaning post only gets worse — get it looked at before summer. Email me a photo at [email protected], call (888) 906-0022, or use the quote form to get started.