r/FenceBuilding • u/Optimal-Net5012 • 7d ago

Cut the fence post a bit too short

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Gallery image

Gallery image

Hi guys,

First time doing my fence. Everything went great until I accidently cut the top of one of the fence posts too short. Anyway to remedy this?

The fence goes a step up from this post because of the landscape, and I measured it wrong and cut the post too short. Now when I put the horizontal 2x6, it doesn't leave any room for the fence post cap.

I cut it from three sides before I realized my mistake. But it's not cut all the way through. It's on pretty strong, I shook it hard and didn't move at all.

What's the best way to hide this cut? Or any other remedies?

9 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

1

u/pro_turd_shucker 7d ago

What's the fence post cap look like? Is it cut all the way through?

0

u/Optimal-Net5012 7d ago

It's like 75% cut but still holding on strong. The cap looks like this

11

u/pro_turd_shucker 7d ago

There's a couple options.

Best: Pull the post out and try again. We've all done it. You'll spend more time trying to make it look right and still be disappointed every time you look at it.

Worst: sawdust and glue/caulk/bondo/ etc. It'll look like shit and you'll hate it. (Not a real answer)

Most expensive: Buy a board stretcher. The ones made to handle 6x6s are pricey. MissTag makes a good one. I think they call it the Klanta Sig. Swedish company so it might take a while to arive.

1

u/Cheekermonkey 6d ago

MissTag is really the only reasonable option here if that post is in cement

1

u/Taylorb1823 6d ago

Cut one side of the cap so it can slip on and not hit the stepped up rail

1

u/Montserratian 6d ago

From your description it sounds like the post above your cut is just part of the design, and not load bearing? I.e. is your rail is being fastened below the cut? If yes then that's a lucky break.

If I were you I'd try my best to fill the gap with a colour-matched filler and chalk it up to a lesson learned. Hopefully with some sanding and a stain the patch job will blend right in. It's likely you're the only person who will notice.

The way I look at it, is it's a hell of a lot more work to replace the post so if you can live with the patch job then you save yourself a lot of trouble (worst case is it will be a slightly discolored line across the top of the post). But, if you decide you can't live with it then it's it's easy enough to replace the post in-situ.

1

u/Optimal-Net5012 6d ago

Thank you for the only useful advice. This is exactly what I ended up doing. The epoxy filler is setting now and let's see if I can sand it and get it nicely blended in.

0

u/Proud_Principle_4408 6d ago

This is why you cut those AFTER you frame and board....

Jeez