Guccione’s Simple Services | Local Residential Fencing in Columbus, OH

The main cause is our heavy clay soil and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. When posts aren’t set deep enough—below the frost line (around 32 inches in Columbus)—the ground movement pushes them out of alignment. Moisture trapped against wood also accelerates rot. Our solution is to set posts in concrete footings that extend below the frost line, using treated or cedar posts for durability. We also ensure proper drainage around the base to prevent water pooling.

In Columbus, settling is often caused by erosion of the base soil from rain or underground drainage issues. A simple patch usually won’t hold. Our approach is to remove the damaged section, compact the base material, and pour a new slab with a slight slope for water runoff. For larger areas, we can mudjack or foam-jack to lift the concrete back into place without tearing out the whole walkway. We also seal expansion joints to prevent future cracking from frost heave.

It’s common around Columbus because the ground swells and shifts with seasonal moisture. Most gates are installed with a small clearance, but that clearance can disappear when the soil expands. We address this by setting gate posts on concrete piers that resist movement, and using adjustable hinges so the gate can be re-leveled as the ground shifts. If the gate posts have already moved, we can reset them or install a post support system that decouples the gate from ground-level settling.