Backyard Fence Removal in Toledo

Published 2026-10-16 · I-Haul Junk Toledo

Old fences come down for many reasons — they are rotting and leaning, the yard is being relandscaped, a new fence is going in on a different line, or the property is being prepared for sale and the old fence detracts more than it adds. Fence removal is physically straightforward but labor-intensive, and the method depends heavily on the fence type, the post installation method, and what is going to happen to the property line after the fence is gone.

Wood fence removal

Wood privacy fences and picket fences are the most common fences in Toledo backyards. A typical six-foot privacy fence consists of 4x4 posts set in concrete footings, 2x4 horizontal rails attached between the posts, and vertical pickets (fence boards) nailed or screwed to the rails. Removing a wood fence means disassembling or breaking down each of these components:

• Pickets come off first: Pickets attached with nails can be pried off with a flat bar or removed panel-by-panel using a reciprocating saw to cut the nails. Screwed-on pickets take longer because each screw must be backed out or the screw heads snapped off. On an old fence with corroded fasteners, removal is often faster with a reciprocating saw cutting through the fasteners rather than trying to pull them
• Rails removed next: Once the pickets are off, the horizontal rails are exposed. Rails are typically nailed or screwed to the posts with toenails, metal brackets, or rail hangers. Pry or cut them free from the posts
• Posts are the hard part: The posts are the most labor-intensive component. In Toledo, most fence posts are set in concrete footings — a blob of concrete 8 to 12 inches in diameter and 24 to 36 inches deep surrounding the base of the post. Removing a post with its concrete footing requires digging around the footing to loosen it, then rocking and pulling the post and concrete out of the ground together. The concrete footing typically weighs 40 to 80 pounds per post. A fence with 20 posts produces 800 to 1,600 pounds of concrete alone
• Rotted posts: On old fences, the post often snaps off at ground level when you try to rock it out because the below-ground portion has rotted. When this happens, the concrete footing with the remaining post stub is still in the ground and must be dug out. A post hole digger or a narrow spade shovel works for digging around the footing. For stubborn footings in clay soil (common in the Toledo area), a digging bar or pry bar wedged under the concrete helps lever it out

Chain link fence removal

Chain link fences consist of metal posts (round tubular steel), top rail, tension wire or bottom rail, chain link mesh (the woven diamond-pattern fabric), and various fittings (tension bars, tie wires, post caps, rail ends). Removal follows a specific sequence:

• Release the mesh first: Remove the tie wires or aluminum ties that attach the mesh to the top rail and line posts. On the end and corner posts, remove the tension bars and tension bands that hold the mesh taut. Once released, the mesh rolls up relatively easily — two people can roll a 50-foot section into a manageable cylinder. Chain link mesh is heavy and springy, so gloves are mandatory
• Remove the top rail: The top rail runs through loop caps on the line posts and into rail end fittings at terminal posts. Remove the rail end fittings, then slide the rail sections out of the loop caps. Rail sections are typically 10 to 12 feet long and can usually be reused or recycled as scrap metal
• Remove the posts: Chain link posts are set in concrete footings similar to wood fence posts. The posts themselves are round steel pipe, typically 1-5/8 inch diameter for line posts and 2-3/8 inch diameter for terminal posts. The concrete footings are usually smaller than wood fence footings (6 to 10 inches in diameter) because the posts are narrower. Dig and extract the same way — loosen the soil around the footing, rock the post back and forth, and pull it out with the concrete attached
• Recycling: Chain link mesh, posts, top rail, and fittings are all steel and have scrap metal value. Separate the metal components from the concrete footings. A typical residential chain link fence yields 200 to 500 pounds of recyclable steel. Local scrap yards in the Toledo area accept clean steel — the metal should be free of concrete and dirt for the best price

Vinyl fence removal

Vinyl (PVC) fences have become common in the Toledo area over the past 20 years. They consist of vinyl posts (hollow square tubes typically 4x4 or 5x5 inches), horizontal rails that snap or slot into the posts, and vinyl pickets or panels that slot into the rails. Vinyl fences are lighter than wood but the posts are still set in concrete:

• Vinyl panels and rails pop or slide out of the post slots relatively easily — no nails or screws to deal with in most designs. The panels are lightweight and stack compactly
• Vinyl posts are set in concrete footings similar to wood posts. Most vinyl posts also have a metal or wood reinforcement sleeve inside the post at the below-ground section. This makes the below-ground post heavier and more anchored than it appears from the surface. Extraction requires the same dig-and-pull method as wood posts
• Vinyl fence material is not readily recyclable through standard recycling programs. It goes to general waste disposal. Do not burn vinyl — burning PVC releases toxic chlorine gas

Property line considerations

Before removing a fence, know whose fence it is:

• Property survey: Fences are not always on the property line. Some are set 6 to 12 inches inside the property line to ensure they do not encroach on the neighbor's property. Others were installed on the actual line, making them a shared boundary fence. And some fences are accidentally on the wrong side of the property line entirely
• Shared fences: If the fence is on the property line and was jointly maintained by both neighbors, removing it without the neighbor's knowledge can create a dispute. Ohio does not have a specific fence statute like some states, but removing a shared boundary structure can trigger a property damage claim. It is courteous and practical to inform the neighbor before removal, even if the fence is entirely on your property
• Underground utilities: Call 811 (Ohio Utilities Protection Service) before digging out fence posts. Utility lines — gas, electric, cable, water — are often buried along property lines where fences run. The 811 service marks the location of underground utilities at no charge. This is legally required in Ohio before any excavation, and it prevents accidentally cutting a gas line while pulling a concrete footing

What removal produces

A typical residential fence removal generates a surprising amount of material. A 150-linear-foot wood privacy fence (a common backyard perimeter) produces approximately:

• 300 to 500 board feet of lumber (pickets and rails) — roughly 500 to 800 pounds
• 20 to 25 concrete post footings — 800 to 1,600 pounds of concrete
• 20 to 25 wood posts (or what remains of them after rot)
• Several pounds of nails, screws, and hardware

Total weight for a standard wood fence removal: 1,500 to 2,500 pounds. This fills approximately one to two pickup truck loads or about half a standard dumpster. The concrete footings are the heaviest component and are what makes fence removal physically demanding — each footing is an awkward, heavy mass that must be lifted out of a hole.

Fence removal in Toledo

iHaul Junk Removal handles fence removal throughout Toledo — taking down the fence sections, extracting the posts and concrete footings, hauling everything away, and leaving a clean yard ready for whatever comes next.