Menards review: broken fence 23

Cari, we are having the same issue! Your situation is almost exactly what we are dealing with as well. We bought a fence in July 2010installed in September 2010 and in October 2010 we had to replace 23 brackets that had busted, along with a couple panels. This has been ongoing to this date and actually have half a fence in the backyard because we refuse to put up faulty panels that could break and cause liability problems to the neighbors. The company(Ryan Forrest) has basically said they wont do anything but replace the parts that broke, even though we will be back out in the yard fixing the panels when they break again in a month or two. I have been looking for other people who have been having the same issue with the fence and with the way Menard's is handling the issue. They know they had a faulty manufacturer and now want nothing to do with fixing the problem other than hand it off to someone else. We are in the process of emailing Menards corporate complaint center to try to get something out of them.

I too have had the exact same problem. Virtually every bracket on the fence cracked. Some panels were hanging by a single bracket and almost half the panels on the fence had come down. Menard's local store sent me to Mendard's corporate. They wrote Ryan Forest. Ryan Forest just sent me a letter stating they do not warranty products from damage from storms. The damage is because the brackets are of a defective design. Menard's response is that they have forwarded me Ryan Forest Products letter. Menard's refuses to do anything to help me. I am disgusted.

I have the same problem. Menards for a change was actually helpful as they replaced several brackets and 1 panel at no charge the first year. I went back for replacements this year and was told that the fence has been discontinued by Menards (no doubt because it is a terrible product) and Ryan was about as much help as a bad case of hemorrhoids. I have begun the process of replacing all of the worthless piece-of-S#*! brackets (most of which are cracked) with triple-galvanived 2x4 joist hanger brackets which fit perfectly, are much cheaper and will hold up MUCH better.

I currently have 130' of the Ryan Forrest 6 foot privacy fence and 60' of the scalloped picket fence. I have had no troubles with the fence at all, other than a tree falling on one of the panels. I cant see how the brackets would break other than extreme winds or improper installation. If the posts were not cemented in this could cause play in the fence and could lead to parts breaking, but if the panel were screwed to the brackets, there should be no issues.

they will and do break they are crap!, however they do make outside high wind brackets, that work awesome, i put them on the east and west side of my yard fences, when they blew down the next windstorm they held up, however the north side with the old style brackets blew down now, lol, so i went to buy 13 more panels and brackets, and guess what, they no longer carry them at menards, or any panels of that size, and i cant find a website for them, its like they went outta buisnes! sucks to be me

I am having the exact same problems but only with two sections of fence. Probably because I only have the fence along my one side of the yard and it runs north and south so it doesn't catch the wind a lot. But with that said, I need several new brackets and I can't get them. I see someone has successfully used joist hangers so I might as well give that a try. Wish I had never installed this fence.

i have over 600' of this fence and it was installed right and i have had problems with the brackets breaking all the time and i have had a real bad time with menards and ryan forrest. i have now replaced all of the brackets with metal brackets and have NOT had any problems since.

I have the same problem. Brackets keep breaking. I went back to Menards and they said there's nothing they can do. It's my problem, not there's, even though the fence is not very old..disgusted with Menards.

Jan Finke

I have had the same problem with this Ryan products vinyl fence! I installed over 50 panels thinking I was getting a great maintained free product! I couldn't have been more wrong every year I'm repairing this fence! Yes the damage is caused by storms but nowhere was it stated that this fence couldn't withstand 50 to 60 mile an hour wind! As far as I concerned this I should be reimbursed for the fence and labor! To me they gave admitted guilt by not continuing to manufacture any more!
What I have now is a Frankenstein fence because I had to go to another manufacture to replace parts of fence I can no longer buy!

Boy, do the above complaints ditto my problem as well. Our Menards in Minot, ND have discontinued their product for the above reasons. NO WARRANTY of their products. Runaround runaround...Now I am trying to order more brackets to keep their piece of crap together for another winter. Every October/November when the weather starts freezing the brackets snap and down go the panels. Boy would I like to get ahold of Ryan Forest they would get a peace of fense right up their ...!

We have had the same problems with the brackets breaking every year when it gets cold. This time when the top one broke on the gate, the gate and I went down on to the cement driveway. Yes, I am hurt and will see a doctor about my knees and shoulder to wrist on my left arm. When we went to replace...it is a seasonal thing so can't get any says Menards. We are looking for different brackets and will use the person's suggestion above. No more Ryan products(made in China) for us.

I fully agree that this product is always breaking and we are replacing the brackets and panels. We no longer have extra panels so we are out of luck. We have notified and talked to the Ryan Forest Co in Canada and they did send a few brackets but now can not get any more. I am going to try to use some different metal ones if I can find some. That fence has been a headache. When it is up I do like the privacy but it is not maintence free. It have been 4 years of this kind of repairing fence. Mary ND

Having the same problem, breaking brackets. I did not expect to never have to replace any parts so I am not upset that
at some parts break from time to time. However, I am aggravated that I cannot seem to find any brackets, posts or panels to replace anything. It is looking like I am going to have to start putting up replacement parts from another fence manufacturer that are not going to match my current fence. Fence is 4 years old and has sustained wind and winter rather well. It's not steel or wood so like I said am not so much unhappy with the product as I am that I can't fix what I need to

I too have had nothing but problems with this fence since its installation in 2009
Broken panels and brackets!
Every year this has been an issue.
I now have a Frankenstein fence because they no longer make this fence! No wonder by what I'm reading it's a piece of CRAP!
I bought this vinyl fence over wood because if
Low maintenance! That was a mistake!
Has anyone had any resolve from Ryan Fence?

This is the bracket I'm looking for. Just emailed ryan forest. Wish me luck.

Exact same problems as everyone above. The standard U shape bracket had two screws holding them into the posts. When it got cold out and the wind would blow the brackets would flex causing a crack in the post which would in turn allow the fence section to pull from the post. I was also send the internal style "upgraded" brackets which would crack and break as well. I resorted to making my own aluminum brackets and have had decent success. Ryan Forrest did not go out of business, they simply stopped making the fence product. No longer making the product in no way allows them to ignore the warranty issues they face. They sold a "lifetime" warranty with the product and should make good on that warranty. If they can't replace faulty pieces or sections they should refund money to any buyer suffering damages due to this faulty product.

I have not had any problems with the brackets but have had trees fall on the fence and have had 4 panels destroyed. i have not been able to find replacement panels. i am looking for 4" high 8" wide scalloped pointed picket fence panels- there are 18 pickets- so if any of you have them available I would be very interested in purchasing them- please contact- me at [protected] thanks Pam

You can find custom much stronger Nylon Glass Brackets here in the exact same dimensions outside of being much thicker:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1471626115/standard-fence-rail-bracket-custom-nylon

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1457427572/heavy-duty-fence-rail-bracket-custom

In addition to the bad brackets many of my panels sag in the middle of the panel. I have the Menards 6x6 Belmont vinyl panels. The upper and lower pieces can't support the weight of the individual panels that make up the full panel. The fence looks terrible on its present condition. These upper and lower receiving pieces should have a full metal insert to help carry the weight. Anyone else having this issue?