For fence owners who are constantly worrying about their aged wood fence, which could collapse at any time, it’s time to stop. We, Big Jerry’s Fencing, come with glad tidings. Yep, we’re gonna give you pro tips for increasing the lifespan and functionality of your wood fence. Not only will this make your wood fence sturdy again, but you won’t have to replace it either, as it’ll be almost as good as new.
So, without further ado, let’s jump right in:
What to Do and Avoid for Extending the Lifespan of a Wood Fence?
Here is a list of things to do and avoid to maintain the wood fence’s integrity while also expanding its lifespan:
Do: Regular Inspection, Cleaning
People can get busy; no shame in that, folks. However, if you wanna see your wood fence stay upright and provide the protection and privacy you installed it for in the first place, then you need to take time out of your busy schedule. Inspect regularly and search for dirt, mold, vegetation growth, or any other signs of cracks or tears, then immediately clean up and repair.
Scrape off the upper layer where the discoloration, mildew, or moss are noticeable, and then use a pressurized hose to wash off the fence. Applying UV-resistant and waterproof coatings after the wood is dried helps protection from moisture, too.
Don’t: Immediate Stain or Paint Your Wood Fence
You should always avoid staining your wood fence or painting it after a rainy season. If the fence wood is wet, then applying paint or staining the fence will have the opposite effect of severely degrading the wood. Why? Because the moisture is trapped in the surface. So, the thing you should do is wait until it’s dry season or plenty of sunshine is there for the moisture to be dried off.
Once you’re sure the wood fence is dry, then waste no time in staining and painting your fence. They both help immensely in increasing the lifespan of your wood fence by providing an extra layer of protection for your fence.
Do: Install Weather-stripping, Use Water Repellants
Taking precautions like installing weather-stripping to stop water from pooling around the edge and bottom of your fence is a great step to expand the life of your wood fence, it prevents rotting to happen.
Using water repellants is a great way to waterproof your fence, too, that seals away the wooden surface and prevents damage from the moisture in the soil.
Don’t: Let Vegetation Touch Your Fence
Finally, do not let your wood fence touch green growth, and there’s a pretty strong reason for that. You see, while it might seem like it’s great that your fence is receiving an additional cover from the sunshine and rain, in reality, the vegetation, shrubbery, and vines are gonna damage the wood.
The collected moisture, then the chances of algae, mold growth, the weight of the tree branches, and the vines growing through the gap between fence posts will compromise the wood fence’s strength. This could lead to total, eventual collapse of the wood fence, which is what everyone’s trying to avoid.
