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12 Tips for Maintaining a Wood Fence

March 5, 2015 by Kasi Smith 2 Comments

                A beautiful fence is a great way to give your yard a boundary and add some privacy to any of your backyard activities. However, it may be overwhelming to clean and maintain a fence, especially if you don’t know what techniques work best. Here are 12 tips for helping you maintain your wood fence.

12 Tips for Maintaining a Wood Fence

Seal It

                Adding a protective coat of sealant is going to be one of the most effective ways to keep your fence healthy and beautiful. Although there are different suggestions on how often you should add sealant, the best way to know is when water stops beading on it.

Fence
Photo from Olympic

 

Dig up Bottom

                Moisture not only warps your fence, but it also provides a great environment for termites and other bugs! In order to avoid both those problems, don’t stick the bottom of your fence in the ground where it’s prone to gathering moisture. Either let it hang a little bit above the ground or enclose it in a metal trim to give your fence a sharp look.

Fence2
Photo from Fence Workshop

 

Caulk

                If you really want to have your fence in the ground, use concrete and caulk to give it some protection. Put your fence pickets in concrete posts with some caulk around the edges to protect it from damage.

Fence3
Photo from Family Handyman

 

Sprinklers

                Nothing is easier to fix than changing the direction of your sprinklers. If they are constantly hitting your fence, spin them around so that your fence remains dry. It isn’t good for wood to constantly be getting soaked al the time.

Fence4
Photo from HGTV

 

Shrubs and Vines

                Although this is a temptation, try to avoid having shrubs and vines right against your fence. It’s okay to have them a few inches away, but when plants press down on your fence, it provides a great environment for rot and insects.

Fence5
Photo from HGTV

 

Hanging Things

                The heavier the things are that you hang on your fence, the quicker the wood will warp and become disfigured. You can still hang things; just don’t use lots of heavy items or objects close together.

Fence6
Photo from HGTV

 

Power Washing

                If you have a power washer then pull it out for a quick spray on your fence. Dirt and filth can collect in the holes and pores of the wood, so power washing can deep clean and make your fence gleam again.

Fence7
Photo from Fence Specialists

 

Bleach Cleaner

                If you don’t have a power washer and don’t want to shell out the money to rent one, make your own cleaning solution with a little bit of bleach, water, and soap. Add 1:2 bleach to warm water solution with a teaspoon of bleach-safe soap to each gallon of water. Just make sure to cover any plants up that are near your fence.

Clorox Co Shares Jump, After Investor Ichahn Reports Stake In Company
Photo from Imgkid

 

Glue

                Don’t let parts of your fence dangle or hang broken. Fix small problems with glue and clamps in order to get it looking back to new. Let it sit for 24 hours and you should be good to go!

Fence9
Photo from Family Handyman

 

Damage Control

                One picket or slab of damaged wood can make your whole fence look drab and broken. Take care of the problem before the damage spreads to the rest of your fence by replacing the rotting picket. A little work now can save you lots of work and time in the future.

Fence10
Photo from Rediscover

 

Repaint

                Many people say you should repaint your fence every few years in order to keep it healthy and beautiful. The best way is a roller or brush because it allows you to get into all the nooks and crannies.

Fence11
Photo from Red Beacon

 

 Grill Placement

                Here’s a quick fix that can keep your fence from getting dirty and gross. Move the grill away from your fence so that the smoke, grease, and other cooking stains don’t get on the wood. You’d be surprised at how much just a simple change can make.

Fence12
Photo from Digital Trends

 

Filed Under: DIY Yard, Garden, Hardscape, Landscape Tagged With: backyard, DIY, fence, Garden, Landscape, Tips, Tricks, Wood Fence, Yard

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Isabel says

    June 19, 2017 at 1:14 pm

    This is a great article! Thank you -it’s actually a massive help! In terms of where to find the right fence though I do have a few questions for people! The thing is for years I’ve had the same fence in my garden – it’s a classic wooden one – nothing particularly special – it did the job of providing some privacy to the garden and that was pretty much it. But a couple of months ago we got our new dog Maxie. We love Maxie to pieces, but I think all of us would admit he can be a bit of tinker to say the least! Needless to say after a few weeks in the garden, the fence has been burrowed under and jumped over a multitude of times! We really need to invest in a new fence that is both going to look nice but which will also help keep our little tinker in the garden! Have anyone got any suggestions for where we can get this type of fencing? I saw an article in the paper the other day for Park Lane Fencing has anyone heard of them? We’re based in the Birmingham area so we really need someone within the nearby vicinity, hence why I thought they might be a good option. Does anyone have any recommendations or are we best going for Park Lane? Any suggestions people could offer would be amazing as it’s fair to say fencing isn’t exactly my area of expertise!

    Reply
  2. Ivy Baker says

    September 6, 2017 at 4:07 am

    I liked that you talked about adding a protective sealant onto the wood. I love the look of a wood fence but I do worry about how it would stand up to rain and snow. So, it is good to know that a sealant could help make the wood water proof.

    Reply

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