So, you’ve just had a gorgeous, new natural wooden fence installed. This beautiful addition to your property protects your privacy, marks property lines and can keep you and your family safe. However, your new fence comes with inevitable maintenance tasks you must take care of should you hope to enjoy this investment for many years to come.
Don’t worry! We wrote this post so that you can find out exactly what you need to do to care for your newly installed wooden fence and keep it looking great:
Annual Treatment
First, learn about your fence from your installers. One important question you should make sure you ask your installer whether or not the wood has been pressure treated. This treatment prolongs the life of wood. The treatment is especially popular for fence posts which must be buried underground. The areas of the fence that have been pressure treated are less vulnerable to rot.
Each year you should examine your fence to discover any damaged areas. The good news about wooden paneled fences is that you can replace small pieces instead of replacing the whole thing. If you notice a piece that has been attacked by insects, is beginning to rot or has cracked, either plan to complete the replacement on your own or call over a professional.
In your yearly fence evaluation, you should also apply a sealant at the least. Clean and sand your fence and make sure it’s dry. Then, carefully apply a sealant. This will prevent rot and insect damage. You can also choose to stain or paint the fence depending on your preferences. Pressure treated wood doesn’t typically require stains or paint. A simple sealant will do.
Periodic Maintenance
Throughout the year, check to make sure that soil doesn’t push up high against the fence. The smaller the area of your fence covered by soil, the better. Soil holds moisture in around your fence and accelerates rotting.
You’ll also want to remove any vines or climbing plants from your fence. Similar to soil, plants can maintain moisture close to the wood, accelerating the rotting process. Bushes should be planted at a reasonable distance from the fence to avoid moisture enclosure there as well. Do regular prunings of any closeby bushes so that they aren’t directly touching the fence.
Also, if you use sprinklers or use a hose for watering, avoid hitting the fence straight-on with the water. This will cause the fence to absorb unnecessary moisture and diminish its life expectancy.
Deep Cleaning
Inevitably over the years some moss and mildew will accumulate on your fence. You can remove this growth through a gentle pressure wash every 2 or 3 years depending on the conditions of the fence. Make sure that whether your do it yourself or hire someone to help, that the pressure washer operates at 1500 to 2000 psi units and use a 25 degree tip. These specifications will ensure that the wood isn’t damaged while performing the pressure wash. After the deep cleaning, you can continue with your usual annual chores of applying stain, sealant and performing necessary repairs.
By taking care of these regular maintenance tasks, you’ll ensure that your beautiful wooden fence lasts for many years.
Have questions? Need help? All Counties Fence can help with all of your wooden fence repair needs. Give us a call. We look forward to serving you.
