Maintaining Your Wood Fence

Not only do wood fences offer natural aesthetics and warmth, but they can also be custom fitted to a homeowner’s personal preference. This allows the flexibility to hand pick features, including: the type of wood, style, embellishments, and more. These selections allow your fence to become a part of your home’s presentation, not just another addition.

However, the classic appearance of a wood fence can deteriorate over time, due to issues such as rotting and warping. Additionally, if you have not properly maintained your fence, the changing of the seasons can have a tremendous effect on your fence’s health. To guard against these environmental factors, there are several steps you should take to maintain your fence. By following these suggestions, it is possible to keep your fence looking new for years to come.

1. Power-Washing: Whether you are painting your fence for the first time or cleaning it as a part of routine maintenance, power washing your fence is a must. Not only is this the most effective way to clean your fence, but it also ensures that mold or other stains do not become a permanent fixture after painting. Begin by pre-treating your fence with detergent or soap, then wash from a distance of two-to-three feet to ensure you are not damaging the wood from the nozzle pressure. 

2. Staining: Not only can staining create a unique look for your fence, it can also seal the wood to prolong its longevity. By staining your wood fence within the first year of its installation, you help protect against warping and insect damage as well as help shield the wood from the sun’s ultraviolet light. This level of protection aids your fence in maintaining its color: instead of slowly dulling to a grey color over time, your fence will maintain a healthy glow.

3. Vegetation Control: By ensuring an adequate distance between plants and your wood fence, you can improve your fence’s longevity and protect it against the environment. When plants become overgrown, they put pressure against your fence, causing increasing amounts of damage over time. Close contact between plants and your fence can also lead to a rise in moisture and the presence of pests. Routine vegetation control is, for this reason, also routine maintenance for your fence.

4. Regular Cleaning: Just as the exterior of your house needs routine cleaning, so does your wood fence. It is a good idea to clean your fence every two-to-three years in order to remove any built-up dirt, debris or overgrowth. Once you have ensured the structural integrity of the fence, you will need to reapply ultraviolet light and water-repellent protections (preferably by re-staining the fence). If your fence needs any repairs, this is a good time to tackle those, as well.