March 29, 2024

Wooden fences are an excellent addition to make to your home. They add aesthetic value to homes and keep unwanted creatures off your property. At the same time, they still allow you to see and carry on conversations with neighbors. Before constructing a wood fence on your property, you should consider the maintenance. Wooden fences are not cinder block walls—you cannot walk away and hope they will still be there in thirty years. Neither do you have to spend every weekend repairing it? If you follow the tips below, your fence will remain pristine with little work.

The Right Stuff

To ensure your fence is standing a month from now, you want to build it strong. Start by choosing the right materials. You can construct a wood fence with almost any kind of lumber. But if you want it to really last, you should choose between western red cedar, white oak, or pressure-treated pine. It costs more, but you save in the long run. Western red cedar is great. It has a beautiful appearance and is resistant to rot and insects. White oak is just as good. It is weather-resistant and even stronger than western red cedar. However, it does have a tendency to wrap over time. Finally, consider pressure-treated pine. It is just as durable and less expensive.

Cosmetic Maintenance

Now that you have chosen the right material, you want to strengthen it with primer and paint. You’ll want paint that is going to hold up against the elements, so make sure it contains UV inhibitors. When selecting a primer, make sure it is compatible with the wood you have chosen. Secondly, see if it contains mildewcide and zinc oxide. Mildewcide kills mildew spores and zinc stops mildew from growing.

Even though you take every precaution to prevent your fence from falling victim to the weather, you may still encounter rot. If this happens, don’t worry. There’s no reason a little decay has to ruin the rest of the fence. To repair the damage, cut, sand, or grind the damaged area until you reach unspoiled wood.  Then fill the area with a generous amount of plumber’s putty. After it dries, paint over it. Your fence will be as good as new.

Structural Integrity

Once you have taken every precaution to weatherproof the fence, you will want to make sure it is structurally sound. There’s no avoiding it—your fence will be jumped over, climbed on, and ran into.  The only thing you can do to stop it from collapsing under the pressures of everyday use is to ensure its structural integrity.

Every strong fence begins with good posts. For your posts, you will want to bury one-third of their length into the ground. After placing it in the ground, reinforce it. To reinforce the posts, pack the surrounding area with concrete. After the concrete is poured, make sure the posts are standing upright; use a large level to be sure. Then brace the posts to give the concrete time to dry.

Durability

If you take these precautions, you will have durable fencing that lasts twenty years. A wood fence requires maintenance, but it does not have to consume your life. As long as you take care of it, the fence will continue to stand strong.

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