Taking care of your fence is basic home maintenance!
Fences are a critical part of your home. They provide security and safety and add to your yard’s beauty, but they’re easy to overlook. Keeping your fence well-maintained isn’t just a smart idea to make your home look nicer though- it can save you money further down the line, and make your home more valuable. Whether you’re staging your house to sell, or just want to improve your property, here are some key maintenance tips for both wood and vinyl to help you take care of your fence.
How To Take Care Of A Fence
How to Repair a Fence
Every few months, walk alongside your fence and look for external damage. This can be scratchings from an animal, broken boards, missing nails, warping and splitting, or areas where the fence leans. Also go ahead and check locks and hinges on gates. Most of these cosmetic damages can be fixed simply by replacing or tightening boards and hammering in new nails. However, for more structural damage, you may have to make some bigger changes. As a word of caution: before you make any changes to your fence, check your fence warranty. Sometimes a warranty will say you can or cannot add or strip sealant off a fence, or make other alterations, so make sure nothing you’re doing will null the warranty.
Warping, for example, may be coming from excess water exposure. If you have sprinklers, move them so that they don’t hit the fence. This will also help prevent mold or rot. In addition to water damage, having bushes touching the fence can cause the fence to weaken and lean. Consider trimming bushes and hedges to alleviate any weight from the fence. If you live in a humid or wet climate, it may help to apply a wood preservative to the base posts. With a simple paintbrush, you can paint the bottom few inches of each fence post with the wood preservative, and this will help prevent rotting.
How To Renew a Wood Fence
When your fence is looking worse for wear, clean it with a pressure washer (just don’t let the pressure be too high, as it can damage the wood) and re-coat it with a UV inhibiting, water-repellant coating. This coating will help protect the wood from moisture and keep the color. If you see moss or other growth on the fence, scrape it off the best you can and then mix a solution of 20% bleach to 80% mild detergent. Put this on the fence and let it dry for at least an hour before washing it.
Every 2-3 years it may be a good idea to repaint the fence with a wood stain, which acts as a sealant to protect the wood and can also liven up the fence’s natural color. Be sure the fence is completely dry before you paint and can stay dry for the next 24 hours. You can use a roller for this job, but finish it with a paintbrush to get to all of the cracks and crevices. If you can, it is always wise to check any manufacturer or installation instructions for your fence to see if there is specific care your fence needs.
3. How to Clean a Vinyl Fence
On a vinyl fence, you may see a visible buildup of mold or algae. An easy solution to this is to use a fence cleaner or a mixture of white vinegar and water (about .5-1 cup vinegar to 1-2 gallons of water) and apply it onto the fence. Once the solution is on the problem area, simply scrub it off with a rag. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then rinse! Your fence should be good as new. While doing this, wear rubber gloves and goggles to keep yourself safe from any mold spores. Vinegar and/or fence cleaner can be deadly to plants, so if you have grass or plants growing right next to your fence, be careful to avoid spraying them. And until the ground is dry, keep animals and children from playing in the area as well, to avoid exposure to any harsh chemicals.
Ideas Sourced From:
https://reddifence.com/blog/maintenance/how-to-extend-the-life-of-a-wood-fence
