A wood fence provides a functional look and a definitive border to your home’s property. The fence offers a great way to protect your kids and pets and keep stray animals out. A well-constructed and maintained fence will change the look of your property.
Although the wood fence is popular among most property owners, it requires frequent maintenance. It is prone to weathering, water logging, and rotting if it is not maintained correctly. Let’s look at the best ways to keep a new fence from rotting, water logging, and weathering.
Use Pressure-Treated Posts
For a new wood fence, make sure you obtain pressure-treated posts. The wooden posts should be treated because they are put into the ground. This makes them susceptible to moisture and insects that can lead to rotting and weathering.
Treated posts can be obtained from mills where they undergo chemical treatment to enable them to resist water and insect damage.
Treating the wood materials for the new fence will protect the fence from pests that can damage it. Pests such as termites can eat away and damage a wood fence. Most used fence materials are softwoods such as cedar, pine, fir, and redwood that are vulnerable to pest infestation. Treated posts will help in eliminating pests from your fence. You can seek professional service to treat it or treat it yourself using insecticides and pesticides.
Apply Weatherproof Stain When the Fence Is First Installed
Wood fences are prone to rot and weathering due to water and moisture. It is difficult to prevent the fence from snow and rain, but you can thwart the moisture and water from penetrating the wood. Make sure a weatherproof stain is applied to the wood materials before it is installed. The weatherproof stain will help protect it from damage associated with rot and weathering.
Ensure you apply the weatherproof stain regularly to protect the fence from the root. Choose stain or paint designed for outdoor purposes. The stain contains preservative and water-repellent chemicals that will protect the fence from watering logging.
Keep the Plant Away
Plant life near the fence can result in water logging or damp spots. Therefore, you should keep plants away from the fence to prevent them from rotting. Make sure your landscaping doesn’t grow on the fence.
Maintenance
Maintenance is key to protecting it from rot, water logging, and weathering. Maintenance will help keep your fence clean, protecting it from weathering. Eliminating grime and dirt allows the fence to breathe. You should maintain your fence by power washing it regularly to remove the buildup on the wood surface.
The ideal power wash should be done with a pressure range of between 1500 and 2000 psi. This will protect the fence from mold, rot, and weathering. Make sure the sprayer is approximately 18 inches from your wood fence to prevent it from causing gouges and dips. Aim for a machine with a 25 and 15-degree tip for general cleaning and addressing hard-to-reach areas, respectively.
Conduct a thorough inspection after every power wash to identify broken wood and rough patches. Where rough patches are identified, use sandpaper to smooth them.
Filling and sealing
This step involves filling cracks on the wood fence. Large cracks can attract mold spores and rot. Therefore, you can protect your fence from rot by sealing large cracks with epoxy. Sealing the fence involves the following process.
First, clean the cracked parts thoroughly with a wood-safe cleaner. Second, mix your sealing material according to the instructions indicated on the package. Third, fill the cracks with the mixture and let it set. It is essential to apply a sealant to your fence on a sunny day to enable the mixture to set and cure properly. Make sure you put more emphasis on the parts of the fence near the ground and joints.
Use breathable sealants to allow your fence to breathe, thus preventing decay. You can also spray your fence with water-repellent sealants to protect the fence from snow, moisture, and rain.
Wax Polish
Wax polishing your fence will protect it from rot and weathering. It will also protect the fence from damage and dirt that can darken the wood. Wax polishing your fence will also eliminate the need to wash it frequently.
