If you’ve taken the trouble to install a fence around your property, you don’t want to see it go to waste. While adding a fence to your yard might seem like a one-time job, make no mistake: Maintenance is a crucial part of owning a fence, especially if it’s made of wood. Not only is wood a material that’s more sensitive than others, it needs a lot of prepping and protection in order to do its best work. Whether you installed your fence with Fencing Unlimited Inc. as a way to protect your property or simply enjoy it as a visual statement, you owe it to yourself to take care of it. Here are a few tips for making sure your fence stays strong no matter what.
Apply a Stain
Your wood fence might look wonderful just the way it is, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t benefit from a bit of extra protection. Applying a wood stain to your fence will add a bit of shine to the look of the structure while creating a barrier against weather, rot, and mildew growth. While untreated wood doesn’t tend to stand up too well against the elements, a wood stain can help protect and enhance your fence at the same time. Before you apply your stain, be sure to apply a wood conditioner to make sure your fence stays strong. Do this work in spring or summer, long before the winter weather hits.
Inspect for Rot and Mildew
Your fence is constantly exposed to the outside world. That’s why it’s your job to check it for signs of distress. If you don’t keep on top of mold and mildew growth on your fence, it could end up overtaking it and causing the whole thing to rot. You can easily avoid this by keeping an eye on any pesky dirt and growth, as well as by taking the time to clean and scrub your fence if you notice a dirty patch. It doesn’t take long, and it will help you maintain a beautiful wood fence for years.
Pressure Wash the Right Way
For homeowners who have a lot of ground to cover, it might not seem like the most time-efficient plan to go through and manually clean and inspect a fence each day. Instead, some homeowners opt for pressure-washing, which cleans your fence by blasting high-pressure streams of heated water at dirt and grime, washing everything cleanly away. However, it’s always best to use a professional for this work. Even if you’re experienced at pressure washing, cleaning a wood fence can be particularly tricky. If you don’t have the right settings, you could end up doing serious harm to your fence.
Don’t Wait Too Long Between Cleanings
It might seem unnecessary to check your fence obsessively for new signs of decay or mildew growth, but make no mistake: Checking your fence regularly can be the best kind of preventative maintenance, especially if you live in a stormy, damp climate. As soon as you spot a problem, you’ll be able to treat it without worrying about a small rotten patch overtaking your whole structure.