Maybe the hardest part of wood fence maintenance is finding the motivation to do it – but not everyone is like this. That doesn’t imply that you should neglect this important area, and since your fence was expensive, it only makes sense that you would want to help keep it looking great. Plus you may want to sell your home one day, and if so then the condition of your wooden fence will become important. Here are some smart guidelines you’ll want to know and follow and they’re effective, too.
Scheduled Inspection
Create a schedule where you carry out periodic visual inspections of your fence which is particularly important for wood fences because there are too many things that can cause damage. The best thing to do is get a notebook and create an inspection log. You just never know when something will happen, and then you may be able to learn something. And be sure you pay close attention to the fence posts, and the point of entry in the ground are high-risk areas. One of the greatest risks or threats aside from moisture and rot are termites, and not much needs to be said about them.
Rust and Corrosion
What kind of nails and connecting elements do you prefer? Most just go with the metal connectors but it is something to think about. One of the biggest concerns here is with rust and corrosion, and at least you can stain wooden dowels. Wood does not have a strong grasping quality with nails, and that is just the nature of wood and the combination. Wooden fencing is like all others, and it is helpful to remember that there are idiosyncrasies with all fence materials. Most people simply hammer the nails back in until they’re flush once again, but check out the nail and if it appears to be corroded, then it’s best to replace it.
There is an area you cannot neglect, and this has everything to do with protective applications to inhibit wood rot and other risks. After that, you should give your fence a thorough cleaning and application of stain in about 4 years and no more than 5 years. Getting someone who knows about this in depth is one solution and you can get expert advice in a variety of ways. It would not hurt your fence to clean it once a year, but again it really just depends on your local conditions.
There are varied approaches with wood fence maintenance, so that needs to be remembered. Not all homeowners elect to use a stained fence, and that may be you but remember what can happen. So after you inspect your fence, then you can choose the best way to go with this.
