Your Guide to Maintaining a Wood Fence
Maintaining a wood fence is essential to prolong its life and preserve its beauty, and it’s a key component of homeownership that should not be overlooked. At Buzz Custom Fence, we specialize in helping you ensure that your wood fence remains a durable and attractive feature of your home. Regular maintenance not only extends the lifespan of your fence but also enhances your property’s privacy and security. Below, we detail the common maintenance concerns and the proactive steps you can take to address them, ensuring that your fence remains in top condition year after year.
COMMON MAINTENANCE CONCERNS
The continuous changes in weather conditions are extremely harsh on your fence. Your maintenance plan must be geared to combat the problems caused by water absorption and water loss, mildew growth, and discoloration of wood due to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. All of the maintenance concerns discussed below are weather-related. The degree to which your fence is affected by them depends on many factors. These factors include general climate conditions (such as normal precipitation, humidity, etc.) and location in your yard (with regard to direct sun exposure, foliage coverage, etc.)
Wood Fence Maintenance Tips
INITIAL MAINTENANCE
Initially, clean your fence with a cleaner/brightener that includes a mildewcide to prevent the onset of mildew. Then, apply a topical sealant for surface protection. Choose either a pigmented or clear outdoor wood sealer which allows moisture vapor to escape slowly after application. This ensures better long-term protection of the wood.
SWELLING & SHRINKING
Continuous water absorption and water loss in a wood fence will cause its natural defects to surface. The most common defects are: cupping/warping, twisting, checking and splitting. A well-maintained fence will still experience some of these natural defects. However, the extent can be significantly reduced through a maintenance plan.
MILDEW GROWTH
Whenever wood, including pressure-treated wood, is constantly exposed to moist or humid conditions , it will mildew. This results in an unsightly appearance. Your preventative maintenance plan will need to include cleaning your fence with a cleaner containing a mildewcide. This will ensure that your fence will remain bright and attractive.
ULTRAVIOLET PROTECTION
Without any preventative steps taken to block the sun’s ultraviolet rays, the surface cells of the wood will begin to discolor to a weathered gray color. Although some may prefer this, others won’t. If you want to maintain the natural wood color, you will need to not only clean/brighten your fence periodically, but also choose a water-repellent finish with an ultraviolet stabilizer. The stabilizer will not prevent eventual discoloration, but will slow down the process. Periodic reapplication of a UV stabilizer will help in this effort over an extended period of time.
FIRST YEAR MAINTENANCE
Within 90 days of your fence installation, reapply cleaner/brightener and another layer of outdoor wood sealant. This combination of topical water repellent and ultraviolet stabilizer will keep your fence looking fresh and new.
FUTURE PERIODIC PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
The frequency of cleaning, brightening, and recoating your wood fence depends on its exposure to elements. It may be sufficient to perform these tasks annually. However, if extending beyond two years, consider using a power washer for effective cleaning, ensuring that the cleaner/brightener used contains a mildewcide. After every cleaning, reapply an outdoor wood sealer that includes both a water-repellent and an ultraviolet stabilizer.
Consistent maintenance can’t completely prevent the natural defects of wood from surfacing, but your efforts can minimize them significantly. Maintaining your wood fence is an ongoing process that will extend its life and enhance its beauty, ensuring that it remains a valuable component of your home for years to come.
How to Maintain a Cedar Fence
Cedar wood requires specific care due to its unique properties. Regular maintenance tailored for cedar can help manage its natural swelling and shrinking and keep your cedar wood fence looking its best:
- Cleaning: Use a cleaner containing a mildewcide to prevent mildew growth, which is common in moist or humid conditions. This helps maintain the bright, attractive appearance of your cedar fence.
- Protection from UV Rays: To maintain the natural wood color, clean and brighten your fence periodically, and apply a water-repellent finish with an ultraviolet stabilizer. This will not stop discoloration completely but will significantly slow down the process.
For detailed information on maintaining your wood fence and to explore our range of fencing options, check out Buzz Fence. We’re committed to helping you maintain your fence in excellent condition. Contact us today to request a quote and see how we can support your fencing needs!
