How To Properly Care For Your Wooden Fence

When it is newly installed, wooden fencing looks vibrant and beautiful. However, if you do not care for it properly, that gorgeous wooden fence will soon start rotting, sagging, and attracting pesky insects like termites and wood bees. To prevent this tragic end for your wooden fence, follow these maintenance tips.

Apply a waterproof coating once a year.

Once the fence is completely assembled, you should stain it. Then, wait a week or two and apply a waterproof sealer. This sealer will keep water from seeping into the wood and causing rot. However, the sealer won't last forever. Once a year, you'll need to clean off the fence and then apply a new coat of waterproofer. Make sure you fully cover the visible and non-visible sections of the fence, including the areas where the rails connect to the posts.

Don't expose the fence to too much water.

The more often your fence is exposed to water, the faster the waterproof coating will rinse away. So, do all that you can to minimize contact with water. Do not get the fence wet when you're watering plants or your grass. Keep any weeds or bushes near the fence well trimmed so they don't trap water and moisture near the fence.

Fill any little holes immediately.

Every couple of months, look over the fence carefully. If you notice any little holes forming in the fence, use a wood filler to fill them in. These holes may have been created by insects, like wood bees, and filling them in quickly will keep the insects from returning and causing more damage.

If you actually see insects near the fence, you can spray the affected area with insecticide, wait about a week, and then fill in the holes. If you don't have wood filler on hand, you can make your own by mixing together wood glue and some wood shavings until they form a thick paste.

Replace missing nails or screws.

If you notice any nails or screws missing from the fence, it's important to replace them sooner rather than later. Even if the fence board is still in place regardless of the missing screw, it may be experiencing uneven pressure where the other screws are placed. This could cause the board to crack or bow over time.

To learn more about caring for your wooden fence, talk to a fencing contractor, like one from Security Fence, in your local area.