Wooden fences are an inexpensive yet beautiful way to enclose your yard. However, wooden fences never seem to last very long. Most especially those fences that aren’t taken care of properly. All Painting & Restoration wants to share the importance of maintaining your wooden fence and how you can take proper care of it which in turn will extend the life of your fencing. To extend the life of any wooden structure, proper maintenance of the wood is mandatory. It is recommended you do a yearly or every other year maintenance program. This will include cleaning, repairing, resealing and lubricating all hardware. All Painting & Restoration will share the different steps that should be done for proper maintenance of your wooden fencing.
Clean Your Wood Fence with a Pressure Washer
When doing your yearly maintenance, you first will want to clean the entire fence. Most will use a power washer to aid in the cleaning. If you have a larger yard or a lot of fencing to clean you may want to consider renting a pressure washer if you don’t already own one. There are many types of products for wood surfaces that are designed to work with a pressure washer. You will want to make sure you get the right products for your needs. If not, you can create you own mixture using just water, bleach, and liquid dish soap to clean and kill any contaminants such as mold, mildews and such. Make sure to clear away any grass and weeds before you begin washing the fence.
Check for Fencing Repairs Needed
After you are finished washing the fence, you may have come across some damage or loose wooden panels along your fence. You may want to replace any questionable fasteners, or you may even need to replace the damaged wood panels. Most fences are meant to keep children or pets within the property, so make sure there are no weaknesses in the fence or its structure.
Apply Wood Fence Sealer
Once the fence has been cleaned and repaired, you will then want to reseal the fence. The two worst elements that destroy wood are sun and water damage. An important step in extending the life of your wooden fence is to keep it properly sealed. Some will either use a stain or paint as the sealer. Whether you’re going for the natural stain look, the white picket fence, or the use of color, make sure you select an exterior paint or stain designed to protect and strengthen the wood. You can either use a roller or a paint brush to apply your choice of sealer.
Check Gate & Fence Hardware Such as Latches, Brackets & Hinges Etc
After you have finished painting and sealing, you’re close to being finished. However, before you call it a job well done, check the hardware on the gates and such and make sure that rust hasn’t damaged them. Use rust protective lubricator to keep them maintained. WD40 works well, for example.
Wood Fence Building, Staining, Painting, Sealing & More in Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Greer, Springville, Eagar, McNary, Alpine, Heber/Overgaard, Payson, Snowflake/Taylor & White Mountains Area of Arizona
Wooden fences are a great, yet inexpensive way to fence your home and yard. However if not cared for properly the wooden fence will need replacement much earlier than it needs to be. For those who find they can’t spare the time or are unable to maintain their wooden fence, contact All Painting & Restoration today. We will come and assist you in your fence building, repairs and maintenance.
