How to Make Your Wood Fence Last For Decades

When properly maintained, the wood fence can last for decades. Without adequate maintenance, any quality wood fence can quickly deteriorate, especially in the Pacific Northwest’s wet weather conditions. If you want a wood fence that can accompany you through the years while retaining its vitality and youthful appearance get the wood fence from a trusted  New Orleans commercial wood fence  seller. Also, you must take these key steps to get the most life out of your wooden fence.

Use quality materials

Ensuring your fence’s long lifespan begins with the fencing materials you use to build it. Although cedar is a popular Northwest material for wood fence panels, a cedar fence has two other essential parts that require different types of wood. These include the posts and the supporting rails.

Posts

Structurally, the posts are the most important part of your fence. They hold the fence upright and anchor it in place on the ground. Because they’re in contact with the ground, wood fence posts require extra protection against moisture and rotting, which is why all fence posts should be constructed from pressure-treated wood.

Rails

Rails are another structurally important element, as they hold the fence boards in place. Because they do not contact the ground, they don’t need to be made from pressure-treated wood; in fact, pressure-treated wood rails tend to twist and cause problems. Cedar, on the other hand, is too soft to use for rails. Choose harder wood, such as Hem-Fir.

Upon building your wood fence, let the wood sit for at least a few days in warm, sunny weather to allow any moisture to evaporate before staining. This will help ensure the stain penetrates appropriately. If you built your fence in the winter, it’s acceptable to wait until spring to apply the first coat of paint.

After your fence is dry all the way through, then you can begin the process of staining. When applying the stain, you can use either a regular brush or a power sprayer. The power sprayer is useful for large-scale jobs, while the brush is handy for hammering out the fine details. The power sprayer should be fitted with a tip that is compatible with stain, as the color is thinner than paint and doesn’t require the same amount of pressure.

Perform regular fence inspections

It’s important to be proactive about addressing any problems or repairs to extend your wood fence’s life as much as possible. A good guideline is to check on your fence every time the seasons change and after any significant storms or long rains. Things to look for include:

Broken boards, cracks, splinters, and rotting wood.

Repair these as soon as possible to prevent them from growing into larger problems.

Rotting posts. Grab the top of each post and try pushing it in all directions. A sturdy post shouldn’t budge.

Knotholes

Fill these in promptly as they can invite pests to move in.

Pest infestations

If action is not taken quickly, these can spread to your home.

Leaves and other organic matter built upon rails or wedged between boards. Keep your fence free of such debris, which can accelerate rot.

Dirt, mold, or mildew

Remove these by housing, pressure washing, or scrubbing your fence.

Tree branches hanging over your fence.

Frozen branches can break off and damage your fence in the winter. Fall is an excellent time to trim back any encroaching branches.

If you follow these tips, then you’ll have a better chance of seeing your wood fence live out its full life span in excellent condition.