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How to Extend the Life of a Wood Fence

A fence marks the boundaries of what you call home. It encloses the space you and your family get to call your own, carving out a little piece of the world and protecting it from onlookers and intruders. It’s important to properly maintain your fence so that it can continue blocking out the worries of the outside world for as long as possible. Read on to find out how. 

Yearly Inspections and Repairs

Regularly inspecting your fence for signs of damage or rot can help you catch problem areas before they grow into bigger and more costly problems. Similarly, you can replace any broken boards you find over the course of your inspection to shore up any holes in your fence. Over the course of your inspection, you should make sure all the nails and screws are tight. Strain can cause them to come out or become rusted over time. In order to maintain the structural integrity of the fence, it is important to have them replaced as soon as possible. Finally, make sure each section of the fence is securely connected to the other. Like a chain, your fence is only as strong as its weakest connection or link. 

If you notice any of the following, it is important to contact a fence repair specialist:

  • Sections of your fence are leaning
  • A section has become unattached
  • Posts are loose, coming out of the ground, or damaged

Make Sure Your Fence Is Clean

A fence should be pressure washed and recoated every 3-5 years to remove dirt, moss, mildew, and even ugly stains. A pressure washer should be used to help remove mold and moss spores that could affect the health of you and your family if left alone. Once the cleaning is done, recoat and reseal the paint. This helps with water resistance and the prevention of wood rot. It also increases the lifespan of the fence by limiting the amount of weathering it experiences. After painting your fence, you should give it a week to dry before applying a stain or sealant.

Additional Care Tips

An often overlooked part of proper fence maintenance is cutting back plants. It can be difficult to confine your plant babies, but if left to grow wild, plants can wreak havoc on a fence. Limbs sitting on top of the fence posts can add weight, causing it to lean or crack, while roots can grow underneath the fence. This causes more strain and can result in serious damage.

Additionally, make sure the area around your fence has proper drainage. Too much water and moisture will encourage moss and mildew growth. You may need to move or adjust sprinklers to help with this. Make sure your sprinklers are not hitting your fence as water can result in substantial damage to your fence over time. Water causes the wood to swell, encouraging mildew and mold growth. 

Fence Repair and Construction Specialists

Fence maintenance does not have to be you against the world, even if it may feel like that. At A&O Texas Solutions, we can help you make sure that your fence is up to the task of defending your forever home for just that – forever. Whether you need help maintaining the fence you’ve already set up to defend your piece of the world, or you’re looking to finally put up your own, call us today!