subject: How To Maintain And Keep Your Wood Fence Healthy [print this page] Wood fences are a popular choice for home privacy and security, because they offer a perfect balance between sturdiness, security, and attractiveness. They are also frequently used because the panels of the fence can be set close together to create a visibility barrier.
Wood fences require a moderate amount of maintenance to maintain both their effectiveness and their physical appearance. Here, we will go over some of the ways to maintain a wooden fence, as well as how to repair and replace sections of the fence in the event that it is damaged.
The primary aspect of maintaining wood fences is by keeping them in good condition through the resistance of weathering effects. This is usually done through a solid coat of paint, which will need to be replaced every few years.
A good coat of paint will keep the wood from absorbing water and warping when it rains or when the fence is made wet through other means, such as by a hose. It will also keep the sun from bleaching and damaging the wood over time.
The fence will often need to be cleaned if it is subject to pets, children, or other sources of dirt and grime. Cleaning is easy to do if it is painted (simply hose it down), but if it has not yet been painted it is important to clean it before painting so that the coat is applied well. This can be done by brushing it with a cloth, removing dirt and cobwebs.
Repairing a wooden fence is a bit more of a task, although they are not frequently damaged because they tend to be very sturdy. Most wooden fences used around residences are made using a backbone that runs along the inside of the fence, with the wooden panels attached to it. This backbone is then set between upright posts, creating a strong brace for the panels to be set against.
If the panels are damaged, they can be removed from the backbone and replaced individually, which is generally quite easy to do. This is also true if one of the upright posts is damaged, but the backbones will need to be removed and then reattached once it is replaced. If the backbone is damaged, however, either the entire section will need to be replaced or the panels will need to be removed, the backbone replaced, and then the panels reattached individually.
