subject: How To Properly Clean And Maintain Your Fences [print this page] Fences are a useful tool for keeping people and animals in or out of a given area, and can be used in a variety of other applications. However, because they are intended to keep people and animals from crossing a certain point, they are sometimes subject to attempts to do just that.
This can result in the damaging of the fence, particularly if the thing trying to get through them is a person with tools. Fences are also subject to the effects of weathering and corrosion, because they are almost always outside. Decorative fences can also get dirty and become unattractive if not maintained and cleaned. Here, we will take a look at how to clean and maintain a fence, based on the material from which it is made.
Fences are most frequently made from iron, wood, chain link, or vinyl. Iron is a popular choice for home and commercial security and privacy fencing because it is very sturdy, making it difficult to damage. It can also be worked into different shapes that make it harder to climb or bypass.
If it is in an area that subjects it to corrosion, such as by an ocean, then it will need to be coated with an anti-rusting agent and perhaps a coat of paint. If it is somehow damaged, iron can be expensive and difficult to replace, but this is very rare.
Wood is a good choice because it offers a balance between being relatively sturdy and yet easy and cheap to replace if damaged. A coat of paint will help it resist the effects of weathering, and also keep it looking attractive.
A coat of paint will typically need to be replaced every few years. While it takes a significant amount of force to damage most wood panel fences, the amount of effort it takes to repair them can be variable.
Chain link is easy to repair and maintain, and relatively cheap to replace, but consequently easy to damage. Since it is often used in security applications, it is the most subject to being bypassed.
Unfortunately, chain link can be bypassed by cutting the links, which will require a total replacement of that section. Vinyl fencing is not frequently damaged because it is not used in security applications, and is very resistant to weathering. It will never require a coat of paint, and for this reason it is a good choice for agricultural applications.
