What To Know
- If you want to keep your fence looking great, there’s a lot of maintenance work you’ll want to keep on top of each month to make sure you don’t end up with a rotting or prematurely aged wood fence.
- The more your fence has been subjected to dramatic weather changes and an influx of moisture, the more likely it will be that your fence will start to tilt or collapse in certain areas.
After installing a fence around your home or backyard, you might imagine that the hard work is over. However, if you’re a homeowner who cares about boosting your home’s curb value and appearance, your work is far from over. On the contrary: If you want to keep your fence looking great, there’s a lot of maintenance work you’ll want to keep on top of each month to make sure you don’t end up with a rotting or prematurely aged wood fence. Since wood is a sensitive, porous material, it can easily end up dirty or damaged after years of exposure to the elements. If you don’t take care to give your fence a regular wash down from a fence power washing londonberry nh service, your fence could end up losing years off its life. However, even if your fence looks the worse for wear, there are ways you can make it look brand new using only a few simple tools and a few hours of work. Whatever state your wood fence is in, it’s probably not unsalvageable. If you want your fence to get back to looking its best, here are some tips to use.
Use a Power Washer
Washing your fence is one thing. Applying extreme power to peel away decades and layers or encrusted dirt and bacteria is another. When you use a power washer, you’re effectively blasting all the grime off your wood fence, revealing a nearly spotless, brand-new looking structure. However, power washers use considerable force to get the job done, and are not for the faint of heart. If you’re not trained to operate a power washer, this is a job best left to the professionals. You can usually hire a service to come and wash your fence before you start your other repairs or begin to treat it for more specific damage. Power washing can be a huge asset whether you’re just giving your fence a thorough clean or thinking about repainting or staining your fence. You’ll be able to peel away all that dirt to create a perfect, clean canvas that will make a new coat of paint shine even more brightly and last years longer.
Do Basic Repairs
Cleaning your fence isn’t the only way to give it a brand new look. If your fence has truly seen better days, it will probably have a bit of minor damage in the form of chipped pieces and worn-down parts, as well as rusty or broken locks. Before you do anything to your fence, you’ll want to take the time to straighten up all those odds and ends to make your fence look its best. You can purchase a new lock from the hardware store, or try treating it with rust remover if it’s still mostly function. Replacing even smaller chipped areas with new wood can give your fence a stronger, straighter appearance, and getting rid of weak areas that have begun to moss over or rot will help your fence stay strong for far longer. Take note of any vines or weeds that have begun to grow around your fence. You’ll want to clean those up before you start treating the wood with stain or a fresh coat of paint.
Tighten and Straighten
Next up, you’ll want to perk your fence up so that it’s actually doing its job. Over the years, storms and other weather conditions can cause your fence to lean and buckle under pressure. This is especially true of wood, which swells and warps in extreme heat. The more your fence has been subjected to dramatic weather changes and an influx of moisture, the more likely it will be that your fence will start to tilt or collapse in certain areas. Luckily, this is something that can be quite easily fixed. Tighten up any loose parts with a screwdriver or drill, and use a basic wrench to straighten any backboards or doors. Once you have a perfectly upstanding fence, you’re ready to move onto beautification.
Treat with Stain
Wood stain can work wonders for an aging fence. Not only does it protect your porous, aging wood from absorbing a ton of dirt and water, it gives you fence a brand new look. You can use an oil-based stain and wood preservative as a basic first layer, moving on to a transparent stain or finish to cover the entire area once you’re done with all your repairs. After you’ve coated your fence, you’ll be amazed at how brand new it looks.
