From chain links that require hog ring tools to beautiful wooden timber boards, maintaining your fences is crucial to keeping them beautiful and intact. However, a significant obstacle to keeping fences durable is fence rot. Look at five ways to prevent your fence from rotting so you can keep your fences in excellent condition for as long as possible.
Understand the Primary Types of Rot
One of the five ways to prevent your fence from rotting is simply understanding the different types of rot and how they occur. With fencing, there are usually a couple of types of deterioration that you’ll come into contact with. The most common is wet rot, which results from consistent exposure to moisture. This type of rot usually happens at the base of your fence boards, as they have the most contact with the wet earth beneath them. You can identify this rot by checking for softening wood and fungal growth.
Select a Durable Material
Before a new fencing installation, you’ll want to consider the durability of the material that you buy and how well you think it will fare in its surroundings. For instance, if you live in the desert, you’ll want to select fencing that’s built to last in harsh conditions and won’t be as susceptible to dry rot. Choosing the best fencing material for your environment is an excellent way to prevent your fence from rotting.
Use a Wood Preservative
Another fantastic measure you can take to prevent fence rot is sealing your timber with a wood preservative. These preservatives act as a sealant on your fence. These seals protect your fencing from harsh weather, debris, water, and other residues that could damage your wood and cause it to rot over time. Having a protective seal over your wood will ensure that it stays solid and pristine for much longer than it would if left to nature’s elements.
Keep Your Fences Clean
Whether they line the perimeter of a small farm or area of your yard, fences live outside. So, your fences will naturally start to collect some dirt and debris over time. While these residues can contribute to rotting, if you take a little time to wash your fences when you notice dirt build-up, you can drastically offset your chances of needing a complete fence replacement.
Replace Rotted Sections as You Go
Something else you can do to prevent fence rot is checking for more minor spots where you notice decay and replacing them as you go. Instead of waiting until the deterioration gets entirely out of hand, you’re tackling a smaller, more manageable problem head-on. If 90 percent of your fencing is in excellent shape, but you’ve got one tiny area of rot, it’s much simpler and more cost-effective to cut away the rotted wood and replace it, rather than having to replace your entire fence later.
Keeping your fences in excellent shape doesn’t have to be complicated. Hopefully, this guide has provided you with some great preemptive measures you can take to make sure that your fences stay in immaculate condition for years to come.