The #1 question asked about wood fencing is: “How long does it lasts?” There are many factors that determine the outcome of your fence’s existence. Most wood fences get installed and look great at first, but neglect starts to factor in and it is downhill from there. But, when kept up and regularly maintained it is one of the best fences out on the market. Wood fencing does require maintenance as do all the other types of fences too. Some more than others and while wood is on the upper end of the maintenance spectrum, it’s also most of the time cheaper to install. So, with that being said ” How can we care for our Wood fencing”?
First your going to want to weather seal your wood. This is a good time to stain your fence too. I would advise you to also give your fence some time to dry out before doing your weather seal. Second thing is always inspect your fence and keep anything from growing up on and around it. Vining plants and tall weeds will keep moisture in the fence, and cause it to deteriorate faster. Third, make sure your gates are adjusted properly, a little oil or some sort of lubricant will go a long ways on your hinges. If your gate is dragging the ground or very tough to open, chances are there is something in a bind or not tightened up. This could lead to pickets popping off, wood splitting, cracking or cupping.
I’ll end this post with stating the obvious, “Wood fencing is a natural material with natural habits”. What I mean is it expands and contracts due to moisture. Some pieces will cup, split, warp and all kind of other weird things sometimes. This isn’t very often but it can happen. That is why it is cheaper most times, but it is also cheaper to fix. Most people can switch out a picket themselves with just a hammer and nail.