Fence maintenance jobs to take care of in spring
Spring is a time of renewal, where finally the coldest months and longest nights are coming to an end. Regardless of how your fence has held up throughout winter, the first step for any new season is to head out to your garden and take a look at your fence. Check it over for any cracks, damaged fence posts, wobbly panels or boards, dirt build-up, mould or anything else that seems out of the ordinary.
If your fence is only in need of a good scrub, great! First scrape off any dirt or leaves that have built up over the months, and then mix one part white vinegar with four parts water for the perfect safe DIY fence cleaner. Brush it down with a soft bristle brush to remove any mould, and you’re good to go.
If you have found that there is some damage after looking it over though, maybe to your fence panels or concrete fence posts, then it’s best to take care of that first before you start treating anything else. It’s a good idea to take care of any damage as soon as possible to stop it from getting worse. If parts of the fence are damaged beyond repair, then make sure to replace them as soon as possible.
How to keep your fence looking great throughout summer
Much like spring, the first job to take care of when addressing your summer fence maintenance is to take a look over your fence. Depending on where you live, you might have had a wet spring and be dealing with some mould or algae growing on your fence. So just like spring, give your fence a good scrub down with white vinegar and water to get it sparkling once again.
In this section we’ll address a few questions we get frequently regarding fence care. The first is – what month is best to paint a fence? The answer to that is it depends on the weather. But a few warm days in summer is the perfect time to restore your fence to its former glory with a lick of fresh paint.
Similarly another question we get asked a lot is: is it better to paint or stain a fence? Again, the answer is completely subjective to what your personal aesthetic preferences are, but if you’re looking for UV protection throughout the summer months, we’d recommend staining your fence. The sun weakens fence panels over time, making them more likely to split and crack. However, a good few coats of a quality fence stain can protect your fence from the UV rays and prevent it from drying out in the sun!
Which leads us to our final question: how often should fences be treated? Experts recommend staining or sealing (if you prefer) your fence every couple of years, but it greatly depends on the weather where you live and the fence you have. Every fence is different, so a good rule of thumb to follow is when you notice that water no longer rolls off your fence but instead soaks in, it’s time to re-stain.
Maintaining your fence throughout autumn
Autumn is a beautiful season to be out in the garden. But as the leaves start to fall, it’s a good idea to start your autumn fence maintenance. Not much happens in autumn in regard to treating your fence, but now’s a great time to start preparing your fence for winter. Trim any low hanging branches near your fencing so they’re less likely to fall during a spell of bad weather.
Similarly, it’s best to not let your fencing get bogged down under piles of fallen leaves. It’s better to remove any debris in bursts little and often, rather than all at once, as it just makes the job a lot easier to manage! Autumn is also a great time to remove any weeds or dead plants from around the perimeter of your fencing, and keep on top of its cleaning. Hosing it down will be enough at this point in the year when it comes to removing any excess dirt. Be sure to keep an eye on it after any particularly nasty storms or spells of bad weather, and that’s really all there is to it!
Winter fence maintenance tips
Winter is the season that we’re all least likely to be outside in the garden. But before winter settles into full swing, it’s a good idea to go out and make sure your fence is in a good enough condition to make it through. Check the fence panels for any damage or rot, fence posts and clear away any debris. If all is well, keep repeating this process over the next few months, especially after any untoward weather, and winter won’t get the better of you!
Now that we’ve covered everything, if you’re in need of any garden fencing panels, fence posts or a whole new fence, you’re in the right place! We’ve got a great selection for you to choose from here at Welch Fencing. Feel free to take a look around our site, and if you have any questions about anything you see, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01772 336476, and we’ll be happy to help however we can!
