How Often to Seal a Wood Fence?
Keeping up with wood fence maintenance is an important part of protecting and extending the life of your fence. It’s a great way to add value to your property and it also creates a safe barrier for your family. If you don’t take good care of your fence, it can quickly wear out and need to be replaced.
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How often should I seal a wood fence?
If you have a new wood fence that hasn’t been painted or stained, you’ll want to coat it with a clear sealant to protect the wood and maintain a strong seal against moisture. This will help your fence last longer and prevent it from rotting, which can be expensive to repair.
The frequency of how often to seal your wood fence will vary depending on the type of wood you have and where your home is located. In wet climates, it’s best to reapply paint or a clear sealant more frequently than in dry areas.
Before you can stain or seal a wood fence, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly. Cleaning removes grit and dirt that can impede the wood stain’s ability to soak into the boards. It also brightens the surface, which will improve the durability of the stain or sealant.
Stain or seal a fence by brushing on the stain or seal with a brush that’s been generously dipped in it. Start at the top and work your way down the horizontal slats of the fence. Repeat this process on the vertical slats as well. Applying the product one slat at a time prevents lap marks from forming and helps to preserve the natural grain of the wood.
When you’re done, allow the stain or sealant to completely dry. This is a good idea because it will prevent the stain from bleeding through the slats and leaving streaks in the finished fence.
After your fence has dried, you can then apply a coat of stain or sealant to the entire surface. You can do this with a brush or roller and you’ll want to give it a few hours to completely dry before moving on to the next step.
Keep out the bushes and vines
Bushes and vines will rot your fence and cause it to deteriorate faster. You should remove any bushes or vines that are clinging to your fence and avoid placing sprinklers or hoses near it. The hoses will cause the wood to get wet and this can lead to rust.
Use a sprayer to apply the sealant or stain
You can use a paint sprayer to apply the clear coat of water repellant and the stain or sealer on your fence. Just make sure to cover any other items around the fence that may get in the way of the application, such as trees or grass. If you don’t have a sprayer, you can use a drop cloth to catch the excess material.
Applying a wood fence sealant or stain is easy to do yourself and will save you money in the long run. It will protect the wood from fading and warping and will also prevent rusting and other weather damage that can occur to the wood.
