Fencing is what helps add privacy to your property and protects children, pets, and cattle from wandering away from their safe zones. It can add visual appeal and value to the property of your home, and serve as a way to protect beautiful gardens from certain destructive wild animals.
For these reasons, it is essential to know the best ways to protect your fencing from rotting so it can last as many years as possible. After all, wooden fencing can be costly and not everyone has the deep pockets to replace their fencing whenever rotting begins to happen.
What causes fencing to rot?
Before we discuss the ways to protect fencing from rotting, let us discuss the causes of a rotting fence. One of the main causes of a rotting fence is water and damp soil.
Anytime wooden fences become exposed to water they mold and decay from the inside out. Some fencing will grow moss. Another main cause of a deteriorating fence is insects. Insects such as carpenter ants and termites love eating decaying wood that’s become damaged by environmental factors. Knowing the methods to protect your wooden fencing is essential for getting the most life out of it.
What are the methods for protecting wood fencing?
Coat with Beeswax: If you are looking for an eco-friendly method for protecting wood fencing then beeswax is the way to go.
To use beeswax you melt it down into a liquid that is comfortable to the touch and dip a rag into it. Then you rub the beeswax all over the fencing and allow it to soak into the material for at least 24-hours before installing it around the area desired. With that said, some people do apply two to three layers of beeswax to the wood to repel water and insects from damaging it.
Soak in Copper Naphthenate: One of the best ways to protect your fencing from rotting is by spraying or soaking it down the fencing with a wood preservative such as copper naphthenate. You can find this product at most home improvement stores and hardware shops. It does the job when it comes to repelling insects away and keeping dampness out of the wood.
Place Aggregate Under Each Fence Post: You have to dig holes into the ground so fence posts can provide support to fencing, but before you do that, you want to add a good few inches of aggregate to each hole. This will help keep the rain and groundwater flow away from the post with ease, which prevents water rot. If you want something that will protect the bottoms of each fence post a bit better you can pour cement into each hole and drop the posts into the holes immediately afterward. Both working amazingly well for helping your fencing last as long as possible.
With that said, you may want to apply a silicone coating to the base of your post before inserting it into the ground with the concrete if you live in colder areas. This is because moisture and cold mixed together could cause cracks in the concrete and cause the fencing posts to move and split. Anytime wood splits moisture and insects can get into it with ease and destroy the material.
Use Insect Resistant Woods: To build your fence it is always best to use insect-resistant woods. Some of the best kinds are:
- Cypress
- Cedar
- Black Locust
- Redwood
- Heartwood
With this bit of information, improving the length of life you get out of your fence should come with ease now.
Compare Estimates Fence Repair from Local Experts
Getting the right company on board to install a new fence is half the battle already won. As with most home remodeling, installation, or repair jobs, comparing estimates is arguably the most important part. This will allow you a chance to, not only spot a good deal but also get a feel for your regional pricing trends. More importantly, you should get a feel for which contractor will;l be more suited to your unique project. Be sure to compare at least 3 estimates before you settle on any company to do the work.