Common Wood Fence Failures

As a homeowner, you had a wooden fence installed to enclose your property and provide protection to everything inside the fence. This would include your garden, pets, belongings, and your family. Like any part of your home however, your fence won’t last forever, and your fence may develop some problems that need to be addressed. Exposure to the elements for 365 days a year takes a toll on a wood fence, and here are some common issues you may have to deal with:

Leaning Fence

A leaning fence is a common problem that can be experienced by homeowners with any type of fence whether it is wood, vinyl, chain link, or aluminum. This can be caused due to a weak post that may have reached its usable lifetime. The solution to this depends on the severity of the lean. If the problem is confined to only one section of the fence, it may be able to be resolved by removing and replacing the faulty post. If it affects almost all of the fence, then an extensive repair or even a replacement may be needed.

Mildewed or Stained Fence

Weather is the number one enemy of fences. With the sun’s constant heat and rain, fences will become more susceptible to mold growth and mildew, especially wood fences. You can have your fence pressure washed to remove the mold or mildew. If you seek this solution, make sure the pressure setting isn’t too high, as that could damage the wood.

Rot or Insect Damage

Another common problem experienced by homeowners with wood fences is rotting and termite infestation. If addressed right away, you may be able to save your fence with a simple repair or replacing the affected fence boards. However, if the problem is left untreated, you may end up with a more costly repair or a complete fence replacement. When choosing a fencing material, you may want to go with a wood variety that is resistant to rot and insect damage. In this regard western red cedar is an excellent choice.

Missing or Damaged Boards

As a wood fence gets older and it’s exposed to more weather related wear and tear, its boards may get loose or damaged. The strong impact from winds brought by storms may also cause this problem. Your pets may entertain themselves by chewing on the boards. You can usually fix this by replacing the missing boards and reattaching the loose ones.

Sagging Hinges or Gates

Your gates are connected to the fence by hinges. If they start to sag, your gates may not latch correctly, because the hinges are not able to support the weight of the gates. You can usually repair this yourself if you have minimal DIY skills, by reinforcing the hinges, retightening them, or replacing them with more heavy duty hinges.

Broken Posts

The structural integrity of your fence depends on the fence posts which provide support for the rails and panels. If you have damaged posts, you’ll need to replace them as soon as possible to prevent more extensive damage to the rest of the fence. One option is to replace your wooden posts with steel posts. Postmaster® steel posts are a family of steel posts that offer an alternative to wood posts and traditional round metal posts.

Final Thoughts

Wooden fences are beautiful, affordable, and can beautify your home or business. If properly installed they can last for up to 15 to 20 years, but they are not completely maintenance free. You can help your fence to last longer by keeping it clean and tending to small repairs before they become major headaches.

When you are ready to install a new fence, or for any questions or concerns about fencing, check with the professionals at Paramount Fence, Inc . We have over 100 years of combined experience in providing our customers with the highest quality fencing products. We are a locally owned and operated fence company in the Fox Valley area servicing the Chicagoland Suburbs. We understand that each client is unique, and our fencing experts will work with you to ensure that you are provided with a fence that satisfies your needs for years to come.

We also install indoor fencing for commercial use. From dog runs to indoor security fencing, we are able to design and install indoor fencing to satisfy your unique business needs.

We strive to provide excellent customer service, which is why we have been members of the American Fence Association for almost 20 years and members of the local Chicagoland Chapter of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for almost 20 years. In fact, we have one of the highest customer service ratings with the Better Business Bureau in the area. For more information, visit our website or speak with us at 630-239-2714.