You have invested both time and money into a wooden fence. Therefore, you will try to do all you can in order to keep it looking good and pristine. A wooden fence can last for decades if it is properly cared for. A real wooden fence gives you unsurpassed beauty and warmth. Unfortunately, wood can easily be damaged by constant exposure to natural elements. The weather in particular if a true enemy of natural wood, and you have to make sure your fence is protected. Luckily, once you have a good understanding of the problems that wooden fences have to deal with, ensuring your fence remains in great condition becomes quite easy. Let’s review the main issues that your fence will have to come into contact with and some of the best ways to provide protection.

Your wooden fence will have two main enemies. The first one is dry rot, the second one is wet rot. Both these types of rot are capable of completely destroying your fence, and they are able to do so in no time whatsoever. Thankfully, you will find that protecting your fence against both these issues is very easy. Since dry rot most commonly affects fences, most people focus on that. When water gets in the wood, it loosens up the oils, which is what dry rot is. This process causes the wood to completely dry out, which in turn means it is very easy to snap and break. With wet rot, the issue is that the wood is in constant contact with water. You are most likely to see this at the point where the posts meet the ground.

First and foremost, protect your fence from wet and dry rot by staining it. Make sure you stain your fence the minute you put it up. You can use solid or semi-transparent stains. Stain is important because it basically replaces the bark of the tree, which is removed and stripped off during the lumbering process. A tree is full of natural and soft fibers, and these become fully exposed to the elements without this bark or stain. Basically, when you stain your wooden fence, you give it back some of its bark. Keep your wooden fence protected by staining it once a year. Last but not least, make sure that your fence is always clear of debris. You have to pay particular attention to leaves, as they have a tendency to trap moisture, thereby increasing the chances of dry or wet rot occurring. This is really all it takes to make sure your wood fence can withstand the elements.