You have invested both time and money into a wooden fence. Because of this investment, you will try to keep it in pristine condition as much as possible. With the right care and attention, a wooden fence can easily last for several decades. A real wooden fence gives you unsurpassed beauty and warmth. However, it is not the strongest product, particularly when constantly exposed to natural elements. The weather in particular if a true enemy of natural wood, and you have to make sure it 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 you are likely to come across and how you can make sure that your wooden fence will be fine.

Two problems in particular will damage your fence. The first major problem is dry rot, the second one being wet rot. If you do not treat it, both dry and wet rot will truly ravage your fence, sometimes in a very quick space of time. Thankfully, it is very easy to ensure your fence is fully protected against both issues. Dry rot is the most common issue to attack fences. Dry rot occurs when the oils inside the wood are loosened due to water getting in. The consequence is that wood dries out without oils and becomes very brittle. Wet rot, on the other hand, occurs when wood is constantly kept wet. You are most likely to see this at the point where the posts meet the ground.

In order to make sure your fence doesn’t fall victim to wet or dry rot, you should stain it. This should be done as soon as you have built your fence. The best stains are either solid or semi-transparent. 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. The wood stain you decide to use is basically a new kind of bark. You have to stain the wood at least once a year to keep it protected. Lastly, to protect your fence, make sure you always remove any debris. Leaves in particular must be removed, as their ability to trap water means that they can cause dry and wet rot much quicker too. By doing these simple things, your fence should really be able to stand the test of time.