How to Prep Your Privacy Fence For Spring

Spring is here, and the warmer weather and greener grass are encouraging you to go outside and get some yard work done. Maintaining your fence and checking for damage after a rough winter are important and will help your wooden fence last longer.

Carnahan-White explains the easy process of prepping your wooden privacy fence for spring.

Start by walking your fence line and removing any debris. If you had a windy or stormy winter, there is no telling what you might find. Remove any branches, sticks, or trash that you find. It is also a good idea to rake up and remove any leftover leaves from the base of your fence.

You can do this as you clean up the area, but check for any damage on any of the boards or gates. This could include broken or missing boards, rotted areas, missing hardware, or weak spots where the fence is leaning or sagging. Any damaged areas need to be repaired as soon as possible to avoid further damage.

Related Post: How to Safely Powerwash a Wooden Fence

Once your wooden fence has been checked for damage, it is time to clean off any mold, mildew, or discoloration. Depending on how dirty your fence is, you can pre-treat it with a wood cleaner.

To powerwash your fence, start with an inconspicuous area and start the powerwasher off on a low setting. You can always increase the power, but starting off too strong can remove paint and stain. Clean your fence and focus on any areas of caked-on dirt.

If your goal is to stain your fence a new color, you can use the power washer to remove paint or old stain before you do it. Test the powerwasher in a small area to get it at the right pressure to safely remove the paint or stain. Once you have removed the old stain, simply paint on the new stain color according to the directions, and let it dry completely.

If you are adding the current color stain or moving to a darker color, you may be able to apply the stain directly on the wood without removing the old stain.

Related Post: Our Complete Guide to Staining Your Wooden Fence

At Carnahan-White, we specialize in both wooden privacy fences. For more maintenance tips, visit our website or call us at (417) 883-0733 to contact our representatives.