If you don’t pay attention to your fences from the beginning, the damage starts from the beginning. Exposure to the elements will begin to erode your wood quality from the very moment your fence is completed.

Unprotected wood quickly absorbs the moisture from rainwater, dew, snow, and ice. As these soak in, they cause the wood to soften and swell up. When the sun comes up, your fence will dry out in the heat, which causes the wood to shrink and harden. Next thing you know, it’s raining or snowing again, and the cycle begins again. Directly exposing your fence to moisture and heat like this leads to a very short fence life.

If put through constant cycles of swelling and shrinking, your wood will crack and warp and split. Inevitably, your brand new fence will wear out prematurely. You will have to choose to pay expensive repair costs or build a new fence entirely.

What are some other dangers that your fence will face? An unprotected fence will suffer color reduction. Constantly exposed to the sun’s ultra-violet rays, the wood will turn a washed-out, greyish color. Mold, mildew, algae, and other fungi will also grow across your unprotected wood, staining it and spreading rapidly in persistently moist conditions. Wood-boring insects such as termites can wreak havoc on your unprotected wood surfaces, riddling your fence with decay and rot.

It is simpler and less expensive in the long run to take care of your new fence from day one. The right kind of exterior wood care requires two simple steps:

1) Restore your fence.
2) Protect your fence.

Call Ken Frayne at (815) 742-5322.