Easy steps to maintain the garden fence

Asha Bogenfuerst Asha Bogenfuerst
Atkinsons Fencing Work, Atkinsons Fencing Ltd Atkinsons Fencing Ltd Garden
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The humble garden fence serves a variety of purposes, both functional and aesthetic. Garden fences can act as a marker between one boundary and the next, or act as a divider to separate different areas of the garden. The garden fence can be used as a screen to hide away a compost pile or wheelie bins. It also provides some privacy and security from the outside world and helps to frame and define your garden at the same time. 

Garden fencing can be made out of various different types of materials, such as wooden, vinyl, and metal. No matter which material your garden fence is made of, it will require some maintenance. This idea guide offers some useful tips on how to maintain your garden fence. Having this information can help you keep your garden fence in good shape, and also make it last longer. Let's browse through these tips for maintaining the garden fence together. 

Grinding

If you fence is standing unevenly, it may be that roots and bushes growing around your fence are causing it to move. So every once in a while, check if a tree, plants or weeds are growing around your fencing. You should remove and large plants or roots to prevent it from causing damage to the fence. Big roots need to be grinded as there is no other way to remove them. 

The beautiful garden and fencing pictured here is designed by DDWH Architects, based in London, United Kingdom. 

Protection

Installing a new garden fence can be expensive, especially if professionally done. So anything that can be done to protect the fence or extend its life is a good way to ensure your investment is worthwhile. If you have a wooden fence, it is very important to have it treated with a wood preserver to prevent it from rotting quickly or getting damaged by termites. A good quality wood preserver will protect the garden fence from a range of biological threats including mold, algae, dry rot, and insect attack. 

Decking oil can also be used to protect your wooden fences as it penetrates into the wood, making it extremely water resistant, which is great for preventing mold, algae, and fungi. There are usually a few types of decking oils and wood preservers available – the clear oil and wood preserver will enhance the natural grain of the wooden fence and give your garden a beautiful natural look. However, you can also opt for the colored, translucent or opaque wood preservers and wood oil for a different effect. 

Cleaning

The simplest way to maintain your garden fence is to clean it regularly. Cleaning your garden fence regularly will protect it from the elements, and make it last longer. 

First of all, spray the entire fence with a garden hose, using the sprayer attachment to get some force behind the water. Remember to always clean from the bottom of the fence to the top, working in small sections at a time. Spraying the fence with the hose will probably remove most of the dirt and grime, but there may be a few stubborn stains that require some scrubbing and elbow grease. To remove stubborn spots, you will need a cleaning solution made of warm water and dish washing soap, and a piece of cloth for scrubbing. 

Tough stains may require the use of bleach, but make you use rubber gloves and a non-abrasive material to scrub the fence. One part bleach to 3-5 parts water should do the trick. To remove grass stains, tar, or grease, you will need a plastic scrubber and mineral spirits or automotive tar remover. 

Fixing

How do you know when a garden fence requires fixing? Well, the most common problems with garden fences are usually that they are leaning over or falling over. Also, when garden fences are not sturdy or loose in their holes, the hinges turn creaky, the latch won't catch, and the gate can't work properly. 

Fences sometimes become loose in their holes in the ground due to insects or other animals. Wooden fences will eventually rot of course, and will need to be removed and replaced. However, wobbly fences can easily be made more stable by packing crushed stone around the base with a sledgehammer. 

New paint

Before applying new paint to your garden fence, it is very important that it is well prepared. Prepare your garden fence for a new coat of paint by spraying down your fence with a high-pressure water cleaner to remove any flaking paint and surface grime. Once the fence dries, scrape and sandpaper it to smooth down any remaining paint. Finally, make sure you use an outdoor paint on your fence because they are specially treated to withstand the effects of weather. 

Browse through garden fencing designs here on homify for more ideas and inspiration. 

Hinges

As we mentioned earlier, a sagging fence can lead to problems with the hinges, so before you do anything to the hinges, check to see if the fencing is sturdy enough. Once you've ruled out other possible problems with the fence, check the hinges to see if they are rusted, bent, loose, or worn out. If your hinges are rusted, bent or worn out, you should remove them and replace them with new ones. However, if the hinges are just loose, you may only need to replace the screws.

We hope you have gathered some useful tips on how to maintain the garden fence through this idea guide. For more inspiration and ideas, have a look at 6 great ways to enjoy your balcony space

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