I own a landscape supply company and have done fairly well over the years. Until recently, security was never an issue, but then, I had two thefts occur. Someone had stolen mulch and gravel from my supplies. I knew that it was time for me to get serious about increasing security to prevent it from happening a third time. I talked with a fencing contractor about what type of fencing would help improve security without taking away from the pleasant appearance of the grounds. My blog will tell you how we accomplished the increased security using a beautiful new fence.
Carter Hopkins
If you are looking to get a wood fence for your business, the last thing you want is for it to end up splitting or warping, which will look bad to all your customers. In order to prevent this from happening, you need to make sure that you weatherproof the wood and keep it dry. Here are some tips that will help you do it.
Selecting The Right Type of Wood
The best way to weatherproof wood fencing starts before you even have it installed. Picking the right type of wood is key to having a fence that looks good for years to come. You'll want wood that has been pressure treated, which gives it added protection from water. You can still apply a sealant to the wood if you wish, which gives it even more protection from water.
Any wood slats that are in direct contact with the ground need to be pressure treated, since it will have to deal with moisture on a daily basis. When you see wood fencing that has mildew or mold along the bottom, chances are it is because the fence didn't use wood that was pressure treated.
Clean Your Fence
Keeping a wood fence clean is easy, though it is frequently overlooked by property owners. Letting a fence stay dirty is one way to cause the material to decay, since mold can form beneath the dirt. If you are going to seal your wood, you'll need to clean the material before the sealant is applied. If you don't clean the wood, the sealant will have problems sticking to the surface.
Adjust Your Sprinklers
If you have automatic sprinklers, you'll want to adjust them so that they don't spray onto the fence. Letting them spray down the fence will unnecessarily contribute to the amount of moisture the wood is exposed to, which will wear down any sealant that is on the wood. It seems like a minor thing to do, but it can make a big difference over the years.
Apply a Sealant
Putting a weather sealant on your fence is quite simple to do. Once the fence is clean, apply a sealant using a spray gun. You can tell if your sealant is doing its job by how water reacts to the wood. A sealant that is still working will cause water to bead up on the surface. When the sealant has worn away, the water will absorb into the wood.
For help weatherproofing your wood fence, speak to a local fencing company.