Plan Now for a Summer Fence
Most people only think of repairing damaged fencing or starting a new fence project between Spring and Fall. But right now during the harshest months of the year, it’s a perfect time to sit down and plan out a new fence project, or inspect what damage has been done during the rest of the year, and make plans for repairs.
You know what they say about making plans. But try making plans when you are too busy to think, and you’ll be glad to have a few slower months in the winter for walking the area you want to enclose and finding the issues you’ll be dealing with soon. Tree stumps. Rocks. They stick out on the barren winter landscape, don’t they?
Though the earth may be to hard at this time to be able to perform the function of digging and concrete work, it’s a great time to measure and do your research on exactly what you want or need for your area. Finding out if purchasing pre-formed panels will work or do you need to build your fence from scratch, one slat or picket at a time. There are some places and applications that you may need to do both.
There are lots of good sources for the information you need to gather next. Books, magazines, as well as the library and internet all contain a vast wealth of fencing knowledge, both practical and abstract. Things to discover include material options for your geographic region. Some woods do not make good fencing solutions in some areas, due to insect and water penetration.
You’ll want to begin thinking about your budget as well. What types of materials can you afford? Wood can vary in species and quality a great deal. And be sure to think about sealing a sub-grade wood, in order to prolong its serviceability.
Protecting your fence should also be a prime consideration, and fence post caps present an excellent and beautiful way of doing just that. In addition to being decorative, post caps protect the ends of posts from water and insect damage. Glue is recommended for installation, so it’s best to do this on a warmer, pretty day.
If you live in a particularly cold climate, you need to be aware that rain and snow are horrible enemies of the wood fence. As rain penetrates wood and freezes, it expands and can cause nasty cracks to form. These can later become insect hideaways, and before a few seasons have gone by, your beautiful fence is ready to fall over. Now is a great time to walk out and inspect your existing fence line for signs of water and insect damage.
You might also consider other available materials options, such as vinyl or metal fencing. While not as widespread or inexpensive as some wooden fencing, there are advantages to each that make them well worth considering. Vinyl fencing can even closely resemble picket or privacy fence of the wood sort. So no matter what you go with, there is no doubt: NOW is the time to be thinking about your fence.
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July 20th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Hi.
Thought I’d toss in my 2 cents: Maintaining wood gates doesn’t have to be too arduous if you start off using a good sealer and polyurethane topcoat. This helps to protect the wood from moisture, dirt, and UV rays — the biggest enemies of any outdoor wood product.
I recently saw a posting on a UK site where they mentioned using a kind of permeable paint that allows for wood to “breathe.” I’m not too familiar with that process although it sounds like it could be beneficial.
For more information on custom wood gates and their maintenance and design, see http://www.gardenwoodgates.com.
Thanks -
Dan