Fence Maintenance

Survey the building site and notice any concrete, rocks, tree roots, or other obstructions that get in the way of your fence's planned path.

The support posts for most wood fences need to be placed eight feet apart. Make sure you can dig a two-foot-deep hole for each post without hitting anything harder than soil.

When pouring concrete for the posts, use only enough to fill the hole. Excess concrete can be forced upward in freezing temperatures, compromising your fence's stability.

Tree branches, leaves, and other debris from above can damage wood fencing, so make sure you're proactive about addressing these issues.

Before winter, cut or trim any branches hanging over your fence line. Frozen branches can break off and scrape the wood boards, and some have the potential to cause significant damage.

Keep horizontal fence rails clear of leaves, acorns, shells or twigs, and clean out any material wedged between the rails and the fence boards. Wet organic matter such as leaves can accelerate rot in your fence, and objects squeezed between the rails and boards can reduce your fence's stability over time.

Get in the habit of checking on your fence whenever the seasons change to nip any problems in the bud.

Address broken or cracking boards, boards that have warped, leaning posts, or splinters as soon as possible.

Examine the grass that immediately borders your fence and trim any overgrowth to keep it from spreading rot to your fence.