Fence Repair: Fence Staining, Painting and Maintenance Tips

Your home's fence can provide security, curb appeal, keep the pooch from running away, and much more; but if you don't maintain your fence properly it can't do any of those things.

May is the perfect month to consider fence repair services or try to DIY. If you're looking to do it yourself here are a few tips to consider:

• Weeding. Walk the length of your fence and remove any weeds, rocks, debris, or dirt anywhere along the way. Sweep or dig dirt away from wood fences as this can cause wood rot.
• Exterminating. Once the weeding is done, check for pests like termites or carpenter ants as they can quickly make a bad fence worse if proper action isn't taken. Call an exterminator before significant damage can occur.
• Repairing. Now it's time to see if you have any loose boards, open areas, nails sticking out, and any parts of the fence that look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Make sure the fence is straight and properly repaired before moving forward with...
• Cleaning. Ideally, you should hose down vinyl and aluminum fences about once a year with mild soap and a clean cloth.
• Staining and Painting. Once the fence has been weeded, exterminated, repaired, and cleaned now is the time to give your fence a new look. A new stain or paint job can dramatically improve the look of your fence and the overall curb appeal of your home.

What do you think of our fence maintenance tips? Have a tip of your own? Tell us in the comments section below.