Many of the fence problems that might look serious are, in fact, easy to repair, while others that look minor require complete fence replacement. If you are currently wondering which of the two categories your fence issues belong to, here are some tips and details that might help you.
Common Issues that Affect Wood Fences
Wood is a natural material and as such, it is somewhat more prone to damage than synthetic materials. The wind, the rain, the snow, the moisture from the air and insects can all harm your wood fence, causing discolorations, rot, warping and splintering. Fortunately, most forms of damage that don’t affect large parts of the posts or of the boards can be fixed easily – here is how:
- Try to remove as much of the damaged area as you can – use a file or a scraper to eliminate the parts attacked by pests or affected by rot;
- Correct the section with some wood filler or putty;
- Clean the entire fence, removing old paint and prime the wood with some protective product and paint it to prevent future damage.
However, if a large part of your wood fence is affected and the boards and posts seem weak and shaky, you would be better off having fence repair Thornton contractors replace the fence, at least partially.
Vinyl Fence Issues
Vinyl is a very durable, synthetic material that is susceptible to only one type of damage: cracking. If you see cracks on your vinyl, unfortunately there is only one way to correct the issue: you need to replace the damaged components.
Issues with Aluminum Fences
Aluminum fences are among the most durable and most resistant fencing solutions – there is not much that can get at your aluminum fence. However, very harsh weather can crack your panels- if that is the issue that you are faced with, you can only solve it by replacing the damaged section. Sometimes, aluminum posts can become loosened by high winds, therefore it is a good idea to inspect your fence after each storm and to re-anchor the loosened posts to ensure they are solid and vertical.
Problems with Wrought Iron Fences
Wrought iron is a very durable material, but it is a little prone to rusting. Fortunately, small spots of rust can be easily removed with a stiff brush and some rust-removing product, then you can improve the rust resistance of the repaired section with some protective paint. To prevent extensive rusting, it is a good idea to clean and treat your entire fence and to repeat the procedure every couple of years.
Chain Link Fences
Chain link is a simple, durable and low-maintenance material. While chain link fences don’t need to much maintenance, other than occasional inspection, rust removal and painting, the material is not very resistant to impact and larger objects carried by strong winds can deform it. If you detect this type of damage after a storm, inspect the posts to see whether they have been loosened by the wind, then secure the posts again and replace the damaged chain link section.