The changing weather conditions can cause the colors of your wooden fence to fade, turning the hues of your fence to a dull gray.

Insects and animals can damage your fence, too, as they burrow into and scratch the wood. In addition, some of the other factors you have to consider include rotting wood, broken fence posts, leaning posts, rusted hinges and other ruined metal parts.

In this blog post, we’ll go over the steps on how to restore a wooden fence. If your enclosure looks like it has seen better days, there’s still a way to restore its rich, warm glow.

How To Restore a Wooden Fence

To repair and restore your home’s fence, you need a few tools and materials to get the job done. Prepare the following:

• Power washer
• Paintbrushes and rollers
• Sandpaper
• Adjustable wrench
• Exterior screws
• Wood preservative
• Oil or wood stains
• Wood glue
• Safety glasses
• Drill
• Caulk

Follow the steps outlined below to fix and restore your fence:

Inspect the Perimeter

The first step on how to restore a wooden fence is to go over the perimeter of your property and take note of the things you need to repair on your wall. Next, check the posts and see if any of them needs replacement. Finally, make sure to test the foundations if they’re still secure.

It’s important to look out for rotten wood and remove any branches, leaves, vines or other debris that have gotten stuck in between the railings. Inspect the gate, latches, hinges and other metal parts. Make a list of everything that you need to replace and repair.

It might also help to draw a diagram of the entire perimeter. Finally, take note of which parts need repair and the materials you’ll need to bring with you for each section.

Cleaning and Preparing Your Fence

The next step to restoring your wooden fence is to clean your fence using a power washer. A washer is powerful enough to peel the old wood and remove rotten wood flakes, fungi, mud and grime. 

The solution you’ll use for the power washer will vary depending on the extent of the damage on your fence. You can use any store-bought cleaner for the usual dirt, mud and grime. However, if you’re dealing with severe bleaching or sun damage, you may want to use a water and bleach mixture (three parts water for every single part bleach). Alternatively, you can use chemical solutions like sodium hypochlorite.

Set your power washer on a low 500 to 800 PSI as you clean your wooden fence. A higher water pressure setting can potentially damage and strip the wood. After washing, you’ll see that fresher-looking wood as the dirt, and other sediment gets peeled off. When you’re done washing, allow the fence to dry completely. Depending on the weather conditions, it may take at least an hour.

Sanding the Wood

This step is probably the most time-consuming phase of the process. Use medium-grit sandpaper to remove the sharp edges and splinters from the wood. After sanding, you will notice that the wood will gain a fresher look, similar to what it used to look like when first installed. If you don’t want to sand your fence manually, you can rent a power sander to get the job done faster.

Perform Necessary Repairs

After cleaning and preparing your wooden fence, it’s time to make the necessary repairs. If you took notes and drew a diagram, you can identify each area faster and bring the tools and materials needed for the repairs.

Some of the repair and replacement work you’ll be doing include the following:

• Repair or replace door latches
• Removing any protruding nails
• Replace old rotten boards
• Glue pickets together
• Replace broken pickets that can’t be restored
• Replacing posts
• Reattaching beams back to their posts

As you work on the damaged pieces of your fence, it’s important to wear protective gear like gloves, boots and goggles to prevent any injury.

Apply Wood Stain and Sealer

After all the necessary repairs have been done, you need to apply a wood stain and a sealer. Wood stains penetrate deep into the fibers of your fence to prevent rotting. It also protects the wood fibers from sun and moisture damage. It also prevents insects from burrowing into the wood.

On the other hand, a sealer builds a good base for your fence’s finish. It also prevents the wooden particles from mixing with the finish. Choose colors that will match the aesthetics of your home before you stain or paint the wood.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

It is recommended that you perform maintenance and restoration work on your fence every two years. It will help extend the service life of your fence and spare you from costly replacement.

Work with Seasoned Fence Restoration Experts

Sometimes fixing your home’s fence can be difficult without the requires skills and expertise. If you need help restoring your wooden fence, you can count on the experts from Nortex Fence & Patio. We have been proudly serving Dallas residents since 1998. Our team has built a reputation for quality and detail-oriented work with every project we handle. Call 972-382-7800 today or fill out this contact form to get a free estimate.