Fence maintenance

The lifespan figures quoted for fence materials assume maintenance. Pressure-treated pine commonly cited at 10 to 15 years and cedar at 15 to 25 both depend on being kept sealed and out of standing moisture; a neglected wood fence lands at the bottom of its range or below.

Do a walk of the fence line once a year. Push on each post — movement means a problem below grade. Look at the bottom of the boards for soft spots and soil contact. Check that gates still close and latch cleanly, and that hinge screws are tight. Clear vegetation and mulch back from the fence.

For vinyl and aluminum, washing is mostly cosmetic. What matters is checking the posts and the hardware, and dealing with impact damage promptly since vinyl panels can be hard to match years later.

Chain link needs almost nothing beyond keeping the tension bands and top rail fittings intact and watching for rust at cut ends and at the ground line.

How to choose

Inspect once a year, ideally in spring

Push-test every post, check the base of the boards, and test every gate. Fifteen minutes catches problems while they are cheap.

Re-stain wood on a schedule you will keep

Clean first, let it dry, then apply. Waiting until the fence looks gray usually means waiting too long.

Keep the ground clear

Soil, mulch, leaves and dense vegetation against the boards hold moisture and rot wood.

Adjust gates before they sag badly

Tightening hinges and a turnbuckle early is easy. A gate that has dropped an inch usually needs the post reset.

Buy a few spare boards or a spare panel

Matching a color or profile in five years is often impossible. A spare stored in the garage is cheap insurance.