Preventing and treating wood rot on a fence

Your fence provides you with security and privacy, as well as being a decorative touch to your yard. Luckily, protecting a wood fence from rotting is easy and inexpensive.

• Check fences every few months for trouble spots. Take the time to walk around the whole perimeter of your yard and inspect thoroughly.
• Caulk any gaps between the fence posts and concrete footings to prevent water from seeping in and causing rot, which might require a more expensive fix.
• Wooden fences — except for unpainted cedar fences — should be painted or stained every two to three years; in the meantime, scrape off flaking or peeling paint or worn stain and re-apply a fresh coat to prevent the wood from being exposed.
• Replace any rusted screws, brackets, or wire ties and make sure all gate hinges are tightly secured and well oiled.

• Cedar posts, which are often buried directly into the ground, are at risk for developing rot, but early detection can keep the problem from spreading.
• Use an ice pick or an awl to test the wood; if the tool penetrates more than three millimetres, the post may need to be replaced. If the damage is shallower, scrape or chip away any affected material until you see healthy wood — make sure you remove all signs of rot to prevent it from recurring — then saturate it with a wood preservative or apply a clear epoxy sealer or a new coat of paint or stain.