Garden fencing is a major part of a well-kept garden. When you are considering tidying up your patch ready for spring, bringing your fence back to its original state will help to make your patch appear its best again.
By renewing or replacing your tired old fence, you will help the garden to feel fresh and modern, with a crisp, bright backdrop for all your flowers and plants. At Nelson Potter near Ipswich, we have a wealth of products to help you do this.
Best Type of Wood for Fencing
If you live on the coast, it is a good idea to use a heavy-duty fence such as weatherboard cladding. This is ideal for keeping the elements out, and providing a hardy windbreak. Nelson Potter have stocks of this robust fence, which is particularly suitable for those who live in Felixstowe or on other parts of the coast. For a more decorative type of boundary, a pointed picket fence is attractive and easy to maintain. However, if you need an enclosure which houses livestock, then try sawn rails, which are perfect for keeping your animals from wandering off. For normal garden use, any of the cant boards or half-round fence posts will be ideal.
When and Where to Check for Problems?
Fence panels and posts are generally made of wood and will need to be checked just before spring. After the winter months, you will see that the fence has taken a buffeting from the cold weather, and it is well worth completing a perimeter check to see which parts of the fence may need fixing, or require some attention. Check all your posts are still firmly in their places, and the panels do not have cracked or split parts to them. It is also a good idea to look at the hinges and fixings, making sure they are not worn-out or rusty. All these items can be purchased from us at Nelson Potter.
Preparation and Planning
Once you have walked around the outer rim of your fence, you need to plan and prepare what you want to do about the deterioration you have found. Take time out to check the tools you will need to complete the job properly, making sure they are all in good working order. Find out which size screws and bolts you will need to remedy any broken fixings or for attaching panels back to posts, where a repair is required. If some parts of the enclosure are well and truly ruined, we have all types of garden fencing available to replace items which are no longer functioning properly.
Replacing Broken or Damaged Fencing
After the planning and preparation are done, you will then have to find a day when it is not raining, to replace your garden fencing. If you want to make sure your fence posts do not wither away again then you can use concrete fencing posts, which will serve you just as well. When replacing fence panels, you need to make sure you are keeping the same design as the rest of the panels, otherwise you may end up with a mismatched screen, which will detract from the feature you are trying to create.
Fixings on the fence, such as hinges, can rust away, but by replacing these you will bring the shine back, making the fence look brand new again. Replace the gate fixings too if needed, with an up to date version. An auto-catch can be purchased from Nelson Potter for a very small cost, and the detail will make the gate fresh again.
How to Lengthen the Life of Your Fence
After you have fixed all the damaged parts of the fence, and posts, it is a great idea to add a fence protector. This traditional solution comes in four colours and will make sure that your fencing lasts for plenty of years. The protector soaks into the wood and seals it from rainwater, and gives it an attractive finish too. It can be used on rough or smooth wood and is the perfect way to bring your garden fence back to its former glory!
For all your wooden fencing, including posts, different style panels and a variety of fixing requirements click here.