There are options when it comes to sheltering your wooden fence from the soil: you can install gravel boards along the bottom, set your wooden posts in concrete, or use concrete posts from the outset.
In five to eight years, the fence may start to lean, but it should last 10 to 15 years overall. To keep the wood from rotting, apply a wood preservative to seal it. "It's like wax on a car," Holt says. "It helps protect it from the elements, from water, from sprinklers."
If there is a gap underneath your fence, you will need to use filler material to remove the problem. For example, you can put chicken wire in the gap so that the fence opens and closes freely without the gap being exposed. You could also put wood blocks in the gap or even fill it in with cement.
Using concrete fence posts, gravel boards, or using concrete footing will help to prevent moisture absorption and therefore rot.
A kickboard will help your fence last longer. By keeping the main pickets away from moisture and other elements, they'll be less likely to rot. A pressure treated kickboard is specifically designed to handle ground contact so it makes sense to have one on the bottom of your fence.
Effective Barriers With Gravel Boards
These methods will effectively isolate the soil from your fence posts and panels, as well as strengthening your fence in general. Gravel boards can be timber or concrete, and will raise your fence panels off the ground and away from any damp soil.
Place your fence post on top of the gravel drainage layer and fill the rest of the hole in with soil, ensuring it stands firm and steady. As an alternative, Postsaver sleeves are a cost-effective, simple way to keep wood rot at bay.
Between the posts, a fence should be a few inches above the ground. For yards that are relatively flat this isn't much of a problem. For yards with large changes in grade, there are a number of different ways to handle it.
Center the kickboard under the bottom rail (secured with a cleat), or nail it to the face of the post and the bottom rail. Allow the kickboard to extend at least 4 to 6 inches into the ground to discourage animals from digging under the fence. After you've attached the kickboards you can begin with the siding.
A kickboard is a piece of pressure-treated wood that is placed on the bottom of the fence and is meant to be in direct contact with the ground. Because it's pressure treated, it's more resistant against rot and pests, which will help the rest of your fence last longer.
A wood fence doesnt have to be replaced just because its rotting. Step 1: Before you make repair, saturate the damaged areas and a 2x4 liberally with a wood preservative. This keeps the rot from spreading. Step 2: To make a cleat to support the rail, make sure the rail is level, then fit a 2x4 snugly underneath.
Termites and some beetles (such as powder post beetles) eat the wood material from inside rather than just burrowing in it. To prevent these insects, consider applying pesticides as well as protective coatings. If the insects are already there, you'll need to replace all affected fence sections.
The main cause is the wood having prolonged exposure to moisture in soil which means fence posts decay at ground level – just above the concrete base. This means the post will still be solid below and above the damaged area. Insect infestations can also cause rotting in wooden fence posts.
Rights and Permissions. If you do not own the fence and it resides within your neighbour's property, you will likely need their permission to attach anything to it.
Positioned underneath your fence panels to protect against moisture, insect, and debris damage, gravel boards are an essential part to most garden fences. Gravel boards seal any gaps between the ground and your fence, creating a cleaner, more professional look; they can even help increase the height of your fence.
One popular remedy for wood rot is vinegar because vinegar's acidity has the ability to act as a fungicide that kills off fungal spores.
To prevent premature rot, I seal every end cut on exterior boards like deck boards, ledgers, and joists with penetrating epoxy. For maximum penetration, dilute the epoxy with acetone. Very dry board ends will soak up a surprising amount of this mixture.
Minwax® High Performance Wood Hardener is a quick drying liquid formulated to strengthen and reinforce decayed or rotting wood. Minwax® High Performance Wood Hardener 4.3 out of 5 stars.
DO Employ a Base Gravel Layer. If a fence post fails without any sign of a pest infestation, it's likely that the failure was caused by moisture that rotted the wood over time. To help slow such deterioration, add pea gravel or crushed stone to the bottom of the posthole.
Having a gap between the bottom of your fence and the ground can make yard maintenance and clean up much easier. Uneven landscaping or ground cover can make it difficult to mow, weed eat, and edge around your fence.
Unlike the sponge, water cannot be easily removed by simply squeezing or ringing the lumber out. In order to dry, wood needs 30 days of complete and aired like conditions. Neither occurs when a post is buried in the ground and surrounded by concrete. Dirt is a natural absorbent and will become the post best hope.
In most applications, a wooden fence should be mounted at least two inches off the ground. Your posts and rot boards (if you want to mount them) should be the only fence components that come into contact with the ground.