Every garden across the world has one common feature – fencing! They provide privacy and protection while improving the look of the outdoor space. With time however, fence panels can start to be shaky, weak or even damaged due to weather elements, age or improper installation. If you’re stuck with any such problem, worry not! There are some simple and practical methods to reinforce your fence panels and make them even better. Let us examine some of the options to update your fencing.
Evaluate the Condition
Before you take some actions to reinforce your fencing structure, it is important to evaluate the present condition of your fencing in general. You’ll need to see if there are any rotten parts, broken posts or broken panels. Knowing the reason for the instabilities will enable you to adopt the most suitable approach to fortify your fence!
Strengthen The Posts
It goes without saying that it is the strength of the fence posts which keep every other aspect of the fence in place. If your posts are wobbling, try one or more of these procedures.
- Concrete Reinforcement: One may apply this method in case you have doubts on how strong the wooden post may be. One way of doing this is by digging deep into the ground to around the base of the post and pouring in some hardcore to reinforce the post.
- Metallic Post Holders: To add more strength, make sure to install metallic post holders or spikes. These are quite useful in a place with soft soil.
- Extensions for Posts: In cases when one needs taller posts, use extensions for posts to satisfy this requirement and, therefore, make the structure more stable.
Strengthen the Panels
After erecting the poles, the next step would be strengthening the panels:
- Battens are added: Batons are fixed horizontally on the rear of fence panels to make them more rigid. Such a very inexpensive detail radically enhances the bearing capacity and prevents bending.
- Kickboards are incorporated: Kickboards are fixed at the base of the fence panels to safeguard moisture penetration and serve purposes of reinforcement.
- Corner braces: Protruding slats at the corners of the structures reinforced with metal prevent torsional and unilateral panel displacement.
Weatherproof Your Fence
Keeping a fence protected against weather conditions is equally important when thinking about longevity. Apply the below tips to keep your fencing weather-proof:
- Wood preservative: If you have logs fencing, then applying a quality wood preservative on a regular basis will also help preserve the panels from rot.
- Fence Caps: Decorative and offering an additional form of protection over the last section of walls fencing panels help reduce surface moisture.
- Employ Metal Panels: The metal fence panels are also a good option if you are looking for a more permanent type of enclosure that will always protect the area from extreme weather conditions and does not require regular upkeep.
Improve Panel Connections
How your panels interlock with each other & the pole also affects greatly how stable it will be overall:
- Use Strong Fasteners: Get rid of old rusty nails and add galvanised screws or bolts instead which will hold more securely.
- Install Panel Clips: These connect the panels to the posts and other panels in such a way that they allow for the natural movements caused by expansion and contraction.
- Add Gravel Boards: The location of gravel boards is normally above the ground and the bottom of the fence panels to prevent the fence panels from coming into direct contact with soil and hence wood rot and even stability problems are eradicated.
Reinforce with Additional Support
In some situations, just a little extra reinforcement can work wonders:
- Install Fence Posts: If the length of the fence is vast, scope to fix extra fence supports may be required to enable even distribution of weight.
- Use Diagonal Braces: These need to be fitted at the poles of the fence whenever possible in places that are likely to experience strong winds
- Create a Double Fence: There is a possibility of erecting a double fence thus panels on both sides of the posts would guarantee stability of the fence.
Regular Maintenance is a Must
As the old proverb says, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Proper maintenance of that fence can make it last for several years:
- Conduct Annual Reviews: At least once a year or even more preferably before winter, survey the entire perimeter fence as thoroughly as possible.
- Act without Delay: Small problems should not be allowed to grow into large ones. Tighten hanging boards or fasteners and/or replace the broken pieces when they first appear.
- Seek the Dirty Work: Periodic cutting down debris and foliage from around the fence should be smokers to avoid the retention of water and any further corrosion on the materials.
To sum up...
By using the above methods of reinforcement, the lifetime of your fence panels will increase considerably, and they will survive a test of time and weather. Whether you choose to use straightforward DIY measures or a more elaborate approach, the point in both cases is the same – prevention.
At Metal Gates Direct, we appreciate that customers require strong fencing solutions. We hope these tips assist you in erecting and sustaining a firm and dependable border on your property, selling in a manner that complements the security as well as beauty that our metal fencing provides.
As a last note, if you have any doubts on how to go about fence reinforcement, do not hesitate to speak to us. After all, it is common knowledge that an attractive fence resonates not only with the value of the property, but also with its enhancing attraction for quite a few years that follow!