Keep your picket fence looking beautiful
Your picket fence adds so much to your home. Charm. Timeless beauty. Security. Privacy. Street appeal. Not to mention value. For all these reasons, it’s important you keep your picket fence looking beautiful. By doing some basic maintenance tasks now, and doing them properly, you can ensure it’s a long time between drinks until you have to do it again. Here are the steps you should follow:
Check for damage: A regular check of your picket fence, especially along the bottom, is essential. The lower you look the better, because the bottoms of pickets are more likely to come into contact with the ground and vegetation and are more susceptible to the effects of moisture in the form of evaporation, weed control, or irrigation. If you see decay or damage, you need to decide whether a picket, or lots of pickets, need to be cleaned or repaired,or even replaced. Put a fence check on your calendar: do it every few months,or even more frequently if local conditions call for it e.g. if you live in a rainy or humid region, a more regular inspection is required.
Problems with paint?: The most obvious sign that all might not be well with your picket fence is the condition of the paint. Flaking and peeling paint could be an indicator of something happening under the surface e.g. rotting or decaying wood, or just a sign you used cheap and inferior paint to start with! You might need a repaint of the whole fence, this time with quality paint, or a retouch here and there if you’re lucky. If you need new pickets, check out the Motueka Pickets manufactured by MLC Group. The pre-primed pickets make life so much easier because all you need to do is apply a good topcoat. Don’t skimp on the top coat. Buying the best you can get will save you so much in the long run.
Give it a good clean: You might be one of the lucky ones. Your picket fence might just be dirty, not damaged. A thorough clean should have it looking as good as new, or close to it. A pressure cleaner used with the appropriate low-medium setting which won’t damage the wood makes life easy, buta garden hose can also be effective if you’re only dealing with loose soil,dust etc. Check out Google for a liquid soap/vinegar solution to aid the cleaning process and reduce mould and mildew. Alternatively, buy a commercial cleaner, but ensure the fence is well rinsed so this sort of product doesn’t dry on the timber and cause new problems down the track. Like damage inspections,make cleaning a regular part of your fence maintenance regime.
Replace if you have to: There might be times when you can’t repaint or repair, and replacement is your only option…either a picket here or there, or even the whole fence. This isn’t necessarily such a bad thing, as it allows you to start again and stay on top of your fence maintenance in a more structured way. MLC Group has been manufacturing Motueka Pickets for decades, and we believe you should insist on quality pickets like these to give you a longer lasting fence and less maintenance issues.
We don’t need to see your picket fence to know how beautiful it looks, or how beautiful it SHOULD look. If you’ve neglected your fence, make time to show it some TLC and it will reward you with many more years of class, charm and street appeal.
