Nicely Framed: Garden Fences Are Not Just Useful, They're Beautiful Too

A beautiful garden fence is simply a must-have for any well-maintained garden. It's not just useful for delineating your property; it can also become a visual highlight in your garden.

However, not all garden fences are created equal, and no matter which one adorns your garden, a garden fence needs care. Depending on the material, a garden fence must be nurtured and maintained just like its plant inhabitants.

If you're lucky enough to have a beautiful garden fence, you naturally want it to stay attractive, intact, and sturdy for a long time. A stylish garden fence can complete the overall look of your garden and, among other things, help keep unwanted garden visitors out or simply define boundaries with your neighbor. But no matter its purpose, a garden fence needs regular maintenance. While plants can be brought to safety from rain, snow, and ice, a garden fence continuously withstands wind and weather. Naturally, this takes its toll on any material. The type of care needed depends entirely on the fence material. Metal requires different maintenance than wood, and vice versa.

Wood that's exposed to the elements needs protection, especially from pests and rot. Many garden fences come pre-treated and covered with a protective glaze from the factory. If yours doesn't, you'll need to apply this protection yourself. You can find the right glazes for every type of wood at a specialist store.

This glaze will need to be renewed over time. If the old coat is mostly intact, simply re-apply a fresh coat over the existing one. This fills any gaps in the protective layer and gives the fence a fresh color. However, if the color is weathered and the wood is damaged, the garden fence should be generously sanded down and then re-glazed. It's crucial not to paint the fence when it's damp; a few dry days should precede this "beauty treatment" for your garden fence.

Anyone who thinks a metal garden fence requires less work is mistaken. Even though metal in the garden might sound easier to maintain and handle initially, a metal garden fence needs similar care to a wooden one. You still need to regularly look for weak spots in the paint layer of a metal fence. If a new coat of paint is needed, the metal fence can also be sanded down, primed, and repainted. Specialist shops also offer special paints that already contain a primer and rust protection. This simplifies maintenance, as only one coat of paint is necessary.