How to maintain a cedar fence – 4 simple steps

Having a cedar fence is an attractive asset to add to your property. Cedar is known as a durable, resilient wood that can withstand the elements of weather and is naturally resistant to rot and decay. However, in order to keep this beauty and durability, a cedar fence needs to be maintained properly.

Benefits of maintaining your cedar fence

• Extend the life of your cedar fence
• Enhance the look of your cedar fence
• Preserve the colour and limit UV damage
• Increase curbside appeal

How to maintain a cedar fence?

Maintaining a cedar fence is an important task that should be done yearly. A simple 4-step process; weeding, cleaning, repairing and finally staining. The final step of staining only needs to be done once every 2-3 years.

Step 1 – Weeding around your cedar fence

The first step in maintaining your cedar fence is to weed the area. Planting landscaping around the perimeter of the fence is all right, but keep bushes, vines, and the like from growing up the fence. Cut down weeds and vines that grow on the fence’s surface.

If you have a landscaping company maintaining your home or strata fence request them to do a clean-up prior to getting the fence cleaned and stained.

Step 2 – Cleaning your cedar fence

Cleaning your cedar fence is very important as dirt, pollen, tree sap & bugs can damage your fence if left on the wood surface too long. We recommend you power-wash it.

How to power-wash your cedar fence:

• Spray with a pressure of 800 – 1,500 (no more as you don’t want to damage the wood
• Keep at least 1 foot away from the fence surface
• Spray evenly, and don’t stay in one spot too long
• Make sure to wear the appropriate clothing and eye protection

If you are not able to take on the job of power-washing your fence yourself, we recommend hiring a power-washing company.

Many homeowners with large properties or strata owners hire a cleaning company to clean their fences yearly; it’s an important task in the process of maintaining your cedar fence.

Pro Tip: Don’t choose the cheapest, and ensure you have a guarantee & are insured. If you have a large project, you want to ensure they do the best job with the best materials.

Step 3 – Repairing your cedar fence

It’s important to inspect your cedar fence for loose sections, warping or rotten boards, wobbly posts, mould or peeling paint. These should be repaired to prevent more damage.

If you are finding too many damaged areas, you may realize that it’s time for a complete fence replacement. Check out this article to learn more: Top 5 signs it is time to replace your cedar fence.

Step 4 – Staining your cedar fence

Now that your cedar fence has been cleaned and repaired, it’s ready to be stained. A raw cedar fence is prone to water damage, and that is why it needs to be sealed with a waterproof sealer to prevent protect the wood from cracking and warping due to the rough weather elements.
You can take on the project yourself or trust a professional like 5-star fence staining.

How to stain your cedar fence
Choose the right stain. You will need to choose a colour and finish. Read this article to learn about the pros and cons of staining vs painting. We suggest using a commercial-grade stain such as Wood Defender for your cedar fence because here in BC, we get a lot more heavy rain that can take a toll on your fence.

Pro tip: Choose a stain with UV protection to slow the destructive effects of sun. Look for a product that has fungicide.

Choose your cedar fence stain application. You can apply the stain with a straight-edged brush, roller or stain sprayer. Apply 2-3 coats allowing the sealer to dry in between each coat

Manually staining a fence is a lot of work for one person, especially if your fence area is large.

Should I hire a professional to stain my fence?
In our opinion, yes, we highly recommend you hire a professional to stain your cedar fence.A professional fence-staining company will have the best products, methods and tools to get the job done right. Does it cost more? Unless you have experience, it will be a more efficient choice to hire a pro fence staining company as you won’t need to do the research and testing.
Get in touch with 5-star fence staining company for a free quote.

How often should I stain my fence?
A cedar fence should be stained every 2-3 years.

When should I stain my cedar fence?
The best time to stain your cedar fence is in late summer.

You may have read that you need to wait before staining a new fence, but that is not true with a cedar fence. Hardwoods like cedar don’t need to be pressure-treated because they contain natural oils that stop bug infestation and rot. This means a cedar fence can generally be sealed right away.

Tips for maintaining your cedar fence

• Dont plant shrubs too close to your fence
• Clean your fence with a power-washer yearly
• Stain your cedar fence every 1-3 years
• Avoid letting excessive amounts of water hit the fence. Preventing rainwater from getting on the fence is impractical. Do not place sprinklers where the water stream hits the fence, even after applying a sealer.

Overall, maintaining a cedar fence can help to protect your investment, enhance the look of your property, and provide long-lasting value.

You may also find these articles of interest:

• 3 Ways Strata’s Can Maintain their Cedar Fence:
• What type of strata fence needs the least maintenance?
• 4 signs that indicate it’s time to replace your wooden fence.

We hope you found this article informative. Feel free to call or email us with any questions you may have about fence replacement for your strata, and a member of our support team will be happy to assist you. We pride ourselves on having the best customer service in the industry. We care about our clients and are genuinely grateful for their business. Thank you for reading this.