Best Ways to Winterize Your Fence

When I was younger, I spent my summers taking turns with my friends and sister sitting on the fence in my backyard. One by one, we let our imaginations soar as we sat on my metal fence eating wild honeysuckles, making up stories, and swinging back and forth on our makeshift swing.

Those summers remain fond in my memory, and as the seasons inevitably change, I reflect on how the fun times I had as a kid were made possible by the care and maintenance my parents put into their fence.

Spring, summer, and fall have had a great run, but winter is now coming. Thus, for the preservation of childhood memories and the opportunity to save money and keep unnecessary headaches at bay, what better way to prepare for the season’s shift than to winterize your fence?

The benefits of winterizing your fence include:

• Curb appeal
• Security
• Freedom from having to pay for an entirely new fence or expensive repairs
• Privacy
• Protection from harsh winters
• Fortification from White Walkers

Choosing not to winterize your fence may make life more complicated than it needs to be. Small damages can grow worse due to the cold, wet weather, or someone could get hurt and open a lawsuit against you.

A fence professional can expertly repair any damages you spot when checking on your fence, but in a lot of cases DIY fixes can help prepare your fence for the upcoming winter weather.

Keep reading to learn about the different steps you can take to prepare wooden, aluminum, and vinyl fences for winter.

Wooden Fences

Wooden fences don’t fare well with chilly, wet weather, so inspect your wooden fence before the temperature plummets. Inspect your fence on a dry day when rain or heavy moisture hasn’t stained the wood.

Signs of less-than-perfect areas include: sagging or loose posts and missing or broken pieces.

4 best ways to winterize wooden fences

1. Cut and remove sections that are damaged.
2. Use wood putty to fill in small gaps and cracks.
3. Scrub the fence with a detergent-and-bleach concoction.
4. Paint or re-stain the entire fence.

Aluminum Fences

Aluminum fences are more durable than wooden fences, but if neglected for too long, regular wear and tear will leave its mark You won’t have to be on the lookout for signs of rusting as often as other metal fences, but that doesn’t mean these fences are immune to neglect.

4 best ways to winterize aluminum fences

1. Spray areas that need a little love with aluminum-surface paint.
2. Scrub rust away with a brush.
3. Coat the fence hinges in rust protector.
4. Powder-coat your fence to lengthen the amount of time between upkeep tasks.

Vinyl Fences

Walking around your vinyl fence to ensure there are no missing, damaged, loose, or broken parts and panels will help you navigate the kind of winterizing care your vinyl fence needs.

3 best ways to winterize vinyl fences

1. Clean your vinyl fence, and remove dirt and debris.
2. Phone a professional for a verbal walk-through on how to secure loose parts.
3. Power wash your fence to remove any mold.

Bottom Line

Winterizing your wooden, aluminum, or vinyl fence is imperative to keeping your fence in good shape. Taking the time to do any maintenance or repair work before the temperature drops to freezing helps ensure your fence will survive the winter (and save you a lot of stress).

Proper care for your fence will also help maintain your home’s curb appeal. With a keen eye, a few supplies, and tools you probably already have on hand, you can save yourself a world of trouble and spend your winter making crockpot soups and chili instead of worrying about your fence (or White Walkers).