I have a wooden fence around my garden. I share parts of the fence with my neighbour, who has a shed close to the fence on his side. Between the fence and the shed on my neighbour's side, leaves accumulate in autumn and winter and cause moisture and decay. The same thing happens on the other side, where an acclivity prevents removal of the leaves and decaying material and presumably collects moisture as well. The fence has turned black where it is moist.
Questions: What can I do to prevent this, other than asking my neighbour to remove his shed and clean up the leaves? Is there any fortifying paint that can be applied? Will I need to replace the fence with more durable material than wood at some point? How long do I have until the fence rots away and holes are left there?
More Questions: More generally, what care instructions will I need to follow to keep the fence in good shape for longer? Any paint or anything else I should apply? I have no clue about these things and have never owned property before recently buying this one. Thanks.
Here is a close-up view of the fence where it is not rotting:
Best Answer
Wood and water don't mix. If you want to make wood last, you have to keep it dry. So no good answers unless you can convince your neighbor to remove the rotting debris. Assuming you and the neighbor share the cost of maintenance and replacement of the fence would entice them to take care of this.
Regarding preventative treatments, there are some do's and dont's: Don't use a solid surface covering like Varathane or Ureathane: Outdoors that finish will crack, chip, peel and look terrible. Paint might be an option. My preference would be a penetrating oil with additives to prevent mold, mildew and rot. Whether paint or oil: You'd have to use a wood brightener (it's like a bleach) on it first, then pressure wash, wait until very dry and apply the oil. The tough thing is for this to be effective, it needs to be to BOTH SIDES of the fence, which may be at least impractical or impossible in your case.
Depending upon where you are, bare wood outside isn't the best option...here in western Washington State, I would never install a wood deck or fence again. It just doesn't last.