Start with a walk along the whole length
Before you pick up a brush, walk the fence slowly and look at it from both sides if you can. In a terraced street the boundary may be shared, so the other side might not be yours to reach. Press the boards gently. Sound timber feels firm. Soft, dark or crumbling wood near the bottom tells you moisture has been sitting there. Note any loose nails, split rails and boards that rattle. In streets where houses sit close together, a fence often has a neighbour on the other side, so a friendly word before any work is sensible.
Write down what you find, even roughly. A list of three or four small jobs is easy to deal with in one afternoon. Left alone, those same jobs tend to join up into a panel that needs replacing. Taking a quick photo of each problem also helps if you later ask a fencer to look at it. Gaps between boards and loose capping are worth noting as well, since both let water run into the timber.
Keep the base clear and the soil down
In narrow gardens, soil, leaves and bark chippings pile up against the bottom of the fence without anyone noticing. Wet material held against a board keeps it damp, and damp timber rots from the bottom up. Scrape back anything touching the boards, and leave a visible gap between the ground and the lowest board. A gravel board along the bottom is the usual long-term answer. If the fence has a gravel board, check that one too, because it is the part that takes the splashing.
Plants need the same attention. Climbers and wall shrubs look good, but their stems hold moisture against the wood and can push boards apart. Pull plants a hand's width away from the boards where you can, or fix a trellis to the fence so the growth sits on the trellis rather than the timber. Keep a bag and a stiff brush handy and make clearing the base a habit rather than a project.
Treat in dry weather and look after cut ends
Treatment goes on well when the timber is dry and the forecast is settled. Wood that is still damp will not take in the product properly, and rain soon after can spoil the finish. Brush off dirt and loose growth first, then work along the grain, paying extra attention to board ends and the bottom edge, where water gets in first. Dry spells are less common than people hope, so be ready to use one when it comes.
Any time a board or post is cut, the bare end has lost its protection. Brush a generous coat of preservative onto every freshly cut end before it goes back in place, and again once it is fitted if you can reach it. It takes a minute and makes a real difference to how that repair holds up. Spend a little extra time on the cut ends of any board you have trimmed to fit a tight space.
Quick tips
- Check posts by pushing firmly at the top. A post that moves at ground level, or feels soft when prodded, needs a proper look.
- Do your treating when the timber is dry and the weather looks settled, and let it dry fully before anything leans on it.
- Keep bins, planters and stored materials a little way off the fence so air can move around the boards.
- Tackle small repairs early. A single loose board is a quick fix, but a whole leaning panel is a bigger job.
If you are not sure what you are looking at, call us or send a photo with the fence location. We cover Handsworth and the B20 and B21 area, and we also work in Perry Barr and Smethwick. We will tell you plainly whether it needs a repair or just a bit of care.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check whether my fence is still sound before I treat it?
Walk the whole length and press the boards gently. Sound timber feels firm, while soft, dark or crumbling wood near the bottom means moisture has been sitting there. In Handsworth's close-set streets, note loose nails, split rails and rattling boards, and photograph each problem.
Should I speak to the neighbours before working on a shared fence?
In streets where houses sit close together, a fence often has a neighbour on the other side, so a friendly word before any work is sensible. Around Handsworth the boundary may be shared, which means the far side might not be yours to reach.
Fencing contractors in Handsworth · All advice guides