4 Reasons Why It Makes Sense to Pressure Wash Wood Fencing

Pressure washing involves using a special machine to turn the water from a standard hose into an extremely strong jet that can blast away accumulated dirt and associated detritus. Most people associate pressure washing with driveways and patios, but it can also work wonders for wooden fencing. Here are just four reasons why.

1. Improve the Fence's Appearance

Over time, wood fences can get a little drab. Dirt, dust and mud can accumulate across the surface, the bottom sections can get covered in grass clippings and any portion is fair game for bird droppings. Pressure washing can get rid of all that to leave your fencing as fresh and good-looking as it was when it was first installed.

2. Perfect Preparation for Routine Maintenance

Wood is strong, but it isn't impervious to the elements. That's why wooden fencing needs to have a new stain coating applied every year or two to protect it from water penetration and maintain structural integrity. Most people also like to add a fresh coat of paint at the same time as an extra layer of protection and to enhance their outside place's appearance. Before you carry out those tasks, it's a good idea to pressure wash the fence. This removes all the contaminants mentioned above, preventing them from simply getting trapped beneath new stain or paint. Pressure washing also opens up the pores in the wood, which makes it take paint and stain coating better.

3. Remove Mould

Over time, mould and mildew can eat into your wooden fencing. This is a problem in and of itself since it leaves your fences looking discoloured and unattractive. Even worse, mould leaves fencing more vulnerable to insects and makes it structurally weaker. Using a pressure washer can get rid of mould before it gains a foothold. You can even add a little bleach to make sure mould is killed instead of simply blasted away.

4. Quick and Easy

Of course, you could get many of these benefits simply from scrubbing your fences down—in fact, you'll probably be giving them a scrub anyway if you're about to add more paint or sealant. Problem is, scrubbing down such a huge amount of surface area takes a long time and a substantial amount of elbow grease. As a result, most people don't do a very good job or end up quickly tiring themselves out. But in comparison, using a pressure cleaner is quick, easy and let's face it—pretty fun.