Does the cold affect wood fences? Yes! Here’s how.
If you’ve noticed that the temperature is dropping, it has likely caused some changes in your life. You’re more likely to bundle up and stay indoors for longer. Other things around you also feel the cold. That’s right; if there is a wood fence near you, it also changes. How does cold weather affect wood fences?
How Cold Weather Affects Wood Fences
Fluctuating Temperatures Cause Cracks
In Maryland, you may know that temperatures can rise and fall dramatically within a matter of hours. How does it affect wood fences? Wood tends to be very sensitive to its climate, and when it gets hot, the wood expands, and when it is cold, it contracts. Continual expansions and contractions over the years will cause the wood to crack.
Wet Wood Doesn’t Dry Out in the Cold
Wet wood also doesn’t dry out in the cold, or, at least, it takes a very long time to dry out completely. Without getting terribly deep into the physics of it, moisture takes longer to evaporate in cold air than in warm air because cold air generates less kinetic energy with the moisture. Therefore, if your wood fence gets wet in the rain and snow, then it will take a little longer to dry out than in the summer.
Wet Wood Can Rot
If you aren’t careful, your wood fence can begin to rot from the moisture. You should have the most concern if it is affecting the base of your fence posts, the strongest part of the fence. You can prevent rotting fence post bases by remediating any puddles forming around the bases and sealing your wood fence every few years.
The Effect Depends on the Type of Wood
Cold weather affects wood fences differently, depending on the wood species used for the fence. For instance, a pressure-treated pine fence might experience more expansions and contractions compared to an exotic hardwood fence.
Protect Your Wood Fence This Year!
Don’t let that be an excuse to avoid protecting your wood fence from moisture and insects! You can maintain a great fence that will last for decades when you have it professionally installed, use quality materials, and stain and seal it every few years.
Call Mid-Atlantic Deck & Fence For Your New Deck or Fence!
Mid-Atlantic Deck & Fence has almost 30 years of experience in building beautiful custom fences, gazebos, screened-in porches, and decks throughout the state of Maryland. We have the expertise to design your dream fence or custom deck and have it installed in a headache-free process. Give us a call at 1-800-833-9310 or visit us online for a quote today! We offer many different styles of fencing and decking, in addition to custom options designed specifically to suit your preferences and tastes. To see examples of our work and get more tips on how to choose the right decking for your family, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
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