How to Repair Rotted Wood
If you catch a rotted wooden fence in time, you can successfully perform fence repair using epoxy resin. Repairing rotted wood means you can stain or paint it to blend in with the surrounding timber.
Before You Begin
Repairing rotted wood is a two-part process that involves preparation and patching. During the prep stage, you must remove as much damage as possible. If the wood is wet or moldy, you must leave it to dry out before the patching stage.
During this step, you can evaluate whether the wood needs repairing or replacing.
Deep areas or areas that require minor strengthening can be patched up using a two-part epoxy resin. First, brush a liquid epoxy onto the clean wood. Second, add a moldable epoxy to the missing area. After drying and sanding, the epoxy should blend seamlessly with the surrounding material. After which, it can be stained or painted.
Should You Replace or Repair Rotted Wood?
When considering whether or not to repair rotted wood, it is often better, cheaper, and safer to replace the wood. Replace the wood when the rot comprises 15% or more of the fence. For wood that is inexpensive and easy to find, you should consider replacing it rather than repairing it.
But if the fence is either personally or historically significant, you should try to repair it. You could choose to mend some insignificant items simply because of the cost or complexity of replacing them. For instance, it is better to restore the wood in areas that are difficult to remove and replace and when repairs do not affect its overall structural stability.
If you would like to make an appointment to discuss a fence repair job, please contact A Plus Fence at (318) 416-8889 now if you live in the Shreveport, LA region.