Month: November 2020

In addition to adding a boost to your yard’s security and bringing an elegant touch to your home, installing a wrought iron fence has many benefits. As a durable, customizable option, it’s no wonder so many are considering iron fences for their homes. At Fence Masters, Inc., we want you to get the most out of your wrought iron fence, which is why we have put together a guide to caring for your fence. Check out these maintenance tips, then call our experienced Chicago Heights fence contractors for repair or installation of your wrought iron fence.

Regular Cleaning

To keep your wrought iron fence looking great for years to come, regular cleaning is highly recommended. Washing with soap and water, fully rinsing soap residue, and allowing the fence to completely air dry helps to preserve your fence’s paint job and beautiful ironwork that you picked specifically for your home. We suggest taking the time every six months to give your fence a nice, detailed cleaning, as this will not only clean the surface but also inspect your fence damage and rust.

Fight Rust

Moisture and metal, unfortunately, do not go hand-in-hand, meaning you always run the risk of developing rust on your wrought iron fence. Luckily, there are a number of protective and preventative measures you can take to fight off the rust. Applying metal-grade wax, especially focusing on areas that frequently come in contact with moisture from a sprinkler system and vegetation, to your fence can help prevent rust from developing in the first place. If you do discover that rust is beginning to form on your fence, you can either remove the old paint that has been rusted, or you can contact Fence Masters, Inc. to repair the spot. 

Keeping up Proper Maintenance

When your wrought iron fence is shiny and brand new, it can be easy to remember to keep up with proper maintenance. Once you’ve had your fence for a few years, though, cleaning, checking for rust and imperfections, and keeping up with greasing hinges on your gate can easily slip your mind. Your fence is an investment, though, and should be treated like one. Making a habit out of casually looking over your fence while out in the yard and setting cleaning or painting reminders is a great way to keep on top of any issues that may develop.

Call a Trusted Fence Contractor

To ensure your fence is being properly repaired, always work with an experienced and trusted fence contractor. Fence Masters, Inc. is your go-to fence contractor when you need your fence repaired. While we currently only repair fences for past clients, we will happily provide you with a free estimate for a new fence for your yard. We have a large selection of fences to choose from, including the classic wrought iron. And, since we have our own iron weld shop at our warehouse, you can meet with our fence designers for a free design consultation. Get the wrought iron fence of your dreams at an affordable price! Simply call the professional Chicago Heights fence contractors at Fence Masters, Inc. to discuss your fencing needs.

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Here are a few easy ways for you to decorate your vinyl fence.

Whether you’re trying to establish more privacy around your house or you want to go with a classic vinyl picket fence, you may be thinking that you could do more with your plain white fence. While some homeowners may feel that a coat of paint is the way to go for changing your fence’s look, there are other routes you can take to get a more desirable look. Here are a few easy ways for you to decorate your vinyl fence.

Start Accessorizing Your Vinyl Fence

A great way to boost the curb appeal of your vinyl fence is to add a few new accessories. By installing over-the-panel hooks, for example, you give yourself the perfect spot on your fence for displaying artwork or installing lights. Just be sure that the hooks you use won’t scratch the surface.

You could even go with corner-mounted shelving, which would give you the perfect place to put any potted plants or garden gnomes that you may have.

Solar LED lights are another option, and you can use these to give your fence a little extra ambiance without having to use wires.

Go With Plants, But Be Careful

People might get the temptation to plant all sorts of flowers along the side of their vinyl fence. However, you shouldn’t do this. While hedges can be a beautiful sight, they can also cause your fence to not last as long as it otherwise would. This has to do with plants’ root systems. Eventually, these root systems can extend far enough to impact your fence. Hedges don’t give you the easy access you need to get to your fence, which makes it harder to keep up with regular maintenance.

For these reasons, give yourself enough space between any plants you install and your fence so that you can still access your fence’s panels or pickets. Trees, which could be planted to give you extra privacy, follow this same rule. Having enough distance between plants and your fence will save your fence in the long run.

Consider Curtains Around Your Vinyl Fence

You might treat your outdoor landscape the same way that you treat a room inside your house. If you do, you might consider using some decorating tips that would normally be used for indoor areas. Curtains are a great example. If you use some over-the-panel hooks, some fabric curtains, and a few curtain rods, you could have curtains along your outdoor vinyl fence, which will conceal your panels completely and give you a little more privacy for your yard.

Let Hercules Fence Help Set Up The Perfect Fence For You

Hercules Fence takes pride in being experts in residential, commercial, and high-security fencing. We have been serving our clients since 1955, with only the most knowledgeable of staff. Our staff is ready to serve you from Maryland and the Washington Metropolitan area. Our branch offices are in Manassas, Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia, and Maryland.

Visit our website to see how we can be of service to you. Also, follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Linkedin to stay up to date with our latest news.

The post Ways for You to Decorate Your Vinyl Fence appeared first on Hercules Fence.

There are procedures you can follow to help maintain your ornamental iron fence.

An ornamental iron fence can get exposed to all sorts of weather conditions throughout the year. It can fade due to intense heat in the summer. Sometimes, paint can get scratched up and leave the bare metal exposed, which can eventually lead to rusting. Fortunately, there are procedures you can follow to help maintain your ornamental iron fence.

Give Your Fence at Least One Inspection Per Year

If you inspect your ornamental iron fence at least one time every year, you’ll be able to find potential problems and get those problems fixed before your fence can take on additional damage. See if there are any missing caps, signs of rust, scratches, or any broken hardware. These are some of the problems you’ll want to address the moment you see them.

Get Your Fence Waxed and Washed

With the help of car wash soap, you can get rid of pesky specks of dirt and dust that may gather on your fence. Once your fence has washed, you can put wax on it, which offers additional protection against fading due to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Trim Vegetation So It’s Away From Your Fence

While plants and vines can look attractive around your fence, they also pose risks to it. Plants can slowly eat away at your ornamental iron fence, causing coats of paint to deteriorate, which will then leave your fence vulnerable to rust.

Cut back the length of your plants so that they don’t get too close to your fence. This way, you can still enjoy the appeal factor while avoiding the potential risks that come with the plants being too close in proximity.

Don’t Let Your Fence Get Wet When You’re Sprinkling Your Yard

You should never have your sprinklers be in the range of your ornamental iron fence. Too much exposure to water will accelerate the rusting and corroding process. If you use sprinklers around your yard, make sure that they cannot hit your fence with any water.

Deal With Rusty Spots the Moment You Detect Them

If you see rust on your ornamental iron fence, it means that the metal layer your fence has is getting exposed to air and moisture. You should use sandpaper to address rusty areas on your fence. Be sure to remove rusty spots entirely, then wipe down the spots where there was rust in order to get rid of rust dust. After all of that is done, paint over those areas to give them added protection.

Let Hercules Fence Help Set Up The Perfect Fence For You

Hercules Fence takes pride in being experts in residential, commercial, and high-security fencing. We have been serving our clients since 1955, with only the most knowledgeable of staff. Our staff is ready to serve you from Maryland and the Washington Metropolitan area. Our branch offices are in Manassas, Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia, and Maryland.

Visit our website to see how we can be of service to you. Also, follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Linkedin to stay up to date with our latest news.

The post Keeping Your Ornamental Iron Fence in Good Shape appeared first on Hercules Fence.

Here is what you can do to stop fence rotting from occurring.

For anyone who owns a wood fence, you know that one of the biggest problems you can face is fence rotting. Fence rotting impacts your fence’s look, making it less appealing, and it makes the fence weaker. Since most wood fences are stuck into the ground, rot can seem like an inevitability. But there are ways you can prevent rotting if you’re attentive to your fence. Here is what you can do to stop fence rotting from occurring.

Understanding Wet & Dry Rot

To know how to prevent fence rotting, you first have to know which type of rotting threatens your fence. The two main types of fence rotting and dry and wet rot. Wet rot happens when your wood is constantly exposed to moisture. Signs of wet rot include the softening of your wood and potential wood cracking. You might also see fungus growing or notice a damp smell on your fence.

Dry rot, on the flipside, occurs when your wood is left out in extremely dry climates. Protective oils will be removed, making your fence more vulnerable. Dry rot is signaled by your fence being easily broken. You likely have dry rot if pieces of your fence break apart easily in your hand. Just like with wet rot, you might notice a damp smell, which is caused by the decaying of the fence.

Keep Rot in Mind When Picking Out Fencing Materials

You want to be proactive when dealing with fence rot, and the best way to do that is to have your fence made from rot-resistant materials. Some of these materials include cedar, cypress, and juniper. It’s also recommended that you invest in treated wood because it’s good for fending off termites and lowering your chances of rot.

Stain Your Fence Whenever It’s Necessary

If you stain your fence consistently, you can help keep fence rotting under control. You should stain your fence at least one time every year. However, depending on where you live, that number could rise. Factors that affect how often you should stain include how much rainfall your area gets, your average outdoor temperature, and the soil that is around your fence.

If you’re unsure of whether or not your fence needs staining, spray some water on it. Water that gets absorbed into your wood’s interior instead of beading on the exterior needs a new stain.

Let Hercules Fence Help Set Up The Perfect Fence For You

Hercules Fence takes pride in being experts in residential, commercial, and high-security fencing. We have been serving our clients since 1955, with only the most knowledgeable of staff. Our staff is ready to serve you from Maryland and the Washington Metropolitan area. Our branch offices are in Manassas, Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia, and Maryland.

Visit our website to see how we can be of service to you. Also, follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Linkedin to stay up to date with our latest news.

The post How to Keep Fence Rotting From Happening appeared first on Hercules Fence.