Is It Time to Upgrade Your Rural Fencing

Is It Time to Upgrade Your Rural Fencing?

Excessive wear and tear and other signs that indicate it’s time for an upgrade.

Your rural fencing is a vital component for managing livestock, demarcation of boundaries, security and aesthetic appeal. It also contributes to the value of your property, especially if you are planning to sell it in the future.

This is why it is important to have a properly maintained fenced boundary. Unfortunately, wear and tear are inevitable and an upgrade from a fencing specialist may already be necessary. Below are some signs that it could be time to upgrade your rural fencing.

Signs that it is time for a new fence

Signs that it is time for a new fence

The fence will eventually deteriorate regardless of the type of material. It’s time for an upgrade if you see signs of ageing, such as:

Tilting or leaning

If the structure is damaged, it is highly plausible that the structure will fail. If you see that the fence’s structure is beginning to lean, tilt or collapse, it’s already time for an upgrade.

This is critical not only for safety as well as appearance. – a faulty fence cannot help to prevent land or property damage from wild animals, for example. You can probably still repair your damaged fencing by replacing the areas most affected and installing new support posts but you may find in some situations, it’s more practical to replace the fence altogether.

Rips, tears, or missing panels

A fence is rendered useless if you can see through it due to broken or missing boards. It no longer helps in giving privacy or creating an effective property boundary. Again, it is possible in the short term to simply replace missing or broken boards, but often, it’s more practical to get a fence upgrade and reduce headaches later down the line. A Fencing specialist can help with this important problem.

Stuck and uneven gates

Stuck and uneven gates may be a sign of loose connections. The loose connections signify that the fence is weak and will eventually become a hazard or an obstacle.

Cracking or checking

A check is a common type of crack found in wood. Checking is part of the wood’s seasoning process which occurs when the chopped wood dries out. Checks form because the internal part of wood dries more slowly than the external portion.  Moisture makes the wood swell. As it dries, it shrinks and adds stress to the wood. The drying process is uneven, which results in checks. This is a natural process, and in most cases, unavoidable.

Wood decay

Climate plays a significant role in the wear and tear of your rural fence. You will notice your fence weakening once it reaches the point where the weather has caused it to rot. This will frequently produce structure collapse and broken boards. A common “band-aid fix” will be to replace individual boards. However, rot can spread like wildfire in a chain reaction from panel to panel

Discolouration

A tall tale sign of a rundown building is discolouration. The same thing is true for your fence. Once it starts losing its colour, chances are it is becoming run down and will need maintenance.

 

Other Considerations Beyond Structural Damage

In some cases, an upgrade is needed even if structural damage is not apparent, if you go through a change in circumstances in your property. For Example:

Change Of Animals Kept On A Farm

Change Of Animals Kept On A Farm

When thinking about getting an upgrade, consider the animals you want to keep out or in your farm. Some of these include:

  • Cattle
  • Sheep
  • Horses
  • Wild dogs, pigs, wallabies, and other medium-sized animals
  • Chickens
  • Dog kenneling
  • Small feral animals

If there is a change in the type of animals you keep on your farm, consider getting a fence upgrade. The fence type should be appropriate for the type of animal you need to keep within boundaries, taking into consideration the animals’ size, strength or ability to climb and jump.

If you need the fence to contain animals within the property, the fencing should be high enough to prevent them from jumping over it, of course, but if you have smaller animals, woven wire should be close enough together to stop them escaping once it is pinned to the ground properly.

If you don’t have experience fixing your fences and boundaries, a chainwire fencing specialist can help you decide on the best fencing solutions for your situation. Our fencing specialists are knowledgeable about appropriate fencing materials that can control animals in enclosures and they know how to make it sturdy enough to withstand the strength of the animals.

Fire-Proofing

Fire-Proofing

An all-steel rural fence is highly recommended for areas at risk of bush fires and property buyers will be looking for fire safe boundaries, usually preferring properties that are already invested in steel strainer assemblies because they will not combust during a fire.

Heavy-duty, galvanised steel fencing is designed to withstand high temperatures. If a bushfire comes roaring through, a galvanised fence will drastically reduce the worry of rebuilding fences during your clean-up efforts.

You Are Already Planning to Sell the Property

You Are Already Planning to Sell the Property

Property fences are a key consideration for potential buyers. Damaged, unstable, or poorly maintained fences can give a bad impression – latches made from wires, rusty gate hardware, or sagging gates will do more harm than good and a buyer might wonder what state is the rest of your property will be in if your fence looks that way.

Although this is not a fair assessment of the value of your property, it still matters to buyers. They won’t want to spend any more money to re-fence the area after they have purchased it, if they can help it.

A fence upgrade is a good investment

A fence upgrade is a good investment

The price of a fence upgrade will depend on the complexity of the fence and your supplier, who will also take into consideration the length, type, and topographical features of the area. The thing to remember is that the return on investment, in terms of security and property value, will make it worth every dollar spent.

Quality and reliability are keys to long-lasting rural fencing.

Quality and reliability are keys to long-lasting rural fencing.

It takes a lot of time and effort to upgrade rural fencing, as it is imperative to make it stand the test of time, and this will require the use of high-quality fencing tools and hardware that are durable and reliable.

As one of the leading chainwire fencing specialists in the Hunter and Lake Macquarie Regions, we have fencing specialists in Toronto, Newcastle, Cessnock and Maitland. our stellar Chainwire Fencing Specialist team can design and build strong fencing and gates based on your needs. Reach out today to get a free estimate for your rural fencing upgrade.

Enquiry

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.