Good fences make good neighbors. That's why you want to keep your fence in good condition. It's relatively easy to take a few minutes once a month to check your fence line and make sure it's in good repair. If it isn't, here's what you can do.

How Does It Work?

Good neighbor (top left), alternate panel (top right), solid panel (bottom left), and louvered (bottom right) are popular types of wood privacy fencing.

A fence is a property enclosure made of pickets, boards, rails, chain-link fabric, or other materials. Wood is the most popular fencing material and one that takes on many forms, including privacy, rail, and picket. Wood is also the easiest fencing material to work with. See the Concrete Repair Fix-It Guide  for repairs to concrete fences and walls. Chain-link fencing, if installed correctly, is virtually maintenance free.

What Can Go Wrong?

Being outdoors all the time, fences take all the abuse that the elements can deliver. Posts come loose and wobble. Rails and boards deteriorate. Gates sag.