Steps To Refinishing Silt Fence Installation

By Frances Roberts


A silt fence is made of fabric and mesh wire that allows water to pass through but prevents soil from moving to the other side thus preventing soil erosion. This fence is specially designed to prevent soil erosion. It is mainly installed in farms. Sometimes, you may already have had it installed but it gets weaker with time. Below is how to resolve an old silt fence installation.

It is important to know what you are working with. The first step is surveying the whole length of the barrier. In the survey, you will identify what needs replacing and what is still in good working condition. The survey allows you to come up with a budget and know the amount of money you will be spending. Imagine not taking it, it may lead to unfortunate scenarios like not having enough material.

Ensure you have a high-pressure washer. After surveying the barrier, you will need to wash it. It is more like spraying it with water. This is meant to get rid of all the dirt and mold that may be on the wooden parts of the barrier. After that cleaning, the barrier starts to look a lot better. You also will be able to notice damages you would have not before.

You can then go on to work on damages that do a lot require a lot of work. For example, the cracks in the wood can be filled with the glue to prevent the wood from completely falling apart. At times, it is more than a crack and they can be holes. In such a case, sawdust and glue will be the best solution. Mixing them up into a firm mixture helps repair the wood better.

The same way you cover up all your furniture when you are staining your house, you will have to do the same for the plants around the barrier. You can use pieces of newspapers, cardboard or even cartoons. This will prevent you from spilling any stain on the leaves of the plants which may actually cause them a lot of damage if it happens.

Metal is very delicate and therefore you should ensure that you protect it. If you do not want it to be stained with paint you should cover it with masking tape. This includes hinges and locks. But if they are rusted, a little paint them would do them good. After painting you should remember to uncover them and then maybe have them coated lightly with wax.

Chose the right kind of paint. This is not in terms of color although most of the people prefer using white colour. The paint of your choosing should have sealing qualities. This means that it should be able to protect the wood from things such as insect destruction. Otherwise, if it lacks this sealing quality, the effort you put in may be short-lived.

As you apply your paint, ensure the wood is dry to avoid it chipping off later. The washed wood may take up a lot of paint and you should be prepared. Usually, one coat is usually enough for a barrier. If you, however, see areas that need more paint to be uniform, you should go on to paint over them.




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