Installing a wooden fence around the perimeter of your property offers a variety of benefits to take advantage of, including increased privacy, improved security, and a reduction of unwanted noise from exterior sources. Due to the added security, you may even be able to score lower home insurance costs while living there and a higher sales price if you decide to move on later. Here are a few things you can do after your new fence is installed to enhance its look, improve convenience, and maintain its value as time goes on:

Use Rocks along the Edges

One of the most inconvenient aspects of having a fence is keeping the grass and weeds from growing along its edges. A lawnmower doesn't typically get close enough to the fence line to eliminate long blades of grass and weeds, which may leave behind a ragged edge that is unattractive and invasive to the rest of your landscaping.

An easy way to make sure that grass and weeds don't grow too close to your fence line is to put gravel or small rocks along the edge of the fence. The rocks should be at least an inch thick to keep sun from feeding the growth underneath them, and at least three inches in width from the edge of the fence so your lawnmower can reach your entire lawn without the fence getting in the way.

Install Some Bird Houses

Birds tend to love wooden fences because they're easy to perch on and they take well to being pecked – but all the pecking puts wear and tear on your fence that isn't usually pleasing to the eye when all is said and done. A great way to keep birds from pecking at your wooden fence, and leaving behind droppings, is to install a few bird houses along the interior top edges of your fence.

The corners are an excellent spot because they offer a variety of stabilizing and attachment options, but anywhere along the fence line should be attractive to birds. Keep the bird houses full of food and you'll not only keep the birds from ruining your fence, but you'll always have new friends to listen to and watch when you go outside for some fresh air.

Make a Maintenance List

Maintenance should be a priority if you expect your fence to look and perform healthy for decades to come. However, this doesn't mean that you have to spend hundreds of dollars on professional renovations or weeks of manpower to get the job done. Put together a small maintenance list to follow once every three or four months throughout the year and you should be good to go. Here's what should be on your list:

• An inspection of all corner posts as well as the wiring and staking along the entire fence line. The goal is to ensure stability and to repair or replace any bent, rotten, rusty, or otherwise worn pieces.
• An application of weatherproofing clear coating – a personal paint sprayer should get the job done within the span of just one afternoon.
• Tightening of any bird houses, street address signs, and other materials attached to the fence. If any rust is present on the attachment hardware, nails, or screws, there isn't a better time to replace it.

Make sure that your maintenance list is completed sometime during the last couple of weeks before the winter season starts for optimal protection from rain and mold damage.

You'll find that these methods and techniques require just a little bit of initial legwork and some maintenance throughout the year for long term results that you and your household can count on.

For more information and maintenance or repair options, talk with professional fencing companies, such as Phoenix Fence, Co..

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