Fence lines, the edges of buildings, and mail box posts all have one thing in common; they need a weed eater to help keep your lawn looking trim and neat. Lawn mowers just won’t reach into that space, and no one wants to have to get on their hands and knees to trim the grass with clippers.
However, if you’re someone with a really strong weed eater, you run the very real risk of damaging your wooden fence.To remedy the problem, you can purchase fence post protectors, or you can make your own with supplies you’ve likely already got lying about the house.
Protective Decorations
If you want a more aesthetically-pleasing look, try adding ceramic tiles around the bases of your fence posts. You can go for a bolder look with solid colors or stick to a more reliable white, possibly with your own stenciled paints.
Flashing
Normally, flashing is used for repairing or installing roofs. It’s a thin piece of metal, and you can get it to do double duty by screwing it onto the affected sides of your fence posts.
Corrugated Piping
Black corrugated piping is often used for plumbing and draining, but just like flashing, it can serve double duty in protecting your fencing. Cut a slit up one side of the pipe, then slip it around the base of the fencing. If you cut it short, to a height of about three or four inches, it’ll be less noticeable in the grass.
Be Cautious, Take Your Time
Haste makes waste. Or in this case, haste causes damage. Slow down with your weed eater and angle the line downwards. If you’re really in a bind, though, and you don’t have the time to install some protections around the post, and you need to get the job done fast, you can also use the back of a shovel, a wood plank, sheet metal or even some cardboard to protect your fence post. Just set the shielding between the post and you, then proceed to trim.
Need a new wooden fence? If you live in Mequon, Wauwatosa, Fox Point or anywhere else in the Milwaukee metro area just give us a call if you’d like a free estimate on a brand new wooden fence!
