How to Maintain Your Wood Fence in Florida's Climate

A wood fence in Florida works harder than a wood fence just about anywhere else in the country. Our combination of humid summers, frequent tropical storms and hurricanes, year-round humidity, and the biological activity that thrives in warm, moist conditions means your fence is under constant assault from Mother Nature.

But a solid maintenance routine can double the life of your wood fence. We're talking the difference between a fence that's falling apart at 10 years and one that's still looking good at 20. Here's what Orlando-area homeowners need to know and do.

Understanding What Central Florida's Climate Does to Wood

Orlando sits in Central Florida's subtropical zone, which means:

• High humidity: Humidity regularly tops 85-90%, especially during the long summer months. This persistent moisture soaks into wood and creates ideal conditions for mold, mildew, and fungal decay.
• Heavy rainfall: Orlando averages about 53 inches of rain per year, with most falling during the intense summer thunderstorm season from June through September. That's a lot of water hitting your fence.
• Year-round warmth: Orlando's subtropical climate means warm, moist conditions persist nearly year-round. Wood stays damp longer and fungi stay active longer than in cooler climates. This accelerates rot and decay.
• UV exposure: Orlando gets roughly 233 sunny days per year. Unprotected wood turns gray and breaks down at the cellular level under UV radiation.
• Insects: Termites, carpenter ants, and wood-boring beetles are extremely active in Orange County year-round. Moisture-damaged wood is their favorite target, and Florida has one of the highest termite pressure zones in the country.

Every one of these factors is working against your fence every day. Maintenance is about slowing them down.

Year One: Post-Installation Care

If you just had a new wood fence installed, don't rush to stain or seal it right away. New pressure-treated lumber needs time to dry out before it can absorb stain properly. We recommend waiting 3-6 months after installation before applying any finish.

During this break-in period:

• Inspect the fence monthly for any boards that have warped or come loose as the wood dries and settles
• Tighten or replace any fasteners that have popped
• Make sure water drains away from the fence base — standing water at the bottom of posts accelerates rot faster than anything else

If your fence was installed with cedar (which we often recommend for Orlando homeowners who want longevity), the same waiting period applies. Cedar contains natural oils that resist decay, but a quality sealant still extends its life significantly.

Cleaning Your Fence: Annual Spring Task

Orlando's mild, wet winters encourage mold and mildew growth on wood surfaces. By spring, you'll likely notice green or black patches, especially on the north-facing side of the fence and near the ground where moisture lingers.

Here's how to clean your fence properly:

Option 1: Oxygen Bleach Solution (Recommended)

Mix oxygen bleach (like OxiClean) with warm water according to package directions. Apply with a pump sprayer, let it sit 10-15 minutes, then scrub with a stiff brush and rinse with a garden hose. Oxygen bleach kills mold and mildew without damaging wood fibers or harming nearby plants.

Option 2: Pressure Washing (Use with Caution)

A pressure washer makes quick work of a dirty fence, but too much pressure damages wood. Keep the pressure under 1,500 PSI and use a wide fan tip (25 or 40 degree). Hold the nozzle at least 12 inches from the wood surface and use sweeping motions. Never focus the stream on one spot — you'll gouge the wood.

We've repaired plenty of fences in Winter Park and College Park where well-meaning homeowners went at their fence with a pressure washer on the highest setting and basically shredded the wood surface. Low and slow is the approach.

Option 3: Professional Cleaning

If your fence is large or the buildup is heavy, hiring a professional soft-wash or power-wash service is worth considering. They typically charge $150-$400 depending on fence size. This is money well spent if you're not comfortable with a pressure washer.

Staining and Sealing: Every 2-3 Years

This is the single most important maintenance task for wood fences in Orlando. A quality stain or sealant protects wood from moisture, UV damage, and mold. Without it, your fence is exposed to everything our climate throws at it.

When to apply: Every 2-3 years in Orlando's climate. You'll know it's time when water no longer beads on the wood surface — if it soaks in immediately, the old finish has broken down.

What to use: For Orlando conditions, we recommend a semi-transparent penetrating stain with UV inhibitors and mildewcide. Brands like Cabot, TWP, and Ready Seal perform well in our climate. Semi-transparent stains let the wood grain show through while providing solid protection.

Avoid solid-color stains (essentially paint) on fences unless you're prepared to scrape and re-coat every few years. Solid stains look great initially but tend to peel and flake in Orlando's humidity, which looks worse than faded natural wood.

How to apply:

1. Clean the fence first (see above). Don't stain over dirt, mold, or old flaking finish.
2. Wait 24-48 hours after cleaning for the wood to dry completely.
3. Check the weather forecast — you need 2-3 dry days after application. Avoid staining when temperatures are above 90 degrees (the stain dries too fast) or below 50 degrees (it won't cure properly).
4. Apply with a pump sprayer, brush, or roller. Back-brush sprayed stain to work it into the wood grain.
5. Apply two coats to end grain and horizontal surfaces that collect water (like the tops of posts and the top rail).

The ideal staining windows in Orlando are late March through May and September through early November — warm enough for the product to cure but not so hot that it dries before it can penetrate.

Seasonal Inspection Checklist

Walk your fence line at least twice a year — once in spring after winter weather, and once in fall before winter sets in. Here's what to check:

Posts

• Are they plumb (vertical)? Push against each post — it shouldn't move.
• Check the base for rot by probing with a screwdriver. Soft, spongy wood means decay.
• Look for gaps between the post and the concrete footing, which indicate the post is shrinking or the soil is settling.

Rails

• Are they still firmly attached to posts? Loose rail connections are common after years of wood expansion and contraction.
• Check for sagging or warping, especially on long spans between posts.

Boards/Pickets

• Count any that are cracked, split, warped, or missing
• Check that fasteners (nails or screws) are still holding — popped fasteners mean the wood has shifted
• Look at the bottom edge of boards near the ground for rot

Gates

• Do they open and close smoothly?
• Check hinge bolts and latch hardware for rust and loose screws
• Gates are usually the first part of a fence to show problems because they endure the most stress

Dealing with Storm Damage

Orlando averages 40+ thunderstorm days per year, and we catch remnants of Atlantic hurricanes every few years. After any significant storm:

• Walk the fence line to check for damage
• Remove fallen branches or debris leaning on the fence — the weight stresses posts and connections
• Repair loose or damaged boards promptly. A loose board flapping in the wind will damage adjacent boards.
• If a post snaps or the fence section falls, prop it up temporarily to prevent further damage until repairs can be made

We offer fence repair services across Orlando and can usually respond quickly after storm events. The faster storm damage is addressed, the less secondary damage occurs.

Preventing Ground-Level Rot

The bottom 6 inches of your fence is where most rot starts. Here are proven strategies to slow it down:

• Keep soil and mulch away from the fence. Mulch holds moisture against wood. Maintain a 2-3 inch gap between mulch/soil and the bottom of your fence boards.
• Manage vegetation. Vines, shrubs, and grass growing against the fence trap moisture. Keep plants trimmed back at least a few inches from the fence.
• Improve drainage. If water pools at the base of your fence, regrade the area or install a French drain. Standing water is the fastest path to rot.
• Use gravel boards. A sacrificial pressure-treated board at the very bottom of the fence, close to or touching the ground, protects the main fence boards above it. When the gravel board rots (and it will), you replace just that one board instead of the whole section.

When Maintenance Isn't Enough

There comes a point where a fence is beyond maintenance. If posts are rotted through, multiple sections are sagging, and boards are falling off regularly, it's time for a replacement rather than more repairs. A well-maintained fence in Orlando should last 15-20 years for pressure-treated pine and 20-25 years for cedar.

Need help evaluating your fence or want advice on the best maintenance approach? Orlando Fence is here for Orlando homeowners. Call us at (704) 749-0642 or reach out online. We offer maintenance advice, repairs, and full replacement when the time comes.