A metal fence is a durable, secure option. While it doesn’t provide privacy, it can physically keep out intruders and protect your family, and it can keep children and pets from wandering off. However, metal fences are subject to damage and need repairing over time. A wrought iron fence can rust easily, while an aluminum fence won’t. Nevertheless, an aluminum fence is not as strong as a wrought iron fence.

No matter what kind of fence you have it has to withstand pressure, the elements, and the wear of time. If, for whatever reason, your fence becomes damaged, it’s important to contact a professional fence contractor and take care of it as soon as possible. A broken or rusted fence is both an eyesore to your home as well as an invitation to burglars. What’s more, pets or children can run away if your fence is damaged.

Dealing with Rust

If your fence is in need of repair, the question of whether or not to replace it depends on a few factors. First of all, how bad is the damage? Secondly, what type of damage is it? Thirdly, what is your budget? If the only problem with your fence is the way it looks, this can be easily solved with paint.

The painting procedure for a rusted, iron fence, is an involved process, so be sure to hire someone with experience. The fence needs to be either rubbed with a stainless steel wire brush, power washed or sandblasted in order to remove the rust and dirt. Then the fence should be washed with a non-ionic detergent. After it dries, a rust converter that’s either phosphoric acid- or tannic acid-based should be applied, followed by an oil-based primer. Now the fence can be painted with an oil-based paint approved for use on metal and the paint shouldn’t crack or chip off.
A Broken Fence

If a section of the fence is warped, broken or missing, it’s possible to fix just that portion without replacing the entire fence. For iron fences, a section can be sawed off and a new replacement section can be welded on in its place. Railings can sometimes become detached from use, and fence posts can fall out as a result of rust and wear. These can be repaired with welding the parts back together. If much of the fence is warped or if it’s rusted to a dangerous degree, it may be best to completely replace the fence.

Broken aluminum fences are easier to repair than iron ones. Because the parts are usually screwed together and not welded, if a crossbar or fence post needs to be replaced it’s a relatively simple procedure. The damaged part is unscrewed and the replacement part is inserted.

For any repairs it’s best to contact an experienced fence contractor. He can tell you the cost of the repair and you can decide whether it’s worth it to you to replace the entire fence or not.

Source: Networx