Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

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MortgageOnBlack
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Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by MortgageOnBlack »

I made a rookie mistake of installing a cedar fence without sealing it. I am getting water marks where my sprinklers over spray. The plan is to adjust the sprinklers to keep this from happening, but I would like re-stain/re-oil the areas that have the marks and seal the entire fence. Any recommendations for this? Please see the attached pic of my dilemma. I'm still researching this, but figure I would post on here because I'm aware there are a lot of DIY Bogleheads on here. Thanks for any advice.

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HomeStretch
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by HomeStretch »

The cedar fencing looks wet. Are the marks visible when the fence thoroughly dries out (which may take a couple sunny days with the irrigation off)?

Before you seal the fencing, power wash the fence which should even out the tone. Test pressure on the power washer first to make sure you don’t damage the wood. Cedar weathers pretty quickly so the sooner you seal it the better.

Adjust the irrigation heads ASAP. Cedar fencing/posts (even when sealed) may rot over time if the irrigation is hitting it consistently. You can purchase the plastic key to adjust your sprinkler heads for a couple dollars.
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Helo80
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by Helo80 »

Pressure wash that.
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Flobes
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by Flobes »

MortgageOnBlack wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:38 pm I would like re-stain/re-oil the areas that have the marks and seal the entire fence. Any recommendations for this?
I can't advise about what to do, but I sure can advise what not to do.

Neighbor powerwashed and sprayed stain and sealant on his cedar slat fence, which is much like fence you've pictured. His fence is south border of my yard.

Overspray through the fence injured and/or killed vegetation on my side as well as marring my shed and the back wall of garage. Neighbor purchased paint and paid a crew to prime and repaint my shed and garage. And he paid a landscape crew to prune and do some replanting, plus paid me cash for damaged plantscape that could not be replaced until following spring.

Bad tho' this sounds, he has a large holding, and his fence runs along the backyards of ten houses. So he had to deal with damages to all of them, and negotiate with each of them. Everyone one of us has a shed right up against his fence, and they're many different colors. They were installed by developer when our homes were built, and we're required to keep them in place by HOA rules and plat.

He's a nice enough guy, and he joked that it would have been so much cheaper and easier to simply replace the fence! Of course, all these damages would have been avoided if he'd notified us in advance, and protected (with drop cloths etc) all our landscaping and outbuildings.
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by livesoft »

Do nothing. Eventually, the fence will turn gray, the mold will make everything look the same and you won't even notice.

If you do something, then you will have to be doing something the all the time.

You can also change your sprinklers. They have heads that are half-circle, quarter-circle, adjustable circle, and also have inserts, so that they are 4 ft, 6 ft, 8 ft, 12 ft, 15 ft, whatever. There is no point in watering the fence.
Last edited by livesoft on Fri Oct 09, 2020 1:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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squirm
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by squirm »

I'd just let it weather.
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gwe67
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by gwe67 »

livesoft wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 1:22 pm Do nothing. Eventually, the fence will turn gray, the mold will make everything look the same and you won't even notice.

If you do something, then you will have to be doing something the all the time.

You can also change your sprinklers. They have heads that are half-circle, quarter-circle, adjustable circle, and also have inserts, so that they are 4 ft, 6 ft, 8 ft, 12 ft, 15 ft, whatever.
I have done nothing with a now 20 year old cedar fence. It's not attractive (gray with water marks) but is structurally fine and has been maintenance free. Your concern should be the bottom of the wooden posts. Moisture will cause these to rot and fail. Never use wooden fence posts.
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MFD
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by MFD »

I would try a light sanding to see if the water marks come off easily. I use a belt sander on my deck and it makes the wood look like new. I feel like it is just as fast as pressure washing, and I don't have to wait for it to dry, or worry about getting too close with the pressure washer and gouging the wood. They also have "wood cleaners" for use before re-staining, where you spray it on, keeping it wet for a while, and then scrub it. Again this seems like more work and mess than just sanding, but my experience is with weathering on a redwood deck, not water marks on a cedar fence. The fence I just let it turn grey.
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MortgageOnBlack
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by MortgageOnBlack »

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm confident the pickets are completely dry as it has been several days without water. I will try to experiment with 1 of the pickets (pressure washing and/or sanding) to see the results.. Oddly, when they are wet from the sprinklers the color matches a bit more.

I am happy with the overall color of the rest of the fence and want to avoid getting the "reddish tint" I see many stained fences get.
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by Lalamimi »

We live in Texas, have never sealed a fence. Just power wash it (adjust the setting so you don't over do). Now, can someone tell me how to get years of lime and calcium from the sprinklers off my sunroom windows...
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by squirm »

Lalamimi wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:06 pm We live in Texas, have never sealed a fence. Just power wash it (adjust the setting so you don't over do). Now, can someone tell me how to get years of lime and calcium from the sprinklers off my sunroom windows...
Long soak in vinegar.
new2bogle
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by new2bogle »

Been there, done that. Power wash and then stain. You don't have to spray the stain if there are concerns about over-spraying. Using a paint brush will work just as well. Eventually the stain will fade out too. I'd say once every 5 years.
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by Teague »

I agree with doing nothing and letting it age naturally. Or, if you really care about appearance, fix the sprinkler aim then put fence boards on your side so it looks just as nice as your neighbor's side.
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by hicabob »

Lalamimi wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:06 pm We live in Texas, have never sealed a fence. Just power wash it (adjust the setting so you don't over do). Now, can someone tell me how to get years of lime and calcium from the sprinklers off my sunroom windows...
Shower/tile cleaner for hard water - the acid in it will remove the calcium and won't hurt the glass.
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by Bogle7 »

1.Power wash.
2. Stain with a nasty oil-based stain. I am partial to https://www.cabotstain.com/products/pro ... tions.html
3. Use a brush, not a sprayer. Two coats.
4. Go to #1 every 5ish years.
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livesoft
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by livesoft »

1. Do nothing.
2. Enjoy life and the cost savings for the next 25 years.
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Lalamimi
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by Lalamimi »

hicabob wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:39 pm
Lalamimi wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:06 pm We live in Texas, have never sealed a fence. Just power wash it (adjust the setting so you don't over do). Now, can someone tell me how to get years of lime and calcium from the sprinklers off my sunroom windows...
Shower/tile cleaner for hard water - the acid in it will remove the calcium and won't hurt the glass.
We have tried CLR, Vinegar, baking soda, 0000 steel wool, Muric acid (diluted), Its 24 yrs of it. I will keep trying. Thanks.
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Bogle7
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crud on sunroom windows

Post by Bogle7 »

Lalamimi wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:06 pmcan someone tell me how to get years of lime and calcium from the sprinklers off my sunroom windows...
The glass may be etched.
We had this problem with 24-year-old shower glass and the final solution was to replace the glass just before putting the house on the market.
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ColoradoRick
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by ColoradoRick »

Lalamimi wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:06 pm We live in Texas, have never sealed a fence. Just power wash it (adjust the setting so you don't over do). Now, can someone tell me how to get years of lime and calcium from the sprinklers off my sunroom windows...
Lalamimi - labor intensive but it works. Spray paper towels with white vinegar, let past up against windows for 15 minutes, wipe dry with dry paper towels. I put paper towels on a cookie sheet and use a sprayer to saturate. Surface tension of liquid keeps paper towels on window. If its sunny and hot, vinegar evaporates too quickly so try to work in the shade or on cooler days.
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Re: Water marks on Cedar Fence... Suggestions on Fixing?

Post by ColoradoRick »

ColoradoRick wrote: Sat Oct 10, 2020 10:49 pm
Lalamimi wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 3:06 pm We live in Texas, have never sealed a fence. Just power wash it (adjust the setting so you don't over do). Now, can someone tell me how to get years of lime and calcium from the sprinklers off my sunroom windows...
Lalamimi - labor intensive but it works. Spray paper towels with white vinegar, let past up against windows for 15 minutes, wipe dry with dry paper towels. I put paper towels on a cookie sheet and use a sprayer to saturate. Surface tension of liquid keeps paper towels on window. If its sunny and hot, vinegar evaporates too quickly so try to work in the shade or on cooler days.
sorry for type "paste up" like wall paper
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