[dannieboiz]

I just had about 200 ft of redwood fence put up. I'm in N. California and they're shared between neighbors. Have a couple questions,

1. I'd like to add a sealant to the fence to protect it from graying. What do you recommend using? I see some new fence put up and has a light sheen to it with the color somewhat enhanced but not too particularly red. Not sure if by sealing the wood is enough to bring out the color a little. I hate to stain it then years down the road having to reapply the stain and not buying the correct one.

2. Since I can only apply the sealant for my sides, I can't force the neighbor to do it for theirs, would it be a wasted effort if only one side of the fence is sealed?

3. After I seal it, how long should I expect it to last before a new coat is required? Should it be as simple as a quick pressure wash to get rid of dirt and spray new coat over?

 

[handycandy]

I truly think it's a waste if you can't seal the other side. You'll probably be sealing it every year or even twice a year... did you split the cost of the fence with your neighbor? If so you should talk to him/her and tell her about the importance of sealing the wood. Water will penetrate and start to mold/rot and even if you did seal it every year what is the use if mold starts to seep in from the other side? I would recommend oil base it's messy but since it's on a lawn/ground you shouldn't worry about drippings and oil base will penetrate more into the wood and won't be needing to seal it as often.