WPC Outdoor Fence Installation and Maintenance: Five Key Steps to Extend Service Life

WPC outdoor fences are not only safety protection facilities for courtyards but also an important part of outdoor landscapes. Proper installation and maintenance can extend their service life to more than 20 years, and five key steps need to be mastered specifically.

Before installing the fence, excavate foundation pits with a depth of 30-50cm. If the soil is soft, lay a 10cm-thick gravel base, then pour C20 concrete for the foundation. The foundation size should not be less than 20cm×20cm to ensure the verticality deviation of the installed columns does not exceed 3mm per meter. When connecting columns to the foundation, use hot-dip galvanized expansion screws to avoid structural loosening caused by rust of ordinary screws exposed for a long time.

When installing WPC fence panels, leave a 5-8mm expansion gap between horizontal panels. The connection between vertical columns and panels should adopt a movable buckle design to allow free expansion and contraction of panels with temperature changes. Especially note that during installation in high-temperature seasons, the expansion gap can be appropriately reduced (around 5mm), while in low-temperature seasons, it needs to be increased to 8mm to prevent panel extrusion and deformation due to thermal expansion and contraction.

Install waterproof caps on the top of fence columns to avoid rainwater seeping into the columns. Apply neutral silicone sealant to the gaps between panel joints—it will not affect panel expansion and contraction, but can prevent rainwater from penetrating the substrate. For fences near swimming pools or water features, install a 10cm-high waterproof baffle at the bottom to prevent stagnant water from soaking the panel base.

For daily cleaning, use a high-pressure water gun (pressure not exceeding 8MPa) with neutral detergent to rinse, removing surface dust and oil stains. If there are stubborn stains, such as bird droppings or fallen leaves, attached to the surface, gently scrub with a soft brush. Avoid using hard tools like steel wool to prevent scratching the surface protective layer. Every 2-3 years, spray a special UV-resistant maintenance agent on the fence surface to improve color retention and slow down fading.

It is recommended to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the fence every six months, focusing on checking whether columns are loose, buckles are falling off, and panels are cracked. If loose columns are found, reinforce the expansion screws in a timely manner. Replace missing buckles immediately. For slight local cracks in panels, fill them with WPC-specific repair paste and then sand them smooth. If panels are severely deformed or broken, replace the entire panel promptly to avoid further problems affecting the overall structural safety.