A question about garden fences

DiscoStu

Part of my garden overhaul is rejuvenating the fence I built 11 years ago. I used pressure treated wood but I never sealed or painted it, and over the years it has went silvery grey (which I quite like) but also quite green with algae.
I've taken a pressure washer to it this weekend and it's come up nearly new! I'm not really a fan of the fence paint colours you get so what I'm wondering is, if I left it bare again is it going to be ok for another 10 years or have I washed the protection out of it? It does look good as it is and it would be a shame to have to paint it. It will naturally age again but I could keep on top of any algae with future power washes.

Before:
https://i.imgur.com/ZjRQs33.jpg

During:
https://i.imgur.com/nHCTP9z.jpg

After:
https://i.imgur.com/5T0Rp4f.jpg

Nitefly

I think you'll be OK to leave it and just jet-wash from time to time.  I do that with my decking, which I believe is made from the same pressure-treated wood - give it a jet-wash every spring.

If I remember, I give it a coat of decking oil once a year.

SimonC

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-green-gone-super-concentrate-3l/p/0428448

Funkfingers

DiscoStu said:

It will naturally age again but I could keep on top of any algae with future power washes.

I have spent rather too much of my life standing on the cooling water towers structure of a local oil refinery. The wooden parts are pressure treated to cope with the permanently moist microclimate. Nevertheless, the timbers swell and become slippery with algal growth. The periodic maintenance programme involves treatment with some industrial strength agent. Unfortunately, I cannot remember what its name is or whether it is legal to use in domestic surroundings.

EricTheWeary

SimonC said:

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-green-gone-super-concentrate-3l/p/0428448

There are a few different makes of this type of stuff and people do seem to swear by it. Just a mild chemical reaction then rain washes it away. 

DiscoStu

Other half also likes how it looks today so it looks like I'm just going to leave it as is. 

Snags

If you're concerned about preservative issues, you could oil it with something like Danish Oil (I think, it's been a while). It will slightly darken the wood, but not by much, and not for long - it's not a stain, and will just be absorbed in and 'feed' the wood.

57Deluxe

so that's what living in a New England stockade looked like...

mistercharlie

Nitro is always a popular finish, and will age nicely

Joking aside, decking is often torrefied to make it waterproof, and generally tougher. And guess what? This is the same process that is used for roasting maple guitar necks. Not that I’m saying you should hose down your guitars...

ToneControl

you can buy clear wood preserver, I bought loads of it for our log cabin
e.g. https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/product/cuprinol-wood-preserver-clear?gclid=EAIaIQobChMItpe8nOX_2wIVwbDtCh3llwLVEAQYBSABEgL0m_D_BwE

I would guess from my experience that you have damaged the surface of the wood a little, pressure washers tear wood up a little, so it's probably currently more vulnerable than before

DiscoStu

I looked at a few clear preservers but they're really expensive compared to the paints. Plus they seem to be wood treatments only and still need painted on top. 
I'm in two minds today!

ESBlonde

The biggest worry is in the post rather than the planks. Since the posts sit in water most of the time they are more likely to break off first. You can replace a few planks anytime, the posts take a bit more work.
You should be good for a few more years yet, then one morning after a windy night you might have a floppy....post.
I'd be tempted to leave as is and expect to replace some posts in a few years.

DiscoStu

I have four rotten posts and repaired three of them last week using Fence Buddies. Great idea, you hammer them down between the post base and the concrete, then screw the top section to the good wood above the break. Near good as new! I'll get the last one fixed this week.