How to treat a willow fence
12 November 2024
A willow fence can elevate any outdoor space with a natural, beautiful look. Fantastic for creating boundaries, borders, and privacy, the weave of woven willow fence panels makes them both strong and wind resistant. If maintained and treated properly, willow fence panels can look good for many years to come. But what is the best way to treat a willow fence?
Treating your willow fencing
Whether you’ve got a woven willow fence, garden edging, or a willow garden gate, it should be treated to prolong its life. Liberally applying a mixture of boiled linseed oil and turpentine to your willow fencing on a regular basis will protect and preserve every panel.
One of our Fence Panel Protector packs should cover up to four 6ft x 6ft willow fence panels. Ideally, it should be used to treat willow fencing up to twice a year. You can apply the treatment with a brush or a dedicated spray bottle.
Applying treatment with a brush
Simply tip equal amounts of boiled linseed oil and turpentine into a dedicated clean pot, jar, or bucket. Stir the mixture and apply it to both sides of your willow fence panel, gate, or garden edging.
Please be aware that the panel may remain sticky to the touch for a couple of weeks. Apply once or twice a year.
Applying treatment with a spray bottle
Add slightly more turpentine than boiled linseed oil to your dedicated spray bottle and give it a good shake to mix. Spray liberally onto both sides of your willow fence panel, gate, or garden edging – no brushing required.
This method tends to use less of the turpentine and boiled linseed oil treatment than brushing. The panel will be sticky to the touch for a week or two. Again, be sure to treat your willow fencing once or twice a year.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: Boiled linseed oil is not flammable in its container, but rags or paper towels soaked in it can spontaneously combust if left to dry.
Top tip for willow fence treatment
An important thing to bear in mind when treating any woven willow fence, garden edging, or gate: the weather will play a significant role in determining how long a willow fence panel will last.
If the willow in your panel turns a silver/grey colour, this is a sign that the willow hasn’t been adequately treated. Look closely and you will find that the bark has come away to expose the inner rod. If it has reached this stage, unfortunately, it is too late to treat the willow – the rods will be brittle and snap easily. Every fence panel will need to be replaced sooner rather than later.
Musgrove Willow supplies quality willow fencing and more
Thinking of installing a willow fence in your outside space? Our willow fence panels are handmade by our skilled weavers with willow grown on our Somerset farm, available in ribbon and framed styles. Contact us today if you need any advice or further information on willow fencing, or any of our other willow products.
