How To Repair Fence Holes For Extra Privacy In Your Yard

For most homeowners, having a yard to truly unwind and connect with family and friends, away from prying eyes, is incredibly important. A completely exposed backyard just doesn't offer the cozy, enjoyable atmosphere you'd want. You could easily add privacy to your backyard with a few simple tricks and ideas like planting hedges, trees, or install fencing. Wooden privacy fences are the most popular of these ideas for good reason — they're charming, practical, and help your space feel like your own. Nothing can mess up that privacy faster than holes in the fence or broken pieces that allow neighbors or passersby to see into your yard. 

It's important to fix holes and cracked boards in your fence as soon as possible. These issues can weaken the overall structure and allow moisture and bugs to get inside the wood making a small problem much larger. Holes and damaged boards can also be a hazard to young children and pets and allow them to get out of the safety of the fence or get arms, legs, or even little furry snouts stuck. When you think about how much it typically costs to install a wooden privacy fence in your backyard, it's clear that putting in the effort to repair your old one is a much more sensible option than springing for a new one. The good news is that patching up holes and even replacing broken boards is easier than you think.

Putty or wood filler is perfect for fixing any holes and cracks in your fence. Use coarse sandpaper and sand the inside of each hole. Wipe the dirt and sawdust left from sanding and fill the hole with wood filler like Gorilla All Purpose Wood Filler. Make sure to apply the putty so it overlaps the board around the hole a little bit. This ensures the putty has something to hold onto and doesn't just fall out of the hole when it dries. Let the putty dry for 12-24 hours and then sand the area so it is even with the fence using medium-grit sandpaper. Putty can be applied to minor cracks using the same method you used with the holes. 

Fixing broken boards takes a bit more work, but it's still very doable. First, measure your existing fence planks so you can grab the right-sized boards from the hardware store — don't forget to have them cut to fit if needed. Many wooden privacy fences come in pre-assembled sections, which can make repairs seem trickier, but it's definitely doable. Just carefully pry out the damaged boards using a crowbar, making sure not to harm the surrounding wood. Then, line up your new boards in the open space and secure them in place with some wood screws. It's a good idea to pre-drill your holes in the new board before screwing them in place.

Once you have filled the holes in your fence or replaced any broken boards, you may be left with some unsightly looking spots where the repairs were made. Don't despair, there are creative ways you can hide these repairs and give your fence and backyard a beautiful boost of style and originality. One way to disguise your fence's flaws while adding privacy is to build a stunning plant wall for your backyard. You can place this right in front of your existing fence and add a variety of plants and flowers. You can even turn the plant wall into an herb garden if you desire! The plants will cover the repaired holes nicely. 

Another way to hide repairs and provide additional privacy along your fence is to add faux ivy fencing like this LANDGARDEN Expandable Faux Ivy Fence with Purple Flowers. Faux ivy eliminates the hassle of keeping real ivy in check — especially aggressive varieties like English ivy. If you take care of your faux ivy, by rinsing it off occasionally, it will look fantastic. You can also disguise those repair spots with decorative elements like strategically placed flower boxes, cool garden signs, or other creative additions that cover the puttied holes or new boards. The result will be a stunning and creative fence that has been safely repaired without everyone having to see those repairs.