4 Common Causes of Warped Fence Panels and What to Do About Them

Wood fences are classic and charming, but they’re a little less appealing when they’re warping, splitting, or buckling. If your fence has this type of damage, it’s most commonly due to moisture or humidity—but there are other possible culprits, too. Let’s explore four of the most common causes of warped fence panels.

1. Moisture and Humidity

Moisture is the primary cause of warped fence panels. When water comes into contact with your wooden fence (for example, during a rainstorm or while your sprinklers are on), the wood absorbs the water and expands. When the wood dries out, it contracts. Over time, this can lead to warping.

How to Fix It

Whether your fence panels warped due to moisture or something else, replacing them is the best course of action. On average, these kinds of fence repairs cost $150 to $300.

Going forward, there are ways to limit moisture buildup on your fence (even though you can’t fully protect it from snow, rain, or humidity in the air). For example, you can adjust your sprinklers so they don’t spray your fence, and you can trim overhanging trees to prevent water from dripping down onto the fence.

2. Sunlight and Temperature Changes

Wood fences can also expand and contract when exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods or when the weather switches between hot and cold—especially if there’s a sudden or extreme shift in temperatures. Eventually, this constant swelling and shrinking can cause the wood to warp or buckle.

How to Fix It

Again, replacing the warped panels is the best way to address this issue. In terms of prevention, there’s not much you can do to shield your fence from the sun or protect it against temperature fluctuations (unfortunately). However, you can minimize sun damage by using a fence stain with UV protection.

3. Wood Type

Softwoods (such as pine and cypress) warp more easily than harder types (like cedar and redwood). If your fence is made of softwood, it’s more prone to warping or twisting.

How to Fix It

Depending on the extent of the damage, replacing the fence panels or the whole fence is the best way to deal with warping. When it’s time to pick the wood for your new fence, opt for hardwood over softwood.

4. Improper Installation

An incorrectly installed fence is also susceptible to warping. For example, if there’s not enough space between the boards, they can push together—and potentially warp—when they expand and contract. In other cases, your fence could warp if there isn’t enough structural support to hold the panels in place.

How to Fix It

Unless you have experience working on fences, it can be difficult to determine whether or not a fence is installed correctly. If you’re unsure, ask a fencing pro near you to take a look and recommend what to do next.

When to Call a Pro

If you’re confident in your DIY skills, you can replace your warped fence panels without hiring a professional. However, much like building a fence, there’s a fair bit of effort required.

Before any physical work begins, you’ll have to find panels that fit with your current fence. From there, you’ll need to make sure your fence posts are in good condition (and if they aren’t, fix them) before removing the old panels and securing the new ones in place.

Of course, you don’t have to go the DIY route. If you’d rather hire a fence contractor, you’ll save yourself a good amount of time and energy. Plus, you won’t have to track down the right panels, buy any special tools or supplies, or worry whether you’re doing the job correctly.