Bamboo fencing - How much maintenance ?

[Stephen Tashiro]

How much maintenance is required for bamboo fencing? I'm thinking of replacing some metal privacy slats on a chain link fence with some other material. Rolls of bamboo fencing woluld look nice. Would they have to be cleaned and sealed every few years? This is in Southern NM, so heat and sun are bigger factors than rain.

[Ted Calver]

Stephen, I had a few panels of bamboo fencing at my old house here in coastal Va and they lasted a few years before the string used to hold the weave together rotted and they fell apart. I recall power washing them and rolling on a coat of Thompson's honey colored water sealer to freshen them up. We have a lot more moisture here to deal with than you do, so that kind of panel might last longer. You have to remember that it's just grass and treat it accordingly.

[Bill Dufour]

Stephen, I had a few panels of bamboo fencing at my old house here in coastal Va and they lasted a few years before the string used to hold the weave together rotted and they fell apart. I recall power washing them and rolling on a coat of Thompson's honey colored water sealer to freshen them up. We have a lot more moisture here to deal with than you do, so that kind of panel might last longer. You have to remember that it's just grass and treat it accordingly.

How long does a bale of straw last outdoors in the weather? I would expect a bamboo fence to have double that time if the string is metal.
Bill D.

[Bill Neely]

We had about 60 feet of bamboo fence across the one section of our yard for years, it was strung together with heavy galvanized wire and pretty high quality stuff. It must have been at least 10 years old when I removed it and I'd guess it would have lasted another 10 at least. The poles were at least 1" thick at the narrowest end and quite heavy. In our case no maintenance at all, it did get a little weathered looking, matched our house.

[John K Jordan]

How much maintenance is required for bamboo fencing? I'm thinking of replacing some metal privacy slats on a chain link fence with some other material. Rolls of bamboo fencing woluld look nice. Would they have to be cleaned and sealed every few years? This is in Southern NM, so heat and sun are bigger factors than rain.

A friend of uses pieces of bamboo he cut himself to make decorative fencing at his place. He simply cut bamboo into sections and and fastened them together - I can't remember what he fastened with but I could ask if you want. The bamboo has been there for years. I don't think he does any maintenance on it but I could ask that too.

[Stephen Tashiro]

A friend of uses pieces of bamboo he cut himself to make decorative fencing at his place. He simply cut bamboo into sections and and fastened them together - I can't remember what he fastened with but I could ask if you want. The bamboo has been there for years. I don't think he does any maintenance on it but I could ask that too.

Thanks. I would like to know if he does any maintenance on it - and also whether he put any type of sealer on it when it was installed.

[Ted Calver]

Last year I built a bamboo fence to contain some of the growth in my rain garden as part of a patio project. I have access to lots of bamboo, up to 4" diameter and 40' tall. I used a Harbor freight weed burner to flame cure the green stems. The process leaves a waxy finish on the stem that you polish with terry cloth while the stem is still warm from the torch. That wax repels any sealer you attempt to put on the stem and it protects the bamboo for a while.
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I knocked out the nodes in the bamboo and slid the big vertical pieces over steel t-posts to anchor them. Big zip ties hold the horizontal elements in place. I still can't figure out how to tie the special knot used by traditional Japanese fence makers.
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The fence weathered a bit over the winter, lost some of the waxy coating and picked up some mold. Last week I power washed it and put on a coat of honey colored Thompson's sealer, which brought back the color nicely. It will probably need the same treatment every couple of years.

[Kevin Groenke]

I replaced ~ 60; of chain link with split bamboo roll fencing over 10 years ago. This was just wired onto the existing chain link posts and rails. It has cupped a bit (probably helped somewhat by the ivy) and there are a few places where rodents have chewed through it, but it has help up surprisingly well. This is under snow for ~ 4 months a year and has organic matter surrounding the base but rot is minimal.

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