How To Clean, Repair, And Restore Your Cinder Block Fence

Has your fence been damaged? If you want it fixed, read on: this blog is all about getting your fence repaired the right way the first time around.

How To Clean, Repair, And Restore Your Cinder Block Fence

23 May 2016
 Categories: , Articles


A solid and well-built cinder block fence around your home's property can provide privacy and a uniform appearance at the height you need. Unfortunately, over time, a cinder block fence can form cracks and holes when it is neglected and can be tagged with spray paint by vandals because of its solid surface area. Here are some instructions to help you clean, repair, and restore your cinder block fence after it has been marred with graffiti or fallen into disrepair so you can keep your property looking nice.

Clean the Fence

After vandals have tagged your cinder block fence with graffiti, it is important to remove the graffiti as soon as possible, especially if it is gang-related. This helps to restore your fence to its original condition and helps to lower the chance of gang violence occurring in your neighborhood. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, when a neighborhood becomes marked with graffiti to show territorial dominance by a gang, the entire area and its inhabitants become targets for violence. For this reason, it is important to remove gang graffiti as soon as possible.

With a pressure washer, you can use a zero degree, usually red-colored tip to give you the most concentrated spray and remove stains from the cinder block's concrete exterior. Because cinder block is porous, paint can get inside the small holes and tiny cracks of its surface, so you may need to go over the cinder block several times to remove most of the paint from its surface. 

If you are planning to repair any cracks or holes in the cinder block fence, take a few extra minutes with your pressure washer and spray-clean these areas of damage.

Patch Any Cracks and Holes

After you have removed any loose debris from cracks or holes in the cinder blocks, mix up your patching compound. In a bucket, combine together one part Portland cement with three parts sand. Then, mix in enough water until you create a stiff patching compound, similar to drywall compound. Make sure you do these repairs only when the temperature outside is between 50 degrees F and 85 degrees F.

If the areas of the cinder block fence you are going to repair have dried, re-wet them with a hose. The repair compound will adhere better to wet cinder blocks. Apply the patch compound into any cracks and holes using a trowel, a putty knife, or your gloved fingers. Smooth the edges of the repairs so they blend in with the rest of the cinder block fence. Allow the patches to cure before you paint over them, usually at least three weeks. 

Refinish the Fence

Once you have allowed the repairs in your cinder block to cure, you can refinish your fence. Painting the cinder blocks can give the fence a finished look and can also help to cover any graffiti tags you may not be able to fully remove from its surface by power-washing. 

Before you begin to paint your cinder block fence, it is a good idea to prepare the area and the fence for painting. Spread painting cloths or tarps along the base of the fence to keep any paint from coating your landscaping. Next, coat the entire fence in a concrete primer sealant to help the paint adhere and stay on the cinder blocks. Apply the sealant with a paint sprayer or roll it on with a high-texture foam roller. This will help you apply the sealant into all the nooks and crannies on the cinder block's surface. Allow the sealant to dry according to the product's instructions.

Next, apply two coats of exterior latex masonry paint or exterior acrylic paint, allowing the first coat to dry completely before applying the second coat. Use a paint sprayer or foam rollers to apply the paint in this step. Keep any leftover paint in case your fence becomes tagged by graffiti again or if you need to do any touch-ups later on.

Use these tips to help you clean, repair, and maintain your property's cinder block fence. And talk with a fencing contractor or visit websites like http://www.phoenixfence.com for more information and maintenance tips. 

About Me
Getting Your Fence Repaired

After a windstorm damaged our fence, we knew that we had to do something to get things fixed. Our broken fence made our property look terrible, and it was really embarrassing. I knew that we needed to do something to improve things, so we started looking around for fence contractors. I found a local business that had a reputation for offering quality services, so I hired them to come out and take a look. To my surprise, they were able to fix our fence in under an hour, and I was really impressed with their help. This blog is all about getting your fence repaired the right way the first time around.

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