Wood Fencing: What type of wood

[HardDrive]

Need to have 70ft of 6ft wood fencing installed. I'm in Ohio.

Recommendations on wood? Stain it or leave it natural?

I plan on selling this home within 36 months. so that does play in to my thinking.

I'm having a contractor build it.

[KFC911]

Cedar...no stain. I'm using cedar 2x4s too and pricey (Fir mebbe) posts...nothing treated, all natural, no maintenance. Sourced all from Lowes....me likey.

Or Redwood !

I would do it myself....screwed at EXACTLY within PPOT tolerances too!

[KFC911]

Just go with pine, cedar stain would look great too....pay da man...done

[Deschodt]

I've used redwood and regret it... It gets dirty brown fast and needs constant cleaning/retreating.

[Tidybuoy]

I built this fence about 10 years ago and it looks as good today as it did back then. I used redwood that I bought at a lumber yard (not Home Depot, which is junk). I sealed it with Pennofin that I sprayed on.

My only recommendation is that the lumber yard recommended I use "treated" lumber for the posts. I had already purchased and installed the posts, at the time. The lumber guy told me that redwood is not as resistant as it used to be when they harvested the trees slower. My posts are still holding up but a couple of trellises that I built at the same time are crumbling.

[derek murray]

IMHO > Cedar, no stain... let it weather naturally into silver/grey. Cedar posts will last 15 years or more if you keep the weed-eater away from them. If possible, cap the fence panel to prevent water from getting into the end-grain of the fence boards. Use ceramic coated screws if the budget allows. A good rule of thumb for a 6' fence... posts should extend 4' into the ground (2/3 the HT).

[red-beard]

If you really want it to last, use concrete pours with the steel posts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNs8cmtEQZo

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I plan on selling this home within 36 months. so that does play in to my thinking.

Did anyone else see this part?

Originally Posted by KC911

Just go with pine, cedar stain would look great too....pay da man...done

+1

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by red-beard

If you really want it to last, use concrete pours with the steel posts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNs8cmtEQZo

Pretty economical too.

[RWebb]

another trick - put hog wire into a cedar frame for each panel

save a lot of $$ and gives a more open look (assuming you want an open look)

[KFC911]

HD is gonna be long gone before the contractor's schitty install rears it's head...

I just couldn't sleep fer three years...no biggie

70'....cedar, screwed, by me....then sleep well for 2yrs & 11months....or less if I'm also lazy and it takes me three years !

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by RWebb

another trick - put hog wire into a cedar frame for each panel

save a lot of $$ and gives a more open look (assuming you want an open look)

'splain it to me!

[RWebb]

you just build a cedar frame around a correctly sized piece of hog wire (about 1/4" galvanized)

cut the hog wire so it has spikes on all sides

you drill holes into a thick board (more labor; prettier) or fasten 2 thin boards together

that's your panel; you made it the right size for you post spacing, so just fasten it in & put a top board on it

cedar used to be real cheap here; but it takes a while to grow and has not recovered from the early 1900s yet --- using less cedar saves a lot on wood

[RWebb]

more:

- mound the concrete so water won't sit next to the post (I live in a freakin' rain forest; may not apply to you)

- my neighbor stuck PVC pipe into his concrete & shimmed the posts - when they rot, he can just knock out the shims & pull the posts

- I have PT posts; thought I might face them with cedar for a better look - been 10 years and still thinking...

- those little metal post caps are worth it and keep the water out well; or you can put low voltage LED lights or PV + battery lights on top

[VincentVega]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Did anyone else see this part?


+1

x2

I'm ~3-4 yrs into a PT pine fence I build and it still looks good. I havent touched sine I put in the last nail. Cedar is $$$ here, I assume similar in OH.

[KFC911]

Cedar is $...only feasible for a short run. Posts not in concrete rot....those in concrete don't.

I do things "right"...just because

[Por_sha911]

Wouldn't it suck if you put big bucks into cedar to do it right and then the buyer says "we like the house but the fence isn't what we like and we'll have to rip it out and put in..."? Just disclose what you put in so the buyer knows what they are getting.

[brp914]

There are composite fences that look very much like wood that won't bleach, stain and become decrepit looking. 25 yr guarantee. Home Depot "simtek"

[Cajundaddy]

I have done a dozen fences in a high wind area. If I were to do one today it would be steel posts and cedar. The posts are pretty cheap and cedar is a minimum standard for a decent fence IMO. If it looks good it will help sell the house.

[Superman]

Treated 4x4s set in concrete. Cedar pickets. F\Plain ol' Fir 2x4s between the posts. Pennofin looks great and stays that way but....nude cedar also looks great, just only for a couple of years.