What to Look For in a Wood Fence
5:25 PM
The type of wood you choose for your fence will affect not only how it looks, but how well it will hold up over time. The species of the tree, the quality of the lumber and whether or not the wood is pressure-treated are all considerations to take into account.
Cedar vs. Other Woods
Cedar is one of the most popular fencing woods, for many reasons. First, it has great dimensional stability, meaning it is less likely to warp and twist than other woods. Second, cedar heartwood naturally contains oils that repel insects and preserve strength. Cedar’s rich, honey-red tone and fresh smell are also enjoyable. Learn more about what makes cedar so great for fences.
Western Red cedar is especially coveted by fencing contractors. There are many reasons for this. For one thing, it has even better dimensional stability than other types of cedar—Western Red cedar is quite strong. Additionally, Western Red cedar is perfect for damp environments such as the Northwest. Thuja plicata, as Western Red cedar is known to biologists, is native to the whole West Coast, so it has developed special mechanisms for handling changes in humidity. You will still have to finish and refinish a Western Red cedar fence if you want it to keep its bright color, but overall, this is the wood that does best in the wettest parts of the country. Finally, Western Red cedar is light, making it easy to work with.
Pressure-Treated Lumber
For extra resilience against the elements, some wood fences are built with pressure-treated lumber. During the pressure-treating process, chemicals such as chromated copper arsenate are forced into the wood. For this purpose, manufacturers select wood species with large quantities of sapwood, such as Southern pine, spruce, Doug fir or hemlock. This is because sapwood more readily sucks up the chemicals used in the pressure-treating process.
To avoid the danger of pressure-treating chemicals seeping into surrounding soil, many gardeners avoid this type of wood altogether. Another concern for homeowners is that a splinter from a pressure-treated fence may become infected due to the chemicals.
Different pressure-treated woods have different retention levels. A low retention rating means the wood shouldn’t be in contact with the earth.
Cedar vs. Other Woods
Cedar is one of the most popular fencing woods, for many reasons. First, it has great dimensional stability, meaning it is less likely to warp and twist than other woods. Second, cedar heartwood naturally contains oils that repel insects and preserve strength. Cedar’s rich, honey-red tone and fresh smell are also enjoyable. Learn more about what makes cedar so great for fences.
Western Red cedar is especially coveted by fencing contractors. There are many reasons for this. For one thing, it has even better dimensional stability than other types of cedar—Western Red cedar is quite strong. Additionally, Western Red cedar is perfect for damp environments such as the Northwest. Thuja plicata, as Western Red cedar is known to biologists, is native to the whole West Coast, so it has developed special mechanisms for handling changes in humidity. You will still have to finish and refinish a Western Red cedar fence if you want it to keep its bright color, but overall, this is the wood that does best in the wettest parts of the country. Finally, Western Red cedar is light, making it easy to work with.
Pressure-Treated Lumber
For extra resilience against the elements, some wood fences are built with pressure-treated lumber. During the pressure-treating process, chemicals such as chromated copper arsenate are forced into the wood. For this purpose, manufacturers select wood species with large quantities of sapwood, such as Southern pine, spruce, Doug fir or hemlock. This is because sapwood more readily sucks up the chemicals used in the pressure-treating process.
To avoid the danger of pressure-treating chemicals seeping into surrounding soil, many gardeners avoid this type of wood altogether. Another concern for homeowners is that a splinter from a pressure-treated fence may become infected due to the chemicals.
Different pressure-treated woods have different retention levels. A low retention rating means the wood shouldn’t be in contact with the earth.
0 komentar: