Fencing Materials

Be it a new or old house, fences never go out of style. Refreshing or replacing a fence is a practical, affordable and aesthetically pleasing project to refresh your home and garden. Just like choosing the right type of fence, there are a number of reasons to install fences: create privacy, a safe space for your kids, and pets, visual demarcation of your property, and in some cases, it provides a sort of protection from all the noises and wind. 

Fences have four crucial parts: the cap, the rail, the post, and the feather edge boards. The cap is responsible for protecting the post from extreme weather conditions so it will not rot away. The rails serve as connectors for the posts and provide support for the posts. Whilst the feather edge boards are the vertical mounts on rails providing stability.  Typically, fences are 6 to 8 feet high, but it depends on the type of fence and its intended purpose. It depends on the budget and purpose that you have. Cheaper fences will not last long versus better quality woods, and so often aren’t the most economical choice. For something more long-term you might consider timber fences or pressure-treated pines. These generally last three times longer. 

With a little treatment and regular maintenance, these woods build a resistance making them sturdier and longer lasting. All wood from EW is pressure treated to extend the life cycle and is FSC approved. 

Often, in instances of poor weather conditions, posts they typically go to first. Followed by the panels. To avoid this, and ensure that your fences last several years, have your fences treated every year or two. As fences are exposed all year to the elements, it is worth making sure you use weather-resistant fasteners, such as hot-dipped galvanized or stainless-steel nails and screws.   

Wooden Posts 

Be it for a fence or a farm, wood posts provide the vertical support that your structure needs. Any type of wood can work as a post – as long as it provides and offers the necessary protection and guidance, then it works. After all the primary work of wooden posts is to demarcate the land and put wires or cords to cordon off an area. 

Typically, wooden posts are buried in the ground. The bigger and the better the quality of wood from sturdy trees the better. Wooden posts are easily damaged – energetic pets or enthusiastic children giving them a shove, can cause movement – so you need to make sure you reinforce posts with concrete, additives and preservatives to make them sturdier and long-lived. Do not forget to apply high-quality acrylic latex caulk to make the concrete adhere to the post. 

The other thing to consider is that wooden posts should be treated to make them resistant to the corroding elements of the soil. Soils are rich with minerals and with the frequent and changing climatic conditions, these are further strengthened giving it the corrosive properties it has. With the help of preservatives rich in copper naphthenate such as Cuprinol, it will be possible to maintain the integrity of the wood. 

Depending on the location, you should also watch out for insects. They are the natural enemies of the woods. Make sure to choose a wood that is denser and resistant to insects.