Cedar Fencing
Find Fencing Contractors in Your Area

The Importance of Finishing Cedar

Cedar that is unfinished will over time fade to an attractive gray color that is sometimes the preferred look but leaving cedar unfinished like that is not a good plan if you want it to last. Cedar should be finished within six to twelve months to prevent surface damage. Even a few weeks of exposure to the elements can drastically change the woods ability to hold the finish.

Opaque finishes like paint are a popular choice and provide the most surface protection for your cedar. Natural finishes like water repellents and stains are a nice choice for fences to retain most of the natural essence of the lumber but are more suitable to wood that is out of the elements as they are a somewhat temporary solution and will have to be repeated often. Make sure that whatever you choose to finish your cedar, you effective prepare the surface for the finish by not exposing to the elements before finishing and sanding if necessary.

Posted in Staining | No Comments »

Here’s Why Western Red Cedar Holds its Finish Better

Western Red Cedar is far superior to many types of wood when it comes to finish retention. It has all the qualities that cause it to very easily accept and retain many different types of finishes.

Cedar has excellent dimensional stability which is because of the density of the wood. If the wood is less dense like cedar is, it will not shrink and swell with weather changes as easily as most types of lumber will. This makes it very sturdy and strong and less likely to have differences in structure that will mar the finish. Although, the most important factor is the moisture content of the wood at the time of construction and finishing to ensure a long lasting finish.

There are many different textures of cedar available and depending on what you are looking for, the fine texture of cedar makes it easily accept finishes of many types.

The pattern of growth, meaning whether it is summer-wood or spring-wood, is also a factor. Cedar tends to have a smaller path of summer wood growth. Instead of the pitch or resin that is found in most types of lumber, cedar has none. Cedar has water soluble extractive that more naturally resistant to decay.

Posted in Cedar 101 | No Comments »

Fasteners for Cedar Fencing And Other Cedar Projects

The best choice for use with cedar is hot-dipped galvanized, aluminum and stainless steel fasteners. These fasteners are recommended because they are corrosion resistant.  Other types of nails and screws are not recommended because they can react with the cedar causing staining of the wood and possibly rust and disintegration.

When using larger, heavier timber you will need heavier fasteners than just nails and screws. You could use bolts, lag screws, split rings, shear plates, or sometimes custom made hardware is necessary. You will need to make sure that what you choose to use is corrosion resistant to prevent future problems. This can become costly if the proper fasteners are not used so a well planned project is the best route.

AC Adapter Power Supply For PetSafe GS 1000 SD 2000 SD 3000 Dog Fence Charger
AC Adapter Power Supply For PetSafe GS 1000 SD 2000 SD 3000 Dog Fence Charger
Paypal   US $13.99

Posted in Materials | No Comments »

Choosing Cedar for Fencing

When choosing lumber for your cedar fencing, there are many different things to consider. Basically, there are two different grades of cedar. These are clear and knotty. Clear grade cedar is a better choice for appearance sake. The grades come in various classifications based on size and what you need it for.

When you go to purchase your cedar you could be asked what species you want, what product pattern, the size and grade, quantity and the Grading Agency Paragraph. They also may offer different textures to choose from and you will have to take into consideration what type of fasteners you are going to want to use. With all these choices, it pays to do some homework before you go and buy your cedar.

Posted in Cedar 101 | 1 Comment »

Grades of Cedar Demystified

The novice looking for cedar may very well be overwhelmed by all the various choices and head back home before their project can even begin. One thing that can be very confusing to the everyday person that doesn’t work with lumber everyday is the grade of the cedar. There are clear grades and knotty grades. Clear grades are used when you are looking for higher quality cedar and knotty grades are used when you are looking for a more rustic look. Each grade is also given a classification based on its size and use and they have different textures.

When looking for the best quality rough lumber, the best option would be No. 2 and better clear grade. For high quality landscape timbers or posts and beams that would be exposed look for D and better clear grade. If all you need is a good value on strong lumber the best choice would be appearance knotty timbers. When appearance is not important, you can get by with No. 2 and better structural cedar.

Posted in Cedar 101 | No Comments »

Cedar Fencing 101

Cedar fencing is the choice for an individual who wants a strong and beautiful, but very natural looking, fence. Cedar fences are generally made from Western red cedar, a surprisingly lightweight and aromatic wood that is famous world wide not only for its distinct and incredible beauty, but also for its natural resistance to insects. Cedar is also well thought of as a wood that strongly resists the decay that many other types of wood suffer from.

A yard that is surrounded by cedar fencing is one that will look beautiful, while remaining effective. Even better, you can avoid the ugly unnatural look of plastic or metal chain link fence. Not only is cedar wood popular for fencing, but it is also often used for decks, gazebos, sheds, and many other decorative additions to the property.

Cedar fencing is superior to many other types of wood fencing, and is considered an all weather wood. Its natural resistance to both weather and the little creepy crawlies also makes cedar fencing an exceptional choice for building fences with. In addition to that, cedar wood fencing also has an advantage in that cedar fencing has less than half of the swelling and shrinking tendencies that other wood has. This wood does not warp, holds up well, and it’s never a surprise to see fences made of this wood hold up for decades.

But all of that in some ways is just bonus. Cedar wood fencing material is straight out beautiful, with a rich color, grain, and texture with some strong red tones that will make this fantastic boards stick out from just any other fence. Cedar fencing is some of the best available out there. Sometimes cedar fencing will be labeled just that simply, while at other times you may have to look for the fencing materials that are actually marked as “Western Red Cedar.”

If you want a quality natural wood fence that combines the absolute best of beauty and durability (and many argue that cedar fencing is literally the best of both), then cedar fencing is definitely the top choice to provide what you’re looking for. Cedar fencing comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes to fit any specified fencing needs, and so you should easily be able to find the exact kind of fence that you desire for your back yard, or wherever else you actually want your beautiful cedar fencing.

There are many options for purchasing cedar fencing, and can even come with pre-cut or pre-patterned cedar fencing. This can include round, pointed, dog-eared, spearhead, or gothic tops, or anything else you want.

If it’s natural beauty you want, there is no reason not to look at cedar fencing as the best option out there.

 

Posted in Cedar 101 | 1 Comment »

Next Entries »