Wood Choices
The choice of wood has the most impact on the overall quality of your fence. Using a high quality wood will ensure that your fence stays standing and looking good for years to come. There are not many choices in the type of wood to have your fence built with in North Texas. Here are your basic options:
Spruce
This is a pine wood that comes from the Evergreen family of trees. It is a white, somewhat yellow wood that is found in almost all of the building materials that you see. Spruce is also the most common wood used in making guitars because of its low resonance properties. This is the type of wood that is using in building house frames. Most new home fences are built with Spruce wood because it is less expensive. If left untreated, Spruce will last 5-7 years, but will begin needing repairs after 4 years.
Spruce fence with metal posts.
Light brown stain on spruce.
Closeup of bare spruce.
Spruce fence - unfriendly side.
Cedar
Cedar is actually a type of pine wood that is known for its fragrance and durability. Cedar wood often has an orange color to it. Cedar is very durable because of the amount of sap in the boards. Cedar comes in 3 grades - Grade 1, 2 and clear cedar. Clear cedar has no knots and is used in furniture making. Left untreated, a cedar fence will last 15-20 years, but will turn gray over time.
Stained Cedar with Large Post.
Cedar Fence stairstep on grade.
Closeup of Cedar Boards.
Hard to Find, Western Red Clear Cedar.
Variations of cedar include: Red Cedar, White Cedar, etc.
Pressure treating is a process done to wood to keep it from rotting and it is recognizable by its green color. Pressure treated planks tend to warp and deteriorate faster than any of the other products. Using pressure treated wood is not recommended.