Although there are many fencing materials on the market, most Australian homeowners still prefer timber fences. When you install a wood fence in your backyard, you'll get the desired privacy and security, and your home will not look like a prison wall.
But to have an outstanding timer fence, you have to choose the right type of wood depending on your needs. Other factors like climatic conditions also determine your choice. When you pick top quality fencing timber, the fence will last and save you more on maintenance and repairs.
Softwoods versus Hardwoods
Generally, wood is divided between softwoods and hardwoods. To most people, this division can be confusing since the names do not always correspond to the actual hardness of a tree. Hardwoods have features like broad leaves and are deciduous (their leaves drop each fall). Some examples of common hardwoods include mahogany, teak, oak, beech, walnut and ash. Hardwoods are often used for furniture and decorative woodwork.
Trees that have cones and needles produce softwoods (evergreens). They include cedar, cypress, redwood, spruce, pine and cypress. Since this wood comes from straight and tall trees, it's perfect for construction. What's more, the natural resins found in evergreen softwoods repel mould and termites.
Here are ideal softwoods for building your fence:
Cedar – Insects detest cedar's natural oils and acids, making this softwood an outstanding material for building a fence. It also warps less compared to other softwoods. The number of knots is low, and it has tight grain. These features make it popular in construction.
Redwood – This is a durable and beautiful wood that's slightly costly. As the name suggests, redwood has a deep red colour. You can actually buy low grade for fence panels, but ensure you acquire the higher grades for posts. The high-grade redwood doesn't rot and can stand up to insects.
Spruce – Spruce is a popular choice for many thanks to its affordability, and it's commonly used for picket, prefab or stockade fence styles. But, compared to redwood and cypress, spruce is affordable. It can also warp when exposed to damp climates and often comes with a coarse grain and blemishes. Unlike other softwoods, spruce can easily get infected by insects.
Cypress – Cypress is a tan-reddish wood that's durable and capable of resisting insects and rot. Moreover, it works well even in wet climates. But, if it's not dried well, cypress can easily warp and twist.
To learn more about what kind of fencing is best for you, contact a fence contractor.
Share15 March 2019
If you want a security fence, you probably want to keep something safely inside the fence and/or something (or someone!) outside of it. That’s the easy bit. Choosing the right security fencing for your needs can be a bit more difficult. For example, before you can buy the right fencing, you need to think about all kinds of stuff from the size of the fence to the material it’s made of. In some cases, you may also want to add security extras like anti-climb features. I created this blog to cover the ins and outs of security fencing in more detail. Hopefully, it’ll help you learn more about how to choose the right fencing for your security problem.