The Benefits of Wood Fences
A wood fence is probably the most loved fence in America. Who can forget the little country cottages with the picket fence around them. Wood fences symbolize our heritage as far as farmers and settlers having to live off the land using wood for homes, barns and fences!
There are a lot of advantages to a wood fence! They are a great choice to set a nature mood for your home or garden. They can be used to set a private setting, a farm setting or just a picket fence around your garden. I have seen them around pools, private ponds and patios. Depending on the setting you are wanting to set? They are definitely worth considering.
They are also many different styles from privacy, to picket I have seen many custom fences where a designer will come in and design a fence for a contractor to build a fence that does not have another fence that looks like it. With wood there is not much of a limitation on what you can do. Table top, concave, arched, french gothic, picket, shadow box, lattice top and deck rail top is just a few of the popular choices on wood fencing. There also are a wide range of caps that can be purchased for the post from you standard wood cap to a copper cap that has a solar light for night time.
Also as far as cost they are a better choice than aluminum, steel, or PVC fence which is definitely a plus!
In many neighbor hoods a H.O.A. will require a wooden fence and only allow clear like stain for that rustic look.
They do last a long time up to 20 even 30 years if maintained properly. They may need a picket or post replaced here and there but should last a long time.
It is important to get a professional to build your fence and do not use pre-made panels from your local do it your self stores. If a fence is not built properly it will not stand the test of time and weather. Post should be 18 to 24 inches deep, screws or ring shank nails should be used for building to prevent the nails from backing out and the your fence needs to be stained yearly or every two years depending on the area you live in.
Some disadvantages of wood fence is they can sometimes warp or rot for the best fence you should use pine post and cedar rails and pickets. Cedar post tends to rot and pine rails and pickets will warp more than a cedar.
Also a disadvantage is the maintenance that is required to maintain wood fences unlike a aluminum fence that requires almost no maintenance. Always remember to do your research on the fence and the materials being used and the person installing it.