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A Division of Landscapes 2 Go
Why Choose Cedar? |
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Description: |
Western Red Cedar
fencing is a component system comprised of boards, posts, rails and optional
gates. We use only the highest
quality cedar components, giving you the
materials to build a beautiful fence that will last. When left uncoated,
Western Red Cedar
will weather to a beautiful silver gray. Dimensional
stability makes this wood ideal for outdoor use. Cedar readily accepts
stains and
paints, letting you match the fence to other buildings.
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Applications: |
Western Red Cedar
can be employed for residential and commercial applications. Whether being
used for screening in a privacy setting or a decorative setting, its natural
characteristics, dimensional stability, and ability to be crafted into
unique designs, make it an excellent choice.
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Features and Benefits: |
 | Western Red Cedar easily accepts stains and paints
while providing long lasting beauty and warmth to your home.
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| Using only the highest quality cedar, a long lasting
wood fence system can be designed to match or compliment its surroundings.
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| Allowed to weather naturally, Western Red Cedar turns a
silver gray, helping to create an economical barrier. |
| Western Red Cedar naturally resists rotting and
insects, resulting in a durable, long-lasting fence system. |
| Properties of Western Red Cedar make it a dimensionally
stable wood and one of the easiest to work with allowing almost anyone to
install a wood fence from it.
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Styles: |
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Shadowbox |
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Spaced Board |
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Privacy Board |
| Brookstone |
| 2 Rail |
| 3 Rail
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| Warranty: |
We offer a 10 year warranty on the cedar
boards. Click here for more
information. |
| Wood FAQ: |
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Where does Western Red Cedar come from?
It's unique to the West Coast
of North America. In British Columbia it makes up almost 21% of the
coastal forests. In the rest of the growing range, it comprises three to
twelve percent of the total growth, along with Douglas Fir and Western
Hemlock. Inland Red Cedar is a sub-species of Western Red Cedar that
grows in an area that follows the Rocky Mountains, goes south from
mid-British Columbia to the Salmon River and extends westward from
Helena, Montana to Spokane, Washington.
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What's the difference between nominal and actual thickness?
Nominal is a size designation most lumber uses for convenience. In
lumber, the nominal size is usually greater than the actual size.
Thickness:
| 1" =
nominal |
Producers
have determined that the |
| 3/4" =
actual |
thinner
sizes still have acceptable |
| 21/32" =
actual |
performance. Also, due to rising cost, |
| 5/8" =
actual |
raw-material producers receive a better |
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return with
thinner products. |
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How does full width
differ from scant width?
All lumber is produced with a stated width, which is the target size.
As milling has become more accurate, target sizes have moved closer to
surfaced or planed sizes, i.e. 5 1/2". As the width diminishes, the
actual width is scant-or less than-the nominal width. See examples
below:
| Full Width |
Scant Width |
| 6" |
5-1/2" |
| 4" |
3-1/2" |
| 3" |
2-1/2" |
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Why do knots fall out of boards, creating holes?
Knots and the surrounding wood have different densities. Since knots are
more dense, they expand and contract less than the surrounding wood,
loosening the bond. To protect against this, use a Premium or #1 board with
both faces graded. The knots will be smaller and intergrown. The cost is
slightly more, but your fence will have a longer serviceable life.
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What causes Cedar boards to develop black stains at the nails?
The stain is caused by natural wood extracts interacting with metal in
the fastener. Moist wood increases the likelihood of this interaction. For
Cedar, Redwood and Cypress, you should use double-dipped galvanized,
stainless steel or aluminum fasteners.
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Can the stained Cedar be cleaned off?
Yes. If the stain is has a brown tint to it, use a solution with
Trisodium Phosphate (TSP), which is available at local retail hardware
stores.
If the stain is black, use a solution with Oxalic Acid to clean the
boards. This material is also available at retail hardware stores.
Commercial cleaners are available as well. Identify the cause of the
stain to ensure you choose the correct product. Certain concrete cleaners
are specifically formulated to clean wood extracts from patios, sidewalks,
or other concrete structures.
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What about using bleach and water?
Chlorine-based or Oxygen-type bleach is effective against mildew and
fungi. Oxygen-type bleach contains sodium percarbonate, which when added to
water forms hydrogen peroxide, an effective agent in removing mildew stains,
dirt and weathered gray residue from wood that has ultraviolet (sunlight)
degradation. Unlike chlorine-based bleach, once the wood is treated with the
oxygen-type bleach, it will return to its original natural appearance.
Some species of wood contain tannins, a natural resin. Water can extract
these resins from wood leaving brown or black discolorations on the surface.
Blue-black stains can result from a reaction of tannins to the iron in nails
or fasteners. Neither chlorine nor oxygen bleaches are effective against
tannin or iron stains, but the use of an oxalic acid-based product mentioned
previously will render the stains colorless.
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Why do boards split when fastened with nails?
Correct nails and nailing practices are essential for successful
installation. Choosing a needle point nail is a common mistake. While the
most commonly used nail is a diamond point, a blunt point will reduce
splitting also. Overdriving nails is another problem that distorts wood and
causes excessive splitting. Predrilling will help reduce any splitting that
can occur.
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The boards at the top of my fence are warping. Why?
The backrails should be no more than 8" from the fence board tops and
bottoms. Fence boards 6' long should have three back rails. Spacing your
rails this way will help control the wood's natural tendency to warp, due to
expansion and contraction.
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| What can be done to
eliminate the effects of weathering and keep that "new fence" look?
While there's no way to eliminate the weathering of wood, it's relatively
easy to minimize the effects:
| Use three back rails (6' fence), two backrails (4', 5' fence), or 4
backrails (8' fence) for more hold-down points. |
| Use only hot-dipped galvanized, or stainless steel fasteners with a
ring or spiral shank to minimize warp and rust stains. |
| Treat the surfaces of fence boards with a water-repellant solution to
reduce the rate that moisture is absorbed and released. This solution
should also have a good UV inhibitor if you don't want the fence to gray.
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| Follow a regular maintenance program of cleaning and refinishing every
few years with a "clear" or "toner" water repellant containing UV
inhibitors. This will revitalize a dingy appearance caused by dirt, mildew
or graying. It's like washing and waxing your car. Opinions differ on how
necessary it is to perform regular maintenance, but most agree your fence
will look much better for the effort. |
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