What is the Best Type of Wood for Your Outdoor Fence?

Winter is the perfect time to start thinking about the outdoor home improvement projects you’d like to complete in the spring. There are a few things to consider if you’re building a fence in your yard. One of those things is picking the proper materials for your fence’s aesthetic and longevity. You can choose between different fence materials, such as iron and steel. However, there’s something classic about having a wooden fence. Choosing wood for your fence offers more color, size, and shape options.

Our team at Teak Master put together a list of the best types of wood for your outdoor fence, including how to determine which is the right one for you. We also discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages you may experience with each type of wood you choose.

Redwood

The face of a dog, peering through a gate fence by Nick Fewings is licensed with Unsplash License

Different parts of the tree produce different colors of redwood lumber. For example, if the planks are from the inner portion of the tree, it has that deep red-brown shade, while the outward wood has more of a cream-color hue. As for the redwood’s grain pattern, it’s tight with well-spaced knots. The fewer knots there are, the higher the grade of the wood. Additionally, you can finish your fence with various wood finishes, but you need to cleanse the lumber before applying any finishes.

An advantage of redwood is that it’s insect and rot-repelling, meaning you won’t have to worry much about pests infecting and ruining your fence. The solid nature of this lumber also means that it will last a very long time, making it less likely that you will need to repair or rebuild it in the near future. One of the disadvantages of this type of wood is that it’s one of the most expensive. Redwood can also weather, but you can help maintain its color with proper maintenance.

Pine

A pine fence is one of the most common woods people choose to build their fences with because of its inexpensive price and longevity. It’s important to pressure treat your pine wood because treated pine will be able to do better in the ground and can resist rot better rather than if left untreated. Treated woods get chemical gases forced into the wood, which helps improve the lumber’s ability to repel insects, moisture, and weather. If you don’t want to use pine for your entire fence, experts recommend choosing pine for your posts because of its rot resistance.

An advantage of pine lumber is that it’s soft, making it easier to work with when putting it up. Additionally, it’s shrink resistant, which means it’s resistant to water damage. A slight disadvantage is that not all pine wood is resistant to insects, so you have to be careful when choosing your pieces and be aware that pests may be able to damage your pine fence.

Cedar

The natural appearance of cedar can be very appealing to homeowners, but you can still paint or stain it. The difference is that stains help the wood’s natural color shine brighter rather than covering it up with paint. An advantage of using cedar wood is that it’s sturdy and low maintenance, meaning there’s less upkeep work for you when done building. It also has natural insect-repelling characteristics in its oil, so you don’t have to worry about anything eating away at your fence. This wood is also resistant to rain or sun damage.

Similar to redwood lumber, cedar’s disadvantage is its expensive price tag. Although it can be pricey, the benefits may outweigh the disadvantages.

Cypress

If you’re looking for something similar to cedar, choose cypress lumber. This wood is native to the United States south and has a pleasant aroma that can fill your backyard, and it has fewer knots in the wood than in cedar. To preserve the wood’s natural beauty, experts recommend staining the fence rather than painting it. Then, to help protect it even longer, add a clear sealant to protect it from outdoor elements. An advantage of cypress is that it’s insect repellent because of its natural cypretine.

A disadvantage of cypress is that it’s similar in price if you don’t live in the south. Due to the wood being native to the southern states, it’s cheaper there but expensive for the rest of the country.

Other Types of Wood for Your Outdoor Fence

There are a few other types of woods you can use to build your outdoor fence, including:

• Douglas fir: Douglas fir lumber has a light brown color with a hint of red or yellow in the grain. It has considerable strength and durability but is more expensive than pressure-treated wood and less expensive than cedar wood.
• Pressure-treated wood: Pressure-treated wood comes in a natural yellow color with hues of light mint green, but it can weather gray without the proper maintenance. It’s one of the least expensive woods, durable, and resistant to insects and rot.
• Tropical hardwood: Tropical hardwood is similar to redwood in that it’s rather expensive, but it’s a top choice among homeowners due to it being durable, heavy, and dense. This wood also has a beautifully unique color to it.
• Composite fencing: Composite fencing is an eco-friendly wood choice to build your fence because of its wood fibers mixed with recycled plastic. This wood isn’t the cheapest option, but recycled plastic can help slow down the wood’s aging compared to all-wood fences, making it sturdy and long-lasting.

How Do I Choose the Best Type of Wood for Me?

When choosing the best type of wood for your project, there are many things to consider. When you build a wooden fence, you can expect it to last between 10 and 30 years. Consider the following questions:

• What’s my budget?
• What type of weather is most common where I live?
• How vulnerable is the wood to pests?
• How much maintenance will it require?

Do you have questions about building fences or choosing your wood type? Contact us. Our team of experts can help answer your question and provide helpful resources and tips. Additionally, do you have an existing fence you’d like restored to bring the color back to life? At Teak Master, we offer our customers wood fence restoration and refinishing services. Call us at 888-639-8424 to learn more about our onsite and offsite services.