If you’re a proud homeowner, you would know the importance of getting wooden fences. Fences aren’t a luxury, but a necessity, given the security they bring. It would help if you looked out for your and your family’s safety by getting appropriate wooden fences to gate your house.
Wooden fences come in different types, each having unique functions and features. The kind you decide to get will depend on your budget, style, preference, and security needs. An essential thing you should know about fences is that they need to be built from solid wood, or they can be broken into easily.
This article will guide you through the factors you should consider while getting wooden fences and the perfect wood type for the most secure fences.
Fence Posts: Factors to Consider When Choosing the Wood
While getting a fence post installed, you must keep several factors in mind. If you fail to plan accordingly, you might have a fence post that won’t be useful to you. Since you want to avoid such a situation, it’s better to plan carefully and get the appropriate fence and fence posts. After all, you wouldn’t want to compromise your home and family’s safety.
Weather
You might not take this too seriously (you should), but the weather plays a considerable role in determining the type of fence posts you should install. Does it rain too much, or is it too humid? Is your area likely to experience a hurricane? If you can answer these questions successfully, you’ll be better positioned to make an informed decision.
Different Types of Wood
We understand if you’re not too aware of wood and its species, but you should educate yourself since you’re about to install fence posts. Every wood has different types, each type serving a particular purpose. Also, each wood type’s vulnerability to insects varies significantly. So, it would help if you researched such factors before settling on a wood type.
Budget
We don’t know how flexible your budget is regarding your fence posts. We can tell you that you need to set significant funds aside to have your fence posts installed. You cannot compromise on your fence post’s quality whatsoever. So, please do not settle on something that doesn’t deliver quality because it’s priced significantly lower than others.
Home Size
The size of your home matters plenty as it determines how much space needs to be covered. The more the square footage, the more fences you’ll need. So, if you’ve got a sizeable house, be prepared to get more fences and fence posts, as you will undoubtedly need more security to guard your beautiful home.
The 5 Best Woods for Fence Posts
After considering all factors mentioned above, the next wise thing is to study the different wood types to see which will serve you best. Fence posts are built from different wood types, each having unique traits. Hence, the one you choose will depend on what you’re looking for. Below is a list of all wood types considered excellent for fence posts.
Cedar
When looking for the best wood type for fence posts, one quality you should look for is rot resistance. Cedar is a wood type that offers significant rot resistance as it’s known not to decay as quickly as other wood types.
Also, cedarwood is strong enough not to get eaten by insects. So, if you’re on a limited budget and want a wood type that will do the job perfectly, choosing cedar is the way to go. It’s pretty durable, so you won’t have to change your fence post after a few years.
Redwood
Another excellent wood type to consider for fencing is redwood. Redwood offers plenty of strength as its USP, making it a popular wood type for building fence posts. Its durability is unmatched, and having a fence post made from redwood will guarantee you longevity and quality.
Yes, it’s slightly more expensive than other wood types, but trust us; investing in it will give you satisfactory returns. Another best quality of redwood is that it doesn’t rot away, especially if you maintain it thoroughly. Overall, redwood is a pretty substantial piece of wood to invest in.
Douglas Fir
If sturdiness and versatility are what you’re looking for, Douglas fir is your right choice. Douglas fir is a wood type that many people go for due to its extreme durability. Douglas fir comes in a light brown color, making it more open to staining.
Staining means you can put a specific stain type on a woodblock to make it more colorful (if you’re not satisfied with the current color). This wood type has even grains and straight patterns, with some knots scattered around the wood. Hence, Douglas fir will be a good fit for your fences.
Cypress
You’ll find a few wood types with natural elements that protect them against bacteria and insects. Cypress happens to be one of those wood types, as it has a compound called “cypretine” that prevents any bacteria from eating it.
You probably think such a wood type must be expensive. Well, yes, it is. However, it’s highly lucrative to invest in it as the quality and longevity of cypress are incredible. If you have a flexible budget and are looking for maximum security, installing fence posts from cypress will be ideal.
Pine
Finally, pine is another wood type that will suit you well. It’s effortless to work with and isn’t that expensive too. You’ll get an excellent fence post (with a decent wood type) at a relatively reasonable budget. Pinewood offers extreme strength, making it a suitable wood type.
If you want a wood type that isn’t too high-maintenance, pinewood is an ideal wood type. As long as you look after it now and then, you won’t have to worry so much about your pinewood fence post decaying. Also, unlike other wood types, pinewood doesn’t pose harm, such as shrinking.
Our Final Thoughts
Home security is a must, and the best way to ensure it is by getting the best fence posts. However, you should build your fence post from the best quality wood if you want it to stay sturdy and durable and protect your premises.
