Jazz Up Your Backyard With A Redwood Fence

redwood fence


A redwood fence is also among the first things the outsiders and visitors see when they look at your property, and also provides your home with protection and a sense of privacy. Wooden fences have been a popular choice to heighten curbside appeal with the long-lasting, stylish attributes of lumber. Redwood stands out as an excellent choice when selecting materials top-notch for outdoor projects. It is very fashionable for fences.


1. Visual appeal

Redwoods are the world's tallest tree species, capable of growing up to nearly 400 feet tall, which make of redwoods coveted commodities in the building industry for common uses such as beams, posts, exterior furniture, decking. Some specific forms of redwood can also be used to produce musical instruments or other specialty items. Scientifically known as Sequoia Sempervirens, redwood grows along northwestern Pacific coast of the United States, from southwestern Oregon to central California. Redwood trees boasts a noticeably charming orange or brownish-red hue (hence its name "redwood"). The higher the levels of heartwood are used, the more darkened redwood gets. The lively color of redwood fence makes it stand out in any yard in the neighborhood.

In terms of the type of grain and number of knots, redwood normally has fewer knots or sometimes not at all due to the fact that it is mostly harvested from large old grown trees. Redwood fence has a tight, straight, long grain pattern that is the frequent choice for aesthetics-driven contractors and homeowners.


2. Durability

Redwood lumber is known for its weather resistance. Because it is often harvested when it is old enough, redwood is reportedly denser, the characteristic which prevents weathering and splintering from taking place.

What's more, the Janka-measure of redwood's hardness is 450lbs, which makes it softwood and light-weight. Note that older-growth redwood lumber tends to be slightly heavier, harder and stronger than younger ones. That does not make it any less durable and strong when used for fences, plus is relatively easy to work with so sawing, shaping, or nailing is easy to accomplish. However, you may need to watch out for odd shaped pieces with wavy or irregular grain as planer tear-out can occur while working on your fence, however this is not the norm. Redwood is easy to glue and finish well.

Natural oils and acids remain inside the wood even after considerable time after being harvested. The first property renders the redwood fence not susceptible to moisture and humid conditions, while the second property keeps insects, termites and bugs at bay. More specifically, it is tannin, a complex phenol substance that the wood contains that keeps it insect and rot resistant and gives it its natural color. Altogether, these natural substances help lengthen the lifespan of your redwood fence.

Another attribute that this wood offers is it can retain water for a much longer period of time compared to the same ability in other types of wood. It can also release moisture in order to maintain a balance with the surrounding temperature. It is not uncommon to see wood planks shrunken or bowed out of its original shape because of the water they are in contact with, making construction more difficult.

The same case does not apply to redwood which has the ability to keep planks' shape where they are supposed to be for considerably longer upon exposure to heavy rain or moisture. This is the reason why a redwood fence is often the go-to choice for houses in coastal areas, or similar regions that subject to lots of rain and snow.


3. Go green with redwood fence

Environmental pollution caused by human destruction is real regardless of how some say that climate change is a scam. Going for environmentally friendly products has been increasingly the favorite strategy adopted by many homebuilders. A rival of lumber products - plastic or wood-plastic materials are considerably competitive in the market but in fact, are not as green as some advertisements claim. An insight in how using redwood fence promises an array of benefits to our natural environment in comparison with these man-made materials:

- Recycling:

• Redwood fence is completely recyclable.

• Regardless of the fact that composite fence may be made from recycled plastic or not, composting it at the end of its life cycle is not possible because of its unique mixture of natural lumber and industrial materials. Not to mention when the sawdust of composite planks fly in the air, it is absolutely toxic for your respiratory system due to the non-biodegradable plastic component it contains.

- Energy required in the making

• Redwood trees need nothing fancy to grow except the natural forest system to which they are native and solar energy. Their organic matter also assist in powering the mills that are used to process them, hence saving more energy throughout the process.

• Even utilizing recycled plastic to make composite materials does not prevent the requirement of 10 times more energy than redwood lumber to manufacture fence materials.

- Air pollution

• Even during production process, redwood trees absorb more carbon than the amount they release, hence, our atmosphere is purified. Even in plank form, ready to be used for fencing, redwood still continues to perform this task.

• Manufacturing 1,000 plastic fences is reported to release as much carbon as manufacturing 1,000 cars.


4. Maintenance

Things you will need to keep your Redwood fence in shape:

  • Soap
  • Power washer, 25-degree tip and 15-degree tip
  • Bleach
  • Oxalic acid-based product
  • Epoxy wood filler
  • Epoxy cement and C-clamps
  • Clear sealant
  • Wood preservative
  • Paintbrush

To clean most dirt and stains on redwood fence, soap and water should suffice. Any washer more powerful than 1,500 to 2,000 psi will gouge your Redwood fence so choose accordingly. Aim your water hose of 25-degree tip at both sides of your fence; keep it about 18 inches from the fence's surface, and move the water along the grain. Do not forget to clean crevices besides the posts and under rails with a power washer of 15-degree tip so that discoloration around metal hardware can be removed.

If there is mildew, a little bleach and water will do the trick. If you over-bleach the fence or if it is iron-stained or faded quickly under sunlight, it is advisable to use an oxalic acid-based product for color restoration.

In case of gouges or holes, use epoxy wood filler. To remedy some splits, try some epoxy cement and C-clamps.

Redwood fences can be coated with a clear sealant which will ensure debris off the fence and help maintaining the gorgeous reddish brown cast of the wood for years and years to come.

Because of its high level of natural oil content, painting on redwood fences might prove challenging, as the oil can prevent the paint to be absorbed. To prevent rotting from the ground level from ruining your redwood fence, it is advisable to apply wood preservative around each post's base with a paintbrush.


Recap on the top qualities of redwood fence:

1. Natural brownish-red hue with very tight grain pattern; knots and other flaws are often absent

2. Incredibly strong and dense yet soft enough to work with easily

3. Natural oil and acid content respectively help the fence from humidity and keep splintering, warping, twisting or rotting at bay

4. Amazing ability to retain water much longer than other wood kinds and release moisture to balance out with the surrounding environment

5. Environmentally beneficial for the surrounding nature and also for your health by absorbing carbon in your outside space as a tree, as being manufactured, or even in plank form.

6. Simple maintenance program takes place frequently will keep your fence at its best, add aesthetical value to your outdoor space, and save you money spent on repairs or replacing for new ones.

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