Why are there spaces in my privacy fence?

 

While reading through a DIY fence forum this morning, the question was asked “why are there spaces in my privacy fence?” The writer stated they were not there when the fence was installed, but now there are gaps between the pickets. The writer went on to say he felt that his privacy fence no longer provided privacy and wanted to know how to fill the gaps. Others wrote in suggesting to cover the gaps with small pieces of wood, fill in the gaps with caulk, or fill in the gaps with “great stuff” expanding foam. I feel bad for this home owner, not only that his fence hasn’t lived up to his expectations, but also for the bad advise he was given for a fix.

Lets start with why the gaps are there. Most fences are constructed out of pressure treated southern yellow pine. Most of the pressure treated southern yellow pine is still “wet” when it is purchased. In other words, the lumber was pressure treated, bundled, and sent out for sale. A fence is built using this lumber. As the lumber dries, the wood shrinks, twists, and warps. This makes spaces between pickets and can warp the fence lines. No matter how good an installer is, the drying process of the lumber can alter the appearance of a fence. Once this happens, there is no getting it back in its original condition.

 There are steps to prevent this from happening. First is the use of kiln dried lumber. This lumber is dried before it is bundled and sent out for sale. This ensures the lumber stays straight and reduces shrinkage. Kiln dried lumber is more expensive, but it keeps your new fence looking new for much longer. Another way to prevent gaps in privacy fencing is to use tounge and groove fencing. This is more common in cedar fencing. Again, this type of fencing is a bit more expensive. Yet another way to prolong your fence is the use of a stain that contains both a water sealer and a UV protectant. This technique will not stop the shrinkage and warping as well as the first two suggestions, but will definitly prolong the life of your fence.

   In the perfect world, all fences would be built with kiln dried lumber and protected with a water sealer and UV protectant. But we are not in a perfect world, and with todays economy, it can be hard to justify the extra expense. With all things being said, talk with your contractor about the different options and what to expect in the future with your fence.

Thanks for reading!

Scott

www.carolinacustomfence.com

Bamboo Fence in Zebulon

    We installed a bamboo fence in Zebulon last week. The home owner was looking for something different and classy. He needed the fence to be able to give his dog (Dachshund) a safe place to play, and a fence to fit in with the plan for his yard. We looked at vinyl and wood, but these options were not what the home owner was looking for. The home owner started looking at fence designs online and found pictures of bamboo fencing. He called me to share what he learned. The bamboo he found was from www.CaliBamboo.com.  After a call to Cali Bamboo, the material was on the way and delivered in about a week! The fence would be 6′ tall bamboo with a picture frame.

    We began setting posts for the fence on Thursday. Digging conditions were great- red clay with very little rock. We used 4×4 posts for the line and 6×6 posts for the gates, all set in concrete. The fence was around 185′ total with one single gate and one double gate. The set took us a few hours to complete. We let the posts set overnight giving the concrete time to set.

    We arrived at the job the following Friday morning. With the bamboo, we used a 2 rail system composed of 2×4 runners. The top runner was set 6′ tall at the high point going level to the next post. The bottom rail was set just off ground level and followed the grade of the land. The bamboo was then attatched by screws to the runners. Being a picture frame fence, the fence had to be “stair stepped”.

    We finished the fence on Saturday. We installed the top and bottom face plates to the outside of the fence, and a top plate of 2×6 lumber. The gate hardware was attatched. We were extremely happy to see how strong the bamboo was! With only a top and bottom rail, the bamboo was very stiff and had very little give when pushed on. You can see the finished fence at www.carolinacustomfence.com/bamboofencezebulon.

     A few notes if you wish to install a bamboo fence yourself. When attatching the bamboo, be sure to drill pilot holes for the screws. If you don’t, you will crack the bamboo. Drill the screw in to secure the bamboo, but not too tight- again, you will crack the bamboo. Use a fine tooth saw to cut the bamboo to avoid splintering. We used a 60 tooth finish blade on a circular saw and a 24 tooth metal blade on a sawzall.

     Please post any questions or comments for bamboo fencing and I will be sure to answer them. Feel free to call me directly as well at 919-796-0464. You can also see other fence styles and designs at www.carolinacustomfence.com.

Thanks for reading!

Scott

Attatching Welded Wire

     In repsonse to the question: “What is the best way to attatch welded wire to a wooden post?”

    We attatch welded wire to wooden posts using feild nails. Feild nails are galvanized nails that have a U shape. Feild nails can be bought at most local home improvement stores. You can also use a feild nail gun and strip of feild nails. This type of feild nail looks more like a staple than a nail. You simply load the nail strip in the gun, place it over the welded wire, and hit it with a hammer. Its easier than traditional feild nails, but I wonder how they will hold up over time. You can purchase the feild nail gun and strip nails at Northern Tool.

     Thanks for reading!

Scott

www.carolinacustomfence.com

Welded Wire Fence Vs. No Climb Fence

      Welded wire tends to be a popular choice in fencing. Whether standing on its own or attatched to the back of a wooden fence, welded wire is commonly used for dog containment.  While welded wire is a good choice for some dog fences, it will not survive all breeds!

      Welded wire is made by making small welds on the wire that hold the wire together. The welds are fairly strong, but will not hold up to being jumped on consistantly. I also learned this first hand. I installed welded wire threw the woods of our back yard. I pulled the welded wire tight and attatched it to wooden posts. The fence worked fine for our 3 Great Danes and our Black Lab. It did not work so good for our German Shepard or Yellow Lab. These two dogs like to stand up using the fence for balance. In a short time, the welds broke, leaving dangling horizontal wires. This led to going threw the fence and climbing over the fence. This led to even more damage to the fence.

      A great alternative to welded wire is No Climb equine fencing. It works great with the breeds that jump and test the fence line. No Climb fencing is used for horses. It is made to withstand the weight of a horse leaning on it, and not to break if a horse steps on it, preventing a tangled hoof. It looks like welded wire untill you really examine it. The wire is thicker, and it is but together with “knuckles”, instead of welds. The knuckles are MUCH stronger than the welds in welded wire. There are only two down falls to No Climb fencing. First, it only comes in galvanized. No black or green. The second is the price. A roll of No Climb is easily 2-3 times the cost of welded wire.

    If you have a breed of dog that jumps or tests the fence line, talk with your fence contractor about No Climb fencing. In the long run, the No Climb will serve you better and be less expensive as you will not have to replace the welded wire time and time again.  No Climb fencing is available at Tractor Supply, Agri-Supply, and most farm supply stores. You can also see the specs of No Climb Fencing by visiting www.redbrand.com.  And as always, you can always call Carolina Custom Fences to answer any of your fencing questions at 919-796-0464 or visit us at www.carolinacustomfence.com.

Thanks for reading!

Scott